Centre walks

The commune of Chenonceaux, famous for its world-renowned château, has many other treasures to offer. This easy hike invites you to discover them. Please note: hikers have informed us that the Chenonceaux bridge over the Cher river is undergoing repairs until 15 June 2019. The walk as described will therefore not be possible during the first quarter of 2019. Please check before setting off.

In the heart of the "wine-growing" region of Sologne, this route is mainly through forest, dotted with numerous ponds and offering some beautiful heritage sites.

This beautiful hike allows you to discover Lake Éguzon, the steep slopes of the Creuse Valley covered with moors where heather, gorse and broom bloom, and the steep cliffs of the Fileuse rock with breathtaking views of the confluence of the Creuse and Sédelle rivers and the Crozant fortress.The descent to Crozant follows the Sentier des Arts, a trail dotted with works carved into the local rock by five sculptors. Return via St-Jallet and the surrounding countryside.

This route will allow you to discover the marsh, which has been shaped since 1640, when the city of Bourges sold part of its communal land to create gardens for cultivation. The maraitiers surrounded these marshes with outer ditches, dug inner ditches and built service roads. You will discover this work and these gardeners on a superb family walk.

A very pleasant walk to discover the beautiful village of Gargilesse, its eponymous river and the banks of the Creuse.

The route is fairly hilly, often through woods, around the two Petites Choisilles streams. A passage on the heights offers a pretty view of the village of Nouzilly and its wooded hills.

Discovery of the Cher valley near Chenonceaux. Magnificent view of the Château de Chenonceau from the left bank of the Cher.

In the Lochois region, Chédigny, the "Village of Roses", is the only village to be classified as a "Remarkable Garden". I invite you to discover it from Azay-sur-Indre, a small historic village located at the confluence of the Indre and Indrois rivers. The route passes through varied landscapes: woods, meadows and fields, floodplains, marshy areas and riverbanks.

From Cinq-Mars-la-Pile to Mazière-de-Touraine, follow a beautiful stream, the Breuil, which flows through beautiful meadows and feeds numerous ponds.

Near Athée-sur-Cher, the banks of the Cher are dotted with beautiful houses of various periods and styles. These châteaux, manor houses and beautiful farms have mostly been converted into lodges, charming hotels or restaurants. We will leave the riverbank three times to discover three small valleys shaped by tiny tributaries of the Cher.

In addition to three beautiful castles, two of which belonged to the Marquis de La Fayette, you will discover a ghost farm, a very old oak tree, a few mills, rocky outcrops, rivers, streams, a spring, a pond and a canal.

Discover two streams, the Échandon and the Becquet, near where they join the Indre. Along the route, you will see some beautiful houses, a Gallo-Roman bridge and a Bollée windmill.

A walk through peaceful countryside, across meadows, fields and woods.

A pleasant walk through woods and fields, allowing you to discover a few hamlets and a lovely view of the Château de la Chatonnière.

In Bruère-Allichamps, a stone topped with the French flag marks the geographical centre of France.Until the4th century, this stone showed Roman legions the right direction and bears the following inscription:Happy Augustus, Tribune for thethird time, Father of the Fatherland - Proconsul. Leagues: 14 from Bourges (Avaricum) 12 from Châteaumeillant (Mediolanum) 25 from Neris

On the banks of the Cher, Noirlac Abbey watches over its wooded countryside, which has been cultivated by Cistercian monks since the12th century.Still used for livestock farming, this area has retained its original landscape with its meadows surrounded by hedges. The hundred-year-old oak trees, wet meadows and ponds create a rare bocage landscape and protect 427 species. Founded in 1150, Noirlac Abbey is one of the most complete Cistercian sites in Europe.Today, it is a cultural centre and meeting place.

The city of Tours has three trees and a garden classified as remarkable by the A.R.B.R.E.S. association (Arbres Remarquables: Bilan, Recherche, Études et Sauvegarde - Remarkable Trees: Assessment, Research, Studies and Preservation). Discover them on this walk, which will also introduce you to other beautiful trees in Tours and several small and large public gardens. The tram connects the starting and finishing points.

