The heart of the country is the ideal position from which to record and enjoy the rich tapestry of French life.
Surrounded by majestic Chateaux and expansive countryside, it can feel far from the "madding crowd". Wildlife is abundant, thanks to the relatively low population density and non-intensive farming methods. The macro photographer never has far to go before beautiful mini-beasts of the insect world catch their eye.
Equally, for the enthusiasts of the "infernal combustion engine" such as myself, it is never far to the nearest race track or bikers rally with it's intoxicating mixture of noise, heady fumes of Castrol "R" and burnt rubber.
The best of both worlds? I think so.