IL Postcard

A River-view Apartment for $35,000 in a Lively 16th-century Town

Date: 10/16/2008 Author: Leigh Fergus

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008

Read more about France in International Living Postcards—your daily escape

Dear International Living Reader,

Since buying a village house in Pouilly-sur-Loire, France, I’ve been exploring the area and this corner of the world keeps coming up trumps.

Last weekend I showed a friend the little town of la Charité-sur-Loire farther up the Loire valley. It’s picture-postcard material with its 16th-century stone bridge over the gurgling Loire, attracting ducks, swans, herons, and a number of rare birds and wildlife (this section of Europe’s last wild river is a nature reserve, home to a third of all European bird species).

It’s also one of France’s book towns, where bookbinders, independent publishers, and booksellers combine to organize fairs, festivals, markets, and workshops throughout year.

My city-slicker friend Annette is not much interested in old towns, but was enchanted by the historic town and snapped away at the 11th-century church, the ancient city gates, the archeological site, and the old-fashioned store signs on the main drag. And she found a great vantage point with views over the rooftops to the Loire to enjoy the sunset.

But there was more to come...

On the way to the priory candy shop for some sweet souvenirs, we saw posters for a concert that evening. Turned out that it was the opening for a string festival, and it was free—right outside the old church. We sat on the lawn under a linden tree and heard a quartet play extracts from Schubert, followed by a violin and xylophone duo playing Piazzolla, a viola player and cellist interpreting a Renaissance piece, and a group of 12 violinists and cellists played another lively classical air. No cell phones rang, just the rich notes competing with the blackbirds’ evening song.

That wasn’t all. After the concert, everyone was invited for a pot de l’amitié—the cup of friendship, in this case local beer and Pouilly Fumé—in one of the vast rooms next to the church, where another quartet continued to play.

When we came out, giddy with the music and good will, we saw more activity. A night market was underway, with pancakes, jewelry stands, Fair Trade products, local produce, and, of course, books, old and new, sepia postcards and posters—all to the sound of a Dixie band. Walking down the main street in the half-moonlight, the townsfolk were in a festive mood, joking and enjoying themselves, and the bridge was lit up to make a picture of its own reflection. And this isn’t just a one-off event—the town has a busy calendar of cultural happenings throughout the year.

After a dinner deal in a busy café of €10 ($13.40) for cold hams, quiches, and salads with fresh mayo, including wine, we sat outside the priory sipping a glass of the local Côteaux Charitois wine ($2). I could see that Annette—deeply Paris-centric—was impressed.

“I can see why you like this town,” she said, “but how much would it cost to buy a place here?”

We checked in the local realtors’ windows and within minutes had found half a dozen small townhouses for less than €50,000 ($67,000). Agence Normand on the rue des Ponts has a downtown studio apartment with a view of the Loire for €26,000 ($35,000). La Charité sur Loire is two hours from Paris, and I have a feeling I’ll be seeing more of Annette in the near future.

Leigh Fergus
Europe Editor,International Living

Editor’s Note: Leigh has been scouting the entire country to update France: The Owner’s Manual. Boxes of the freshly printed manual have just arrived at our offices. You can order a copy today by following this link.