Mont Sigou overlooks the Loire Valley from Ussé to Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Ingrandes-de-Touraine connects this landscape with wine, marked trails and historic buildings from different periods. To plan your trip, you can combine a guided tasting with a subsequent walk through the vineyards, or focus on cycling and hiking routes.
Wine, AOC, tastings and cuisine
The Château de Minière vineyard covers 18 hectares in the heart of the AOC Bourgueil. Ingrandes-de-Touraine is also one of the communes that make up this appellation. At the château, a guided tasting offers an introduction to the red and rosé wines of the AOC Bourgueil, as well as the estate’s sparkling wines. It lasts 45 minutes. This is followed by a 1.5-hour walk through the vineyards, where Cabernet Franc and the terroirs of Bourgueil are introduced. This makes it easy to plan your time around wine: the tasting is followed by a longer stretch in the vineyards.
One place to eat in the village is the restaurant «Vincent, cuisinier de campagne». It serves cuisine made with 100 percent local, seasonal produce. At the Domaine Lamé-Delisle-Boucard winery, the focus is on production credentials: it is organically certified and certified as a high environmental value operation, Haute Valeur Environnementale.
Views and local history
The Mont Sigou orientation point is open year-round. It has an orientation table and information panels on the history of the Loire Valley. Together with views across the valley from Ussé to Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, it makes a worthwhile stop for anyone who wants to include the landscape and regional history in their visit.
The Église Saint-Romain was built in 1859 in the Neo-Gothic style, following plans by diocesan architect Gustave Guérin. Its stained-glass windows, installed between 1861 and 1877, were made by Julien-Léopold Lobin and Lucien-Léopold Lobin. Another trace of history can be found near the Salle des fêtes: a wall is the only surviving remnant of the former church, which dates to the mid-11th century. The 19th-century church and this remnant thus point to two very different periods in the village’s history.
Cycling and hiking routes
There are two loop routes of different lengths to choose from for a bike ride. The signposted 25-kilometre «Entre val et coteau – Boucle vélo n°31» starts in Ingrandes-de-Touraine and follows the hillside along Rue des Roches. The stated duration is two and a half hours. The 35-kilometre «Grands crus et belles demeures – Boucle vélo n°23», marked in green and white, is suitable for beginners and passes Château de Minière and its vineyards. Check the trail conditions and signage before setting off.
Hiking and cycling trails in Ingrandes-de-Touraine run through vineyards and woodland. One specific loop, «Ingrandes de Touraine», starts in the village centre, passes through vineyards and woodland, follows the Marais de Biez and returns to the starting point. It is marked in yellow in both directions. The route provides a clear plan for a walk; check conditions locally.
Getting there and taking a break
Rémi bus line N2 connects Ingrandes-de-Touraine with Langeais and Bourgueil. If you plan to use the line for your trip, check the timetable before travelling. At Étang Edmond Martin, there is a picnic area with five tables, a pétanque court and a table-tennis table.
Discover more destinations: Ciran, Tavant, Saint-Pierre-Des-Corps, Sainte-Catherine-De-Fierbois, Saché, Semblançay, Channay-Sur-Lathan, Dierre.
For the broader travel overview: Indre-Et-Loire.