This pleasant walk takes you along beautiful paths and pretty little roads around the village of Dunet, south-west of Indre, in the southern Boischaut region. In addition to the typical hedgerow landscapes of this natural region, you can admire the beautiful bell tower of the 13th-century Saint-Martial church and the 12th-century chapel in Vouhet.Please note: the route has been temporarily modified between (10) and (11) (see Description and Practical Information sections)

First stage of the hike from Meillant to the Tronçais Forest.

Set off on a surprising audio walk, devised by the association "L'Autre Terre Libérée", to discover Luynes through an original story. Discover the town and its surroundings through the unusual story of Louis Rimbault, who founded his "Terre Libérée" school of vegan practices in 1923. Take a stroll through the town, listening to eight sound bubbles that tell you this unusual story!

Leaving Meillant, you will pass through La Celle, Bruère, Saint-Amand-Montrond, Drevant, Colombiers, Coust and Charenton-du-Cher before finally reaching the Saint-Bonnet pond in the Tronçais forest (Allier). Discover the heart of France and its landscapes, as well as Meillant Castle, Noirlac Abbey, Virlay Lake, the Berry Canal and the Marmande Valley.

This walk combines a tour of the old town and its main points of interest (including the cathedral, the Palais Jacques Cœur, and streets and alleys lined with beautiful half-timbered houses) with the classic route through the Bourges marshes at the foot of the medieval town (with its many waterways and small market gardens developed since the 17th century). The route through the old town is a minimum loop for those in a hurry, but there's nothing to stop you zigzagging around it to discover little gems around every corner.

Starting from Morvilliers, this loop takes you to the sites where a tragic episode unfolded during the final days of the Maquis de La Ferté-Vidame in August 1944.It first leads to the farm of Mary Thibault, the instigator of the Maquis. It then crosses the Bois de Malassis, where the Maquisards hid after machine-gunning a German car, killing the driver and the secretary of the Kommandantur of La Ferté-Vidame This action triggered the fury of the SS, who, after searching the neighbouring farms in vain, arrested three young members of the Maquis in the hamlet of Les Rayers. They were taken to the nearby Château du Gland, where they were tortured. The first man was shot on 11 August in front of his comrades. The next day, the other two were also executed. They had to dig their own graves. A commemoration takes place every year in the clearing and at the cemetery in Morvilliers, where the bodies were returned after the Liberation.

This short loop in the Bois de la Saucelle, near Puisaye, is mainly woodland. It confirms the toponymic meaning of the name Puisaye, which refers to a wetland area. Through private woods, the circuit follows wide avenues, including the Ligne Jacob, whose length, width and majesty could justify the mischievously pretentious name of "Champs Élysées du Perche". However, don't expect to find shops and noisy café terraces here. All you will hear is birdsong. Enjoy the peace and quiet of this unspoilt, authentic natural environment, exploring it on tiptoe so as not to disturb the many animals that you are sure to glimpse if you are discreet.Avoid this route on hunting days. Danger!

A hike mainly through fields, with two beautiful heritage sites, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Georges (12th century) at the start and a dovecote a little over halfway along the route. There are some beautiful views along the way.

This hike starts at the Renaissance castle of Azay-le-Ferron and takes you into the heart of the Preuilly forest. It offers some unexpected points of interest: a monument dedicated to the Resistance, a pond nestled in the undergrowth and glimpses of the Haute-Touche animal park.

This hike offers a glimpse of the Bouzanne valley and the surrounding countryside of Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre, ending with a tour of the village's heritage, including the magnificent 12th-century Basilica of Saint-Etienne.

This last stage of our journey through the Vlaminck region takes us from Senonches to La Loupe. Initially mainly wooded, the route then crosses the Eure valley, passing close to the Fontaine-Simon water park, where you can stop for refreshments. La Loupe station provides a quick return to Paris-Montparnasse.

