Priory of St. Cosmas, Romanesque priory in La Riche, France
The Priory of St. Cosmas stands on an island in the Loire River, featuring stone walls, gardens, and elements of Romanesque architecture.
Founded in 1092 on a seventh-century oratory site, the priory served as a refuge for pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela until the 18th century.
The Prior's House contains a museum dedicated to poet Pierre de Ronsard, who lived his final twenty years at the priory from 1565 to 1585.
The site includes nine restored gardens, a picnic area, a bar, parking facilities, and a projection room equipped with wireless internet connectivity.
The gardens display 200 rose varieties alongside collections of lavender, lilies, irises, and peonies, commemorating Ronsard's connection to the location.
Location: La Riche
Architectural style: Romanesque architecture
Website: http://www.prieure-ronsard.fr
Operator: Conseil départemental d'Indre-et-Loire (CD37)
Address: Rue Ronsard, 37520 La Riche, France 37520 La Riche
Opening Hours: November-March Wednesday-Monday 10:00-12:30,14:00-17:00; April-May,September-October Monday-Sunday 10:00-18:00; June-August Monday-Sunday 10:00-19:00; January 1 off; December 25 off
Phone: +33247373270
Website: http://prieure-ronsard.fr
GPS coordinates: 47.38920,0.65111
Latest update: September 12, 2025 10:45
The Loire Valley features Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance castles, and medieval squares. From Saint-Gatien Cathedral to Chenonceau Castle, each location displays architectural details: towers, stone walls, decorated facades, and geometric gardens. The city of Tours combines timber-framed houses, bridges over the Loire, religious buildings, and public squares with centuries-old trees.
A collection of historic homes of leading French authors, from George Sand to Victor Hugo, Balzac and Chateaubriand. These house-museums offer insight into the private life and creative world of writers who left a lasting mark on French literature, in their own living and working spaces.
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