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Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil
The Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil, in the Cher, is a medieval fortress nicknamed the 'Carcassonne of the Berry'. It is protected by a curtain wall punctuated with towers, by moats, guardhouses and a wall walk, and looks as if it has come straight out of the Middle Ages. In the 15th century it was turned into a pleasure residence: a Renaissance-style residential wing backs onto the fortress. It has been lived in by the same family since 1467.
The visit takes in the furnished rooms, the curtain wall and its ramparts, and the garden, with activities and costumes for children. The château also holds events throughout the season, such as night-time garden tours or gatherings devoted to plants.
It lies in the south of the Cher, in the Berry, near the Cher valley and not far from the border with the Allier.
