Land of writers and artists
– Destination –
"Climbing a ridge, I admired for the first time the Chateau d'Azay, a faceted cut diamond set by Indre mounted on stilts masked with flowers. " Honoré de Balzac, Le Lys dans la Vallée
Balzac at Saché
The Indre valley was a privileged place of inspiration for Balzac. A regular guest at the Château de Saché, 7 kilometers from Azay-le-Rideau, he finally got his habits there. He wrote at Saché some of his greatest masterpieces, including his novel The Lily in the Valley which takes us for a walk in this idyllic setting.
This big manor now houses the Balzac Museum where we immerse ourselves in the world of the great writer.
The love story of Camille Claudel and Rodin
"You can't imagine how good it is in L'Islette ... and it's so pretty! … If you are kind to keep your promise, we will know paradise. " Camille Claudel to Rodin
It was at the chateau of l'Islette that Rodin and Camille Claudel stayed in the years 1890 to 1893 (Camille Claudel then returned there for many much longer stays ...) to shelter their tumultuous love affairs and at the same time indulge in their common passion: sculpture.
Indeed, it was at l'Islette that the sculpture of Rodin's famous Balzac began, where Estager (Balzac's lookalike) posed on numerous occasions. As for Camille Claudel, she succeeds in taming Marguerite (6 years old), Madame Courcelles' granddaughter, to pose for her, at least 62 times! According to the little girl, it was very hard... But Camille Claudel made four different sculptures, entitled: The little girl of l'Islette, or The little Chatelaine.
And also...
Calder left his mark on Saché. His studio has now become an artists' residence. Without forgetting Max Ernst who lived in Huismes on the banks of the Loire. The house of the painter, sculptor and German poet, hosts temporary exhibitions, conferences, concerts...
