holidayinfrance.biz    

Visit www.argentomagus.com For more information

The history of the research made on this ancient town begins with an authoritative page from the History of the Berry compiled in 1566 by Jean Chaumeau, a lawyer from Bourges. It attests to the strength of local tradition and the breadth of this Renaissance man's historical knowledge.
 
 "In ancient times.... the town of Argenton was situated where, at present, are certain large houses of vines called the Palace (toponym of the amphitheatre), the sacred walls or Murs Saints (Mersans) and le Virou (toponym of the theatre).... was great of breadth and perimeter... In these houses, one still finds large and beautiful cellars and foundations of houses and other ancient buildings made of such good materials and composition that it is difficult to demolish or tear them down.

"Not a year goes by but that, in the aforesaid houses and other neighbouring parts, objects and gold or silver medals are found.

"In one part of the perimeter, adjoining the river Creuse... one can still see two strong, attractive stacks of cut stone and the semblance of others that would be the bridges of that ancient town, at the issue of which.... is a road hewn with a great labour and artifice in rock so hard that one cannot but marvel at the workmanship, and was thus the road to go from Paris to Gascony (the Roman road towards Limoges).

"All these antiquities make it appear obvious enough that there was grandeur and magnificence in this aforesaid ancient city."

The Creuse Valley

The constant presence of man in the area owes much to the Creuse Valley. The river maintains the link between the crystalline formations of the Massif Central to the south and the sedimentary plains of the Parisian Basin to the north.

A major north-south axis, the valley skirts around the unforgiving plateaux of the Limousin. More subdued as it reaches Argenton, having left behind its deep gorges, the Creuse spreads out across the clay soils before being squeezed through a tight gully of two limestone cliffs.

Further on downstream, it once again expands, swollen by the waters of the Bouzanne. A main route, linking several naturally complementary regions - the Brenne and the Champagne on the one hand and the Boischaut on the other - the valley offered man a river teeming with fish (salmon proliferated until the dam was built at Eguzon in 1927) and a particularly noticeable microclimate on its sun-drenched midday slopes.

Home - Accommodation - Availability - Booking Form - The Bread Oven - Contact Us - Flight & Ferries - La Maison - Local Towns - Markets - Terms & Conditions - Links - Amusement Parks - Argentomagus Roman Museum - Argenton Sur Creuse - Badecon - Bed And Breakfast - Belabre - Brenne Natural Park - Chateauroux - Clermont Ferrand - Eating Out - Eguzon - Facts And Figures - Frequently Asked Questions (faq) - Fetes - Fishing - Directions From Bourges - Directions From Caen - Directions From Calais - Directions From Clermont Ferrand - Directions From Le Havre - Directions From Limoges - Directions From Poitiers - Directions From Tours - Gargilesse - La Chatre- Le Blanc - Leisure - Limoges -  Local Contacts - Local Towns - Location - Long Term Gite Rental - Oradour Sur Glane - Orleans - Places Of Interest - Poitiers - Road Travel - Shopping - Special Offers - St Benoit Du Sault - Swimming - Valencay - Walking - Wines Of France

Please use these links if you are experiencing problems with the menu at the top of this page

This page contains details on our French style self catering holiday cottages & gite accommodation  to rent in

Badecon-Le-Pin, Argenton-Sur-Creuse, Near Eguzon, Indre, Centre, Department 36, France

© 2005 Holiday In France - www.holidayinfrance.biz