Area
Le Colas Chavet is situated 250 kilometres south of Paris, very close to the A 71. It is about one and a half hour south of Orléans and a good half hour south of Bourges. Saulzais-le-Potier, as mentioned before, the official geographic centre of France, is a small village. Le Colas Chavet is almost three kilometres from there. Until now this area has been relatively untouched by tourism and therefore wonderfully tranquil. However, there is also lots to do and look at. Apart from the weekly brocantes (car boot sales) there are many local markets where lots of local fresh products are available.

The area has no shortage of castles / country houses, although most of them are still privately owned and lived in. Châteaux d’Ainay-le-Vieil; Culan and Meillant are open to the public and certainly worth a visit. Famous and also worth a visit are the Cathedral in Bourges and the impressive solemn monastery of Noirlac. If you prefer cycling, swimming or walking, then there is plenty of opportunity and the chances of meeting other walkers are very slim. You could also visit the garden at Drulon with its many sculptures or the beautiful medieval gardens at d’Orsan. 

For bookworms there is the school building close to Saulzais-le-Potier, where Alain Fournier of Le Grand Meaulnes fame spent his youth. Also not too far is the château where George Sand often stayed with her lover Chopin. House and garden can be visited as well as the small private cemetery where Sand and her family found a last resting place.

As is common all over France there are plenty of delightful restaurants to be found around here and most offer remarkable value.   

>UK area (c)2005 Le Colas Chavet  dijkstra.claudia@wanadoo.fr