Medieval market town

We can’t wait to get back to our “lively medieval market town” in central France: Argenton sur Creuse, perfectly positioned on a main SNCF train line.

Situated on the river Creuse, in the former province of Berry, the department of Indre, and the aptly named region of Centre, it is sometimes called the “Venice of Berry” with houses built right on the river’s edge, their foundations disappearing below water level.

Our own house is around 150 years old – close to, but not on the river – with French windows (of course) and foot-thick stone walls. A 3 level townhouse, with no garden but a lovely little balcony, it’s an ideal “pied-à-terre” for our to-ing and fro-ing back and forth from Australia. (We just wish there was more to-ing and less fro-ing!)

There are places of historical interest all over town, marked by information posts in both French and English and it makes me smile to see busloads of tourists exploring from time to time when we’re lucky enough to live there (albeit part-time).

You can almost feel the history.

Not far away in St Marcel is the archeological site “Argentonmagus” and the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. We have walked to St Marcel from our place but it is a fair hike up the hill – although much easier on the way home. As a complete contrast, there is a hypermarket and large hardware store there as well.

Argenton has a population of around 5000 and also services neighbouring villages totalling about 15000 so it has all the shops, services, pâtisseries and cafés you need on a day-to-day basis…

and on Saturdays a large fresh produce market (marché).

Further afield (about 30 km away easily accessible by car, bus or train) is Chateauroux which is a regional centre where you can find absolutely everything you could possibly need.

Argenton sur Creuse certainly has everything we need and we’re counting the days till our return!

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