Le Grand-Pressigny

Old part of the chateau and the donjon viewed from across the courtyard.

Le Grand-Pressigny is just a few kilometres from where we live.  We drove over in the rain, since it has rained a little every day we have been here.  In Le Grand-Pressigny we went to the Musee Prehistore which has recently opened a new wing and cave built on the grounds and attached of the Chateau Le Grand-Pressigny.  The original chateau is mainly a ruin, one of the towers fell down in 2009.  Wonder if this was the impetus to renovate, restore and eventually build a new museum?  The newer wing, built in the renaissance era, now has the new musee attached.  The grounds are well done, the view is spectacular, or at least it would have been if the sun had been out instead of clouds.  Instead, it has an impressionist feel.

Le Grand-Pressigny viewed from the chateau.

The old and the new meld together at Chateau  Le Grand-Pressigny.

The musee is not very large, but is very well done.  The displays are well signed, plus they have an audio guide in English.  The caves were recently restored and reopened.  They still feel ancient, but the displays are very modern.      www.prehistoiregrandpressigny.fr

Flint knife blades from one of the prehistoric cache sites around the area.

Flint core; to make the knives, they slough off ribs from the outside, the inside being too soft to use.

This area is famous for it's flint.  People have been mining it since the neolithic time to make points and knives.  Since we have found this out, we've started looking for flint used in buildings and walls.  We even found some in the rock used for paths at another chateau.