La Celle-Guenand: Chapel, Limestone and Cultural History

La Celle-Guenand is associated with several distinct themes: historic buildings, a landscape shaped by streams and limestone, and fishing at the municipal pond. These local features offer different starting points when choosing a destination. The chapel and church represent different historical periods, the Remillon Valley offers an archaeological trace, and the streams reveal the connection between geology and earlier uses.

Buildings from Different Periods

The Chapelle du Genêt was probably built by the d’Azay family in the second half of the 15th century. The family’s coats of arms are depicted inside. While the probable date places the building in its historical context, the heraldic decoration points to the family who commissioned it.

The foundations of the Church of Notre-Dame de La Celle-Guenand date from the last quarter of the 11th century. This period is several centuries earlier than the probable construction of the Chapelle du Genêt. The two buildings therefore represent different historical phases in the local history; their features also differ in kind: Notre-Dame is notable for its foundations, while the chapel is associated with its probable date of construction and the d’Azay family’s coats of arms. This helps place both the time gap and the different historical connections of the two buildings in context.

Streams, Limestone and Human Use

The streams that cut across the local plateau have exposed Turonian limestone. This limestone has long been used to create caves, dwellings in the rock and refuge tunnels. Geology and the history of human use are therefore connected, but they answer different questions: the streams explain how the rock was exposed; the examples of caves, dwellings in the rock and refuge tunnels show how it was used. Both the shape of the plateau and human use of the limestone are therefore relevant to the history of the landscape.

The Remillon Valley preserves Neolithic tools. These add tangible archaeological evidence to the geological and landscape-history perspective. By contrast, Turonian limestone is not just about individual objects, but about a rock used for caves, dwellings in the rock and refuge tunnels. Archaeological traces and the use of the landscape thus offer different but complementary ways of exploring the past.

Plan for Cultural Events and Fishing

The Patrimoine et amis du Château de la Celle Guenand association organizes tours, cultural days and cultural events. These organized activities complement the historic buildings and landscape themes. If you would like to plan your trip around a particular cultural day or event, check the latest dates in advance, as schedules can change.

Fishing is permitted at the municipal pond in La Celle-Guenand. The municipal regulations for 2026 allow a maximum of three fishing rods per person; fishing permits are also available. As arrangements may change, check the latest municipal information on permits and procedures before fishing.

Discover more destinations: Razines, Larçay, Gizeux, Chinon, Saint-Avertin, Notre-Dame-d'Oé, Saint-Michel-Sur-Loire, Reignac-Sur-Indre.

For the broader travel guide: Indre-Et-Loire.