Genillé can be explored through very different traces: from a prehistoric dolmen to historic buildings and walking and cycling routes. The oldest surviving evidence within the commune is the Dolmen d’Hys. It dates from the Neolithic period, between 2500 and 1500 BC. The history of the town can also be explored on a historical discovery walk: 22 information panels in French and English explain the development of Genillé’s rural history.
Landscape and historic traces
Near the Indrois, cuts and ravines shape Genillé’s rocky plateau. Caves and troglodyte dwellings were created in them. A walking route also describes the landscape of woods and undergrowth; it passes numerous private châteaux and cave sites. The commune is also home to three ZNIEFF natural areas and one Natura 2000 site.
The Church of Sainte-Eulalie dates from the 11th to the 16th century. Its notable features include stained-glass windows from the Lobin workshops, a polychrome-painted wooden ceiling in the nave, and a white marble holy-water font dating from 1494. Other buildings and their histories reflect different periods: the Pavillon de l’octroi is a 16th-century building; the Château de la Bourdillière housed a women’s abbey in the 17th century. The main residence of the Château de Genillé dates from the 15th century and was modified in the 16th and 19th centuries.
Walking and cycling
The length and destination of two walks provide clear points of comparison. “Sur les pas d’Adam Fumée” covers 12 kilometres from the centre of Genillé to the Forêt domaniale de Loches. The 16.2-kilometre walk “De l’Indrois au château de Pont” is marked in blue. Its meeting point is Place Fernand Raoul-Duval, formerly Place du Champ de Foire; cars can be parked there. Check parking conditions before your visit. The route passes through woods and undergrowth, by private châteaux and cave sites.
A cycling route is also described with a specific length and destination: Touraine à vélo circuit no. 63 runs from Genillé to the Château de Montpoupon and is 29 kilometres long. This gives you two different ways to get around and stated route lengths for planning your trip, without conflating the walking and cycling destinations.
An event in October
The Foire aux marrons is held every year on the third Sunday in October. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the date for the relevant year in advance. Genillé’s local history, walking and cycling offer several specific highlights to help you choose when to travel and plan your days.
Discover more destinations: Mouzay, Candes-Saint-Martin, Thilouze, Saint-Laurent-De-Lin, Mazières-De-Touraine, Montlouis-Sur-Loire, Truyes, Beaumont-En-Véron.
For the broader travel overview: Indre-Et-Loire.
