Population: 2.4 million

Principal city: Orléans

Near Bourges three villages lay claim to being the precise geographic centre of France. The honour is generally given to Saulzais-le-Potier, a row of stone houses with a two-metre monument. The region of Centre has the reputation of being the part of France where the purest French is spoken. It is in this region that the River Allier joins the Loire, which till then is little more than a stream but soon becomes a majestic river.

Architecturally, Chartres cathedral is considered to be the best example of a Gothic cathedral anywhere, but St-Etienne de Bourges, with its 15th century stained glass and its inner aisles, is also mentionworthy. The Berry, of which Bourges is the capital, produces more than half of the country's fine china. It recently came to fame when some of its porcelain was recovered from the Titanic.

The Loire Valley may have the most sumptuous palaces in France, but it also has the highest concentration of troglodyte dwellings in Europe; their uses range from underground zoos to ordinary dwellings. Herb gardens, rose gardens, arboretums and even a garden boasting more than 600 varieties of tomato all feature here. At the Pumpkin Festival in Tranzault, Indre, gourds, pumpkins and squashes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours at the biggest celebration of the vegetable in France.

Vouvray, Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé wines all come from vineyards near the river Loire. Some of the best wines are to be found at Bonnezeaux and at Vouvray, where they produce a very good sparkling wine. The Loire is probably better known for its wines than its cheeses but there are some remarkably good local ones. There are various types of goat cheese, including crottin de Chavignol and Ste-Maure, Olivet cheeses and of course Port-Salut. Orléans vinegar was once as famous as Dijon mustard, with more than 200 vinegar-makers and merchants working in the city. Today, there is just one producer of this traditionally made vinegar, but business is booming for Jean-François Martin.