A journey to the heart of Berry and beyond
Discover the posters and places below, true witnesses to the richness and diversity of our region, where history, heritage and culture interact with nature and modernity.
From majestic castles of the Loire to the peaceful marshes of Bourges, from Cistercian abbeys to artists' houses, each site tells part of our collective memory.
Places of spirituality, creation, innovation or contemplation, they draw a unique path that links the Berry and its surroundings to the great pages of French and European history.
To explore these sites is to travel through the centuries, while opening up to the world and its multiple inspirations.
Amboise | The Royal Castle
Magnificently dominating the Loire, the Royal Castle of Amboise was one of the favourite residences of the kings of France during the Renaissance.
This high place of history has welcomed great European figures and retains a rich architectural heritage marked by Italian art.
Its terraces offer stunning views of the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The castle also houses the chapel Saint-Hubert, known as the burial place of Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years in Amboise.
Argenton-sur-Creuse | Venice of Berry
Nicknamed the « Venice of Berry », Argenton-sur-Creuse seduces by its picturesque houses with wooden balconies hanging over the river.
This small city with timeless charm has long been a center of weaving and dyeing, marked by its artisanal heritage.
Its steep streets lead to the remains of the Gallo-Roman site of Argentomagus, a testimony of its ancient history.
Today, Argenton combines softness of life and cultural richness, with its museums, panoramas and riverscapes that inspire artists and travellers.
Bourges | St. Stephen's Cathedral
Like the one in Paris she inspired, the Sainte-Chapelle de Bourges was very largely glazed. Some of the windows are now visible in the crypt of the cathedral. Between the windows, statues of prophets were placed on columns. Some are at the Berry Museum. In the center was the tomb of Duke John, who was also transported to the cathedral.
The base was decorated with forty weeping, a first series carved in marble by Jean de Cambrai during the duke's lifetime, the others in alabaster, 40 years later, by Bobillet and Mosselman. There remain 26, scattered in museums around the world, as far as New York and St. Petersburg.
The Brenne | The country with 1001 Ponds
Natural heart of Berry, the Brenne is nicknamed the « countries with 1001 ponds ».
This vast area, preserved since the Middle Ages by man and nature, is home to exceptional biodiversity.
Migratory birds, rare orchids, fish and dragonflies make up a unique ecosystem, making the Brenne a paradise for nature and photography lovers.
Its trails and observatories invite to the peaceful discovery of landscapes punctuated by ponds, meadows and moors.
Here, rural heritage and natural riches interlace to offer an unforgettable immersion in one of the largest regional nature parks in France.
Chambord | The Castle
Symbol of the French Renaissance, Chambord Castle is one of the most emblematic monuments in the world.
Built in the 16th century by Francis I, it impresses with its unique architecture combining medieval influences and innovations inspired by Leonardo da Vinci.
Its 440 rooms, monumental staircases and countless fireplaces make it a masterpiece of ingenuity and majesty.
Surrounded by a vast enclosed forest estate, the largest in Europe, Chambord is also a natural setting conducive to walks and the discovery of wildlife.
Between art, history and landscapes, he embodies one of the jewels of French heritage.
Castle | The Digital City
Located in the heart of Châteauroux, the Cité du Numérique is a place dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship and digital transformation.
Thoughtful as a space of encounter and creativity, it brings together start-ups, companies, researchers and public actors around digital issues.
Workshops, conferences and training courses are regularly organised, promoting the emergence of collaborative projects and the dissemination of a digital culture.
The Cité du Numérique illustrates Châteauroux's desire to anchor itself in modernity while supporting the local economy and the talents of tomorrow.
Nohant | House of George Sand
In the heart of the Berry, George Sand's House in Nohant was the scene of an intense artistic and literary life in the 19th century.
The writer's residence for more than forty years, she welcomed great figures such as Chopin, Balzac, Flaubert and Delacroix.
In this rural setting, George Sand wrote much of his work and animated a true intellectual home.
The house, carefully preserved, preserves its furniture, its memories and its warm atmosphere.
Today she invites the visitor to dive into the writer's privacy and discover the creative spirit that animated Nohant.
Bourges | The Marais
Located at the gates of the historic centre, the marshes of Bourges form a verdant setting in the heart of the city.
This unique site, shaped by man since the Middle Ages, extends over more than 135 hectares of garden gardens crisscrossed by a network of canals.
Between vegetable gardens, colourful huts and peaceful trails, the marshes offer a picturesque landscape conducive to walking and discovering local biodiversity.
Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape, they are an emblematic place where nature, history and traditional know-how meet.
Roma | Matra Museum
Located in the former Beaulieu factory, the Museum of Romorantin traces the industrial and automotive adventure of a brand that marked French history.
Between unique prototypes, iconic standard cars and competition models, the collection allows you to discover the ingenuity and audacity that made Matra famous.
The museum also presents temporary exhibitions around design, innovation and mechanical sport.
This living place illustrates French technological know-how and perpetuates the memory of an epic that combines passion for cars and innovation.
Blacklac Abbey
Founded in the 12th century, the Cistercian Abbey of Noirlac is one of the best preserved monastic ensembles in France.
Nestled in the heart of the Berrichon bocage, it seduces by the purity of its Gothic architecture and the serenity of its places.
Cloister, refectory, capitular room and dormitories testify to the rigour and spirituality of Cistercian monks.
Restored with care, the abbey is today a cultural centre open to the contemporary world, hosting concerts, exhibitions and artist residences.
Between history and creation, Noirlac embodies the successful alliance of heritage and modernity.
Nançay | Star Pole
In the heart of Sologne, the Pole of the Stars of Nançay is a scientific mediation center dedicated to astronomy and the sciences of the universe.
Located near one of the largest radio telescopes in Europe, it offers interactive exhibitions, planetariums and animations accessible to all.
This unique place allows to discover the mysteries of the cosmos, to understand the celestial phenomena and to initiate the great advances of space research.
Between observation of the sky and scientific immersion, the Pole of Stars offers a fascinating experience that connects human curiosity to the infinite universe.
Roma | The Asian Pagoda
Around 1880, Anatole-Aristide Normant built a beautiful mansion surrounded by a park by the Parisian architect Léon Salleron.
An Asian pagoda is also built according to the plans of the Romorantian architect Auguste Chauvallon. This curious building is in fact the castle of the park and houses on the first floor a magnificent reading cabinet, decorated with Asian paintings.
The stained glass windows represent Japanese characters by Émile Hirsch. This castle, unique in France, has been protected as historical monuments since 1994.
Château de Valençay
With its elegant facades and French gardens, Valençay Castle is one of the most remarkable testimonies of the Renaissance and classicism in Berry.
The residence of the famous diplomat Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, minister of Napoleon, was the scene of great receptions and political intrigues.
Inside, richly decorated living rooms evoke the refined 18th and 19th century art of living.
The estate, classified as a Historical Monument, extends over a vast park with mixed gardens with French, landscaped park and forest.
Between art, history and nature, Valençay embodies the elegance and radiance of an era.
Villandry | The Castle
Last of the large Loire castles built in the Renaissance, Villandry Castle is known worldwide for its extraordinary gardens.
Composed of six sets with various themes — decorative vegetable garden, ornamental garden, maze, or water garden — they offer a unique show over the seasons.
The elegant architecture of the castle harmonizes with this vegetal case conceived as a living picture.
A place of history, but also of contemplation, Villandry embodies the refinement of the French art of living, where nature and culture dialogue in perfect symbiosis.
Serge GATINEL
The artist SERGATI is Serge GATINEL, from the South West and settled in Berry since 2003.
His artistic career began in the 1980s, when he joined Toulouse's Institut des Arts Culinaires rather than the École des Beaux-Arts.
His professional career in tourism brings him to the four corners of the world in the United States, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean in French Polynesia, and Africa in the Middle East.
A private art collector for 15 years at the international level, he was also for 8 years the curator of Valençay Castle in Indre and then the Castle of Menetou-Salon in Cher.
In parallel to his travels he produces large-format canvases that expose him in France and abroad and then come works created in Berry and limited series for private orders: sculptures, luminaires, table art, women's luxury jewellery and leather goods.
Seduced in recent years by the Digital Art Sergati discovers unsuspecting possibilities that release it from the technical constraints related to oil painting and is cluttered by a travelling workshop. He then finds the drawing, a childhood pleasure which he transposes on screen using his graphic palette and, (he insists) without the help of artificial intelligence!
In 2023 he registered the Berry Posters which he devoted to Berrichons tourist sites as well as the Berry brand here! for concept-store products derived from his illustrations.
Using stylus instead of brushes he develops his graphic design methodically and meticulously through a unique technique and in a very personal style mixing a vintage and hyperrealistic spirit, each poster asking him at least 2 to 3 weeks of work.
Sergati works mainly on order and tailor-made for cultural and tourist actors in France and abroad.
