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No matter your age or interests Touraine has much to offer in the way of activities. For ramblers, marked footpaths follow our river valleys, link old villages, and crisscross the huge oak forests of Loches and of St. Aignan with their deer and wild boar; you can ‘get on your bike’ and expore the local villages or ‘saddle up’ for a ride along the bridle paths; there is golf, coarse fishing and watersports, quad bike and microlight hire, hot air ballooning and even regional cookery workshops given by a talented local chef. There are numerous activities for children of all ages one of the most popular of which is to visit the Zoo de Beauval. We keep a large selection of brochures and information sheets in the gîtes that give full details of all of these activities and others. Click here and on the links or titles for additional and more detailed information on activities in the area. Some of the websites are, unfortunately, only in French but do have photos and contact details.
Rambling
For those who like to enjoy our beautiful area on foot there are a large number of public footpaths. Cycling
Bikes for all the family can be hired in our local village or in Loches, 20 kms from La Grange des Près .
At Saint Senoch, 30 minutes from La Grange des Prés, run by a gifted horsewoman. Not just a riding school but an establishment where horses are bred, broken and schooled for all riding activities including harness work. 
Verneuil-sur-Indre, 10 minutes from Loches, has a nine-hole golf course. Equipment hire, tuition and light meals are available in the château clubhouse. Eighteen hole courses can be found at The château of Cheverney, 45 minutes, and at Ballan Miré just south west of Tours, about 1 hour’s drive.
Tennis
You will find tennis courts in Genillé - fifteen minutes away. The cost is 6€ per hour per court and bookings and key collection at the tobacconist in Genillé village!
Fishing
Fishing permits are inexpensive and obtained from our local tobacconists. The season for 2010 is from March 13th. until September 19th. There are several small lakes and rivers nearby where fishing is permitted. Nouans les Fontaines and Chemillé both have lake fishing with Chemillé also offering night carp fishing on specific dates. For fly fishermen there is a resevoir around 50 minutes drive away that is well managed and stocked with various types of trout. Very inexpensive permits are available from the café in the nearest village to it. The season may vary slightly from the coarse fishing season but the dates are broadly similar. 
Canoëing on the Loire and its tributaries is an activity that can be enjoyed by all. There are many centres in the area where canoës - accompanied or unaccompanied - can be hired. Karting - from 7 years of age to adult - can be enjoyed at an outdoor circuit at Châtillon sur Indre, twenty minutes from La Grange des Près, or at an indoor centre at Joué les Tours - about 50 minutes away. 
3km from Loches, 25 minutes from La Grange des Prés, you can hire quad bikes or make a supervised microlight flight.
There are several companies proposing flights starting from the châteaux of: Amboise, Blois, Chambord, Chenonceau, Cheverney and Chaumont.
Brocantes 
For a less strenuous activity sure to please many (children find must-haves too!) the village brocantes, vide greniers (literally, 'attic emptying' ) and antique markets take place on Sundays and Public Holidays mainly from March until October. Click here for a calender of brocantes in the Loire Valley area. Brocantes within around half of department 37 and some of 41 and 36 are within comfortable driving distance. Held by Didier Marqué, a well-known local chef, at his Gerbe d'Or restaurant, in Loches on most Thursdays and some Fridays. Various formats including regional specialities and fois gras. Children's Activities
At Saint Aignan, 20 minutes from La Grange dès Près and rated one of the top 15 zoos in the world. It works with such conservation bodies as the John Aspinal Foundation. The children will be sure to enjoy it - even adults have been known to do so. Please click here for a website with photos of animals from the zoo - still in French but interesting! Pedalos, rowing boats and canoës can be hired here. There is an excellent young children's play area and a snack bar. 
Near Amboise, this park, with reproductions of the best loved châteaux of the area among which you can walk, is a firm favourite with children. 
Beside the Parc des Mini-Châteaux, an excellent freshwater aquarium. The two visits can be made together although there is no obligation to do so. Just north of Amboise, a 30 hectare game park with buffalo, wild boar, deer and ostrich - among others. Take the Safari Train through the park and meet the animals! At St. Martin Le Beau, on the Cher, about 40 minutes drive from La Grange des Prés. This park has many childrens' activities some of which cater for younger age groups. Its website is, unfortunately, in French but the photos might be of some help - and the prices don't require translation! 
The only activity that I've included that isn't within one hour's drive of La Grange des Prés - it's around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. I've included it, however, because several young guests wished to visit it - and enjoyed it immensely.
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