The perfect picnic spot

La Touraine is a great region to picnic, because the banks of the Loire’s tributaries offer fantastic picnic locations. The best one we’ve ever discovered, however, is not near a river, but by a pond in the village of Champigny-sur-Veude.

Champigny-Sur-Veude is some 7 kilometres north of Richelieu. There used to be a 16^th century castle in Champigny, built by the Bourbon-Montpensier family, but the Cardinal de Richelieu had it demolished. Today, all that’s left are some outbuildings and a chapel dedicated tot Saint Louis. The chapel has gothic as well as Renaissance features and it is renowned for its glass stained windows. They go back to the second half of the 16^th century, but were dismantled during the French Revolution. In 1793 they were put back into place. In the 19^th century the windows were restored. During World War II, and to avoid them being destroyed by the bombing, they were dismantled once again. After the liberation of France in 1944, they were put back.

Driving through the village, coming from the north, you’ll see the chapel on your right. A little bit further, on your left, is a small street that leads to the municipal pond. On the well-tended lawn and in the shadow of the neatly pruned trees are three or four picnic tables.

Make sure to arrive early, because the place is very popular with the locals. Last time we were there, a party of seven – probably friends and neighbours – were having lunch. They came well equipped with extra chairs and tables and a large cool-box, with lots of food and drinks.

Other people come to fish: carp and trout … and sometimes even a pike (if you’re lucky). Well, that’s what we were told by the two men who were fishing there during our first visit. To be quite honest - although we stayed well over an hour and half – we never saw them catching any fish. But that didn’t seem to bother them too much. They were obviously having a great time, sitting in the sun, occasionally taking a sip from the bottles of red wine that they kept hidden in the shade of their fishing baskets.

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