La Chartre-sur-le-Loir is a paradise for antiques lovers, flea-market fans, budding interior designers and bargain hunters alike.

With an abundance of bric-a-brac and antique (brocante) shops, visitors to Hotel de France will love rummaging through the town’s numerous treasure troves. The wider region also hosts regular markets where visitors can pick up anything and everything from antique chairs to pottery, paintings and beyond.

Puces antiquities flea market near Hotel de France
Antiquités Grégoire, La Chartre-sur-le-Loir near Hotel de France

Must visit shops…

in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir there are many antique and brocante shops featuring an eclectic mix of vintage, modern, shabby chic, craft and up-cycled items. There are also brocante markets during several weekends of the summer which are perfect for a leisurely meander to find unexpected treasures.

There are several beautiful gift shops with a great selection of high-quality individually selected items, jewellery, beautiful clothes and accessories, homewares and quirky gifts.

We have shops with delicious gourmet delights and local specialities; try the famous pork “Rillettes Sarthoise”, take home a bottle of local Jasnières wine or try wonderful French patisserie, tempting macarons and home-made chocolates from the boulangeries.

La Chartre-sur-le-Loir’s small, but perfectly formed Sunday market, just in front of the church sells goat’s cheese, vegetables and oysters when they are in season.

Other markets in the area include the largest in the region at La Fléche on Wednesday mornings; over 200 stalls of gorgeous food produce, local craft products, clothing and furniture.

Le Mans has a wonderful market on a Sunday morning in front of the cathedral. Stuffed with bric-a-brac at one end, the rest is filled with plants and cut flowers, cheeses, spices, meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and bread…  Superb!

 

The Hotel de France: the perfect base for a fishing holiday in the Vallée du Loir and Loire Valley:

From fishing lakes, both natural and man-made, to rivers, fishing is literally on the hotel’s doorstep.

 

The Loir river

 

The river, which runs alongside the hotel, is famous for its fishing. Carp, perch, chub, roach, bream, zander, tench and pike are just a few of the species that can be caught.

 

The regions’ lakes

 

Carp, many weighing over 40lbs, have been caught here, together with trout, bream, eel, pike, catfish and sturgeon.