France's Enchanting Loire Valley - Sir Mick Jagger's Secret Hideaway
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Travel & Leisure
Jun 19, 2007
chateau_du_guerinet
France's Enchanting Loire Valley - Sir Mick Jagger's Secret Hideaway
When Mick Jagger thick-lipped lead singer of the Rolling Stones (affectionately also known as the Strolling Bones) finishes a tour, where does he head to unwind? He heads for the beautiful Touraine region in the centre of France in a sleepy little backwater where he can relax with his friends and family preferring the simple life. The little village is incredibly quaint with a population of about 1600 people. If you blink it is easy to miss Poce-sur-Cisse. There is the Marie as usual, a little white church, a newsagent, two hairdressers, hotel, baker, two pharmacies, and pizzeria. In the centre is an impressive 15th century chateau set out in a gorgeous park. This one is not Sir Mick's. A discreet sign indicates the way to La Fourchette. Poce-sur-Cisse is well placed being only 220 kilometres from Paris on A10. And just 25 kilometres from the village is the Tours airport, where a private, three-person taxi-plane whisks Jagger from London in 70 minutes. The area is also handy for the high speed TGV, which zooms into Tours or its satellite station, St-Pierre-des-Corps, in 62 minutes from Paris' Gare Montparnasse. Twenty six years ago he and Jerry Hall his then wife purchased a beautiful 16th century chateau for a mere 2 million francs (roughly 200,000 pounds inflation aside) in a tiny village called Poce-sur-Cisse a few kilometres from Amboise on the north side of the Loire River. His chateau, La Fourchette was originally the property of the Duc de Choiseuil, Louis XVI's finance minister. Apparently Mick Jagger fell in love with this region when he came here camping with his parents in the 1950s. It is his preferred second residence. Probably not only for the relaxed lifestyle he gets to enjoy there, but also because of how handy it is to London and New York. It is not at all surprising that Jerry wanted La Fourchette as part of the divorce settlement but she did not get it. His guests at La Fourchette have included Tina Turner, Paul McCartney, David Bowie and Roman Polanski. The last Rolling Stones album was recorded at his chateau and the band members where all regulars in the village during this period. He is known to the locals as Sir Mick, le pape du rock, Sir Jagger, Mick de Fourchette, Dr. Jagger, sexy papy British, le pere Mick, Le Seigneur de Fourchette, Le Seigneur de Fourchette and Mister Mick. He is the Touraine's best hard to find attraction. He is popular with the locals and is quietly protected. The locals are loath to discuss him with strangers. I doubt if he would have been able to find any village in England or America, which would not have cashed in on his association with Rolling Stone paraphernalia and merchandise splattered everywhere. The Peter Pan of Rock has integrated nicely into French country life and he competently engages local upholsterers, plumbers, electricians and mechanics. He even fronts up to the local Bricomarche (DIY store) to be served by blushing giggling young girls. He has also been known to play cricket for Saumur when he is at La Fourchette. In spite of his wealth, his reputation and his glamorous friends, he is mostly seen at the wheel of a fairly downmarket Opel station wagon, or a tiny Nissan Micra or his old 505 Peugeot. Art historian, John Richardson commented: "I've stayed with Mick at his chateau, La Fourchette, and that's where you see a very different Mick. He got Alvilde Lees-Milne to lay out a marvellous formal walled garden and he became completely part of the garden, knew every single thing about all the plants, the flowers, the way the fruit trees were espaliered. There is nothing contrived about his wonderful country-house life. Big trestle tables under the chestnut trees, with nanny and kids at one end and adults at the other - the children having buns, the adults smoking joints. Absolute paradise. I remember Mick was training for one of his tours there too - he used a dead straight local stretch of country road so he could practise running backwards very fast. You'd see a French farmer resting on his shovel or his hoe, watching the head of Mick Jagger above the hedge going back and forth, very fast, backwards." You too can live a little like Mick Jagger if you want. Rent yourself a chateau.
Corina Clemence operates a luxury french chateau in the Loire Valley near Blois, for up to fifteen people perfect for family holidays and for touring vineyards and chateaux and relaxing. It is ideal for a french wedding, party or event. Rent the whole castle or rent a suite. Rent a castle in France. Hire castle - hire chateau Rent chateau France http://www.loirechateau.com Rent castle France
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