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La Charité-sur-Loire
We spent several days
at La
Charité-sur-Loire, one of our favorite locations in the
Upper Loire region.
With a population of
around 5,400,
Charité is large enough to offer a full range of restaurants
and shopping, but still small enough to be relatively free of the
congestion of a larger city such as Nevers.
Settlement began with
the establishment of a fortified
Cluniac priory in the year 1059, now in a picturesque state of
ruin and enjoying a commanding
view of the town, river and surrounding region.
Like Nevers
and Dieppe, la
Charité-sur-Loire is an important stop for pilgrims on the
way to Santiago de Compostela. There is lodging available for pilgrims
inside the monastery near the Porterie,
with
single bunk beds, a kitchenette, shower, toilets and heating. The
maximum length of stay is one night. For information, contact: Office
de tourisme de La
Charité-sur-Loire.
Those
who expect an ongoing active night-club scene would find the city
disappointing, although there is a well-stocked Irish pub for an
afternoon stout or draft beer. Also, there are seasonal events such as
a blues festival and a piano festival, so if you time it right,
Charité can offer a lot of entertainment.
One thing we
liked about the choice of Charité as a place to
stay is its central location relative to the other
towns and attractions in the region. Going upriver on the highway, it's
only 24 km (14 mi)
from Nevers and 30 km (18 mi) from the beautiful village of Apremont-sur-Allier.
Head in the other
direction, and it’s 56 km (33 mi) to Briare. The
bridge shown in the photo above and at the top of the main Central
France page is the N151 road leading to Bourges (51km or
about 30 mi.)
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La
Charité-sur-Loire
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