Cléré du Bois

At the boundary of the two provinces of Berry and Touraine, the parish of Cléré du Bois is situated at the source of the river Aigronne in whose valley have been found numerous, prehistoric artifacts. The origin of Cléré du Bois (formerly known as Clarus, Cleriaco and then Clereio in Bosco) date back to the Gallo-Roman period.

This tranquil, small village on the borders of the Brenne Regional park is an idylic location for walkers, cyclists and nature lovers with many sign-posted trails. The village has a 12th century church (the Church of Saint Peter) with a vaulted nave, a semi-circular Roman apse and two valuted chapels.

There is also horse-riding and a recreation ground with a "boules" area.

In the village there is a well-stocked shop for all essentials, a bar and restaurant. For a real taste of France within a five minute stroll, you can collect your breakfast of fresh bread and croissants which are baked daily (except Wednesdays) on the premises. The restaurant also has an outside dining / terrace area and serves excellent value traditional French cuisine as well as snacks, pizzas, pasta dishes and ice creams. There is also a pizza take-away service.

It is an ideal base from which to explore the countryside, the châteaux, the Brenne, the medieval market towns and villages and the excellent, local resturants and vineyards with wine-tasting.

On this web page we show you some of the views of the village to give an idea of the immediate area in which you would be staying at La Vieille Ferme.

On the last sub-page ("Old Cléré du Bois"), you will find a few photos of Cléré du Bois taken back in the early 1900's. The areas in the pictures are easily identifiable by walking round present-day Cléré du Bois.