Towards the bats of Cessy

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Nestled at the bottom of the Talvanne valley, Cessy-les-Bois is classified as a Natura 2000 site due to the presence of two large bat colonies on its territory: the Greater Horseshoe Bat and the Geoffroy's Bat.

Along the first two kilometres of the hike, you will find information panels explaining this local feature. In addition, a booklet is available for purchase at the Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire reception point of the Bourgogne Cœur de Loire Tourist Office.

Details

n°3551386
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 355 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 349 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 335 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 233 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Cessy-les-Bois (58220)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.336714° / E 3.205713°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2522SB, 2523SB
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Photos

View of the church and bridge in Cessy-les-Bois.
Tower and church of Cessy-les-Bois.
Wheat field with a house.
Façade of the town hall of Cessy-les-Bois.

Description of the walk

Park next to the church in Cessy-les-Bois.

(S/E) Take the road towards Colméry and continue to the Rue Montignon crossroads.

(1) Turn right onto this street, continue along it, then turn left onto Rue de la Redouterie. You will reach a new crossroads at a hairpin bend.

(2) Take the path furthest to the right (it has information panels about bats and runs alongside the Talvanne). From here, follow the yellow markings until the end of the hike.

(3) Pass the hamlet of Le Petit Moulin. You will reach the hamlet of Les Dubois at the junction with the D187.

(4) Cross it and head towards Les Dubois opposite, then continue straight ahead. Be careful, there is a steep climb. Join the forest lane.

(5) Turn right onto this lane and walk up through the woods to the D178.

(6) Follow the D178 on the right and return to the town centre (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 236 m - Car park at the church in Cessy-les-Bois
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 233 m - Cessy-les-Bois wash house
  3. 2 : km 0.59 - alt. 261 m - Montignon
  4. 3 : km 2.32 - alt. 254 m - Road, on the right
  5. 4 : km 2.6 - alt. 255 m - Crossroads of four roads, turn left
  6. 5 : km 3.65 - alt. 335 m - Forest track
  7. 6 : km 5.61 - alt. 296 m - D178
  8. S/E : km 6.81 - alt. 236 m - Car park at the church in Cessy-les-Bois

Notes

Yellow markings

Worth a visit

The Zig and Zag interpretive trail: you'll learn everything there is to know about bats.
Saint-Christophe Church from the 16th and 19th centuries.
Monks' dovecote: remains of the former monastery.
The wash houses and the Talvanne river.
The cemetery at Cessy-les-Bois was used as a location for François Ozon's film "Quand vient l'automne" (When Autumn Comes).

Reviews and comments

3.2 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
2.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.2 / 5
Route interest
3.6 / 5
jean jacques verdier
jean jacques verdier

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello
I am very surprised to discover the interpretation that has been given to my comment on this hike.
Please note that your star rating is not about how interesting you found it, but about how it was presented!
I have never used the rating "very disappointing" as it is recommended.
Please correct this.
Jean-Jacques Verdier

Machine-translated

jean jacques verdier
jean jacques verdier

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

Hello
This route does not follow the bat interpretation trail.
Its route runs along both sides of the valley and should be called the "upper Talvanne valley". Apart from the village of Cessy, the surroundings are mainly woodland.

Machine-translated

ASPTTrando_ML
ASPTTrando_ML

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please ensure consistency between the description and the map: the start in Cessy could be simplified with a clearer description.
The "forest path" is paved: this is important information to include.
A very pleasant walk... highly recommended!

Machine-translated

Hubert58
Hubert58
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Correction: (14/05/2022). Departing from CESSY: 1) Depart from the church towards COLMERY, then turn right onto Rue du Montignon. Follow this road to the end, then turn LEFT (, not right) towards La Redouterie. Go up the small tarmac road for about 300 metres, then, at the hairpin bend on the left, take the dirt track in front of you (leave the Chemin des Chauves Souris on your right). Go up towards the Bois de la Redouterie. Continue through the forest for about 2 kilometres before reaching the road; turn right and continue to BONDIEUSE.
(The rest of the description is correct.)

Machine-translated

bcr
bcr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We took the route along the Talvane, which was interesting. The bat theme was chosen to illustrate the route, and why not?

Machine-translated

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