If you want to hike in Le Boulay, you can choose between two routes. The “Balade Familiale” is a 3 km, very easy walk that starts at 1 allée des Tilleuls. The 9 km “Circuit Le Boulay” is considered an easy hiking trail and starts at the same address. This gives you a choice of a shorter or longer route; the distance and stated difficulty can help you choose a tour that fits your schedule.
A network of walking trails runs through Le Boulay. Walking brochures for the area are available at the town hall or the Château-Renault tourist office. Check local conditions before setting out. This will help you compare your choice of route with the current conditions on the ground.
Walking and Finding Your Way Through the Landscape
One prominent landmark is La Mulochère, the highest point in Le Boulay. The Glaise also helps to locate the landscape geographically: the river is 12 km long and forms the northern and northeastern municipal boundary until it flows into the Brenne. A small mill once operated at this confluence.
The “Le Pain Sec” walking trail connects part of the walk with a trace of the former railway line: it runs partly along the old railway route, which also passed through Rue de la Gare. This is a different local trail story from the two routes that start on allée des Tilleuls. Check local conditions before setting out on this route, too.
Priory, Town Hall, and Saint-Sulpice Church
Saint-Sulpice Church in Le Boulay corresponds to the chapel of the former priory. This priory was founded by Benedictine nuns in the mid-12th century. Another historic building in the village is the town hall, which is located in the former priory, more precisely in the former presbytery. The town hall building dates from the 16th century. Together, the church and town hall tell the long history of the priory, while showing different aspects of it.
The furnishings of the high altar stand out for the contrast between their materials. The altarpiece is made of stone, sculpted, painted, and gilded. It consists of three panels and follows the semicircular layout of the apse. The altar and tabernacle, by contrast, are made of wood. The inscription “Fecit Charpantier” appears on the altarpiece.
The central painting on the altarpiece is an oil painting on canvas depicting the Annunciation. The Annunciation of Le Boulay is a copy after an oil painting by Francesco Albani (1578–1660), known as “l’Albane.” The original was created around 1625–1630 and is now housed in the Louvre. An inscription on the painting suggests that S. Desmares, a nun at the priory, painted it in 1695 at the age of 27 and donated it to the convent. The wording remains cautious: this is a supposition, not a confirmed attribution.
Another object in Saint-Sulpice is the tombstone of Françoise de Montgarny. It was protected as a movable cultural property on 24 February 1921. For a stay that combines walking and cultural history, Le Boulay offers several specific points of interest: routes of different lengths, the landscape around the Glaise and Brenne, and the history and furnishings of the church.
Discover more destinations: La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin, Chinon, Saint-Cyr-Sur-Loire, Marcilly-Sur-Vienne, Souvigné, Dame-Marie-Les-Bois, Langeais, Yzeures-Sur-Creuse.
For the regional travel overview: Indre-Et-Loire.