The second stage of this journey through Vlaminck country will take us from La Ferté-Vidame to Senonches via La Puisaye. After crossing an agricultural plain, the path takes us into the woods of La Saucelle, then into the Senonches State Forest. We will pass through Tardais, a small village where the painter often came to hunt with his friend Michel Erlisch, the village mayor, and where he painted a picture of the church as seen from the town hall. We will finally arrive in Senonches, a small town of character where he often went to enjoy joyful and hearty feasts with friends.

Crissay-Sur-Manse, a charming village listed among "the most beautiful villages in France", invites you to discover its architectural heritage overlooking the peaceful landscapes bordered by the green Manse valley.

The skies above Le Louroux are home to many birds, and the lake has become a must-see spot for birdwatching. But as you explore the countryside, you will also encounter other birds, including birds of prey typical of agricultural areas and strange white birds...

This route is called "West of Chilleurs-aux-Bois - Route No. 5". This circuit takes you on a tour of the western part of the commune and its main hamlets, starting from the centre of the village and the Lavau district: La Noue Glaçon, Le Coudray, Le Charme, L'Etang, Marcilly, Olivet, Ronville, Le Moulin de Pierre, La Fosse Aux Morts and Les Sapins. Return to the centre of the village via La Grande Gervaise. You will pass close to the sites of two of the five grain mills that once stood in Chilleur-aux-Bois. In Ronville, you will pass the boundary of the commune of Neuville-aux-Bois. You will walk along the "fosse aux morts" (dead man's ditch), which reminds us that the 1870 war was very deadly in our region. You will then reach the village and Saint-Pierre Church, a historic monument built between the13th and14th centuries. The route is not particularly difficult and is mainly on roads.

This walk allows you to discover the surroundings of Vicq-Exemplet through its "plain" and its large crops, which contrast with the usual bocage landscapes of the Boischaut-Sud region of the Indre. In addition to the Romanesque church of Saint-Martin (13th century), which houses part of the work of Abbé Aymond, you can also see the remains of the former Priory of Bois l'Abbé.

Leaving Saint-Hippolyte, you set off on a short loop through the countryside. After a short stretch beside the Indre, you'll wind your way through the fields to discover a number of hamlets, as well as the woods overlooking the village.

On this route, after a section exploring the heritage of the market town of Perrusson, you'll head off to explore the countryside. Woods, fields, open countryside, geological curiosities and finally wet meadows - this is a programme that should please walkers looking for a variety of atmospheres.

A beautiful hike, mostly in the woods around the Eure valley, starting from the Senonches State Forest and ending at the Boizard locks. Built in 1785 by Louis XIV's engineers, this structure was supposed to be the starting point of an unfinished aqueduct that would have carried water from the Eure to the fountains in the park of the Palace of Versailles. On the way back, discover the Château des Vaux and its gardens.

This walk, suggested by the Chabris-Pays de Bazelle Community of Communes, allows you to discover the surroundings of Anjouin, passing near the Pierre Levée de Bellevue, then on the Perry, near the Château de la Roche, and ending at the Boulaye and the Maisons Rouges. The landscapes are typical of the northern Boischaut region of the Indre.

This route links La Motte-Feuilly and Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, offering variations on the overall "In the footsteps of the master bell ringers between Berry and Bourbonnais" loop.It offers the choice of doing an "Indre Loop", a "Cher Loop" or a "Cher Allier Loop".

The Tronçais national forest is famous for the quality of its oak trees. It produces wood that is particularly prized for making barrels in which the finest French wines are aged. Its age and history make Tronçais the emblem of France's great national forests.

The commune of Coust is located south of the Cher, on the border between Berry and Bourbonnais in the Chignon valley. In the past, the stream fed a large pond between Pied de Coust and the church. It turned the wheels of the mills at Touzelles and Petit Paris before reaching the Rouchat mill. In the past, this stream was essential for Saint-Amand as it fed the moats of Montrond Castle and then those of the Saint-Amand-sous-Montrond enclosure.

Construction of the Canal de Berry began around 1808 on the initiative of Napoleon I and was completed in 1841. It took its current name, "Canal de Berry", in 1830. Its creation required, among other things, the installation of 115 locks, one every three kilometres. It consists of three branches that meet at Fontblisse, which is point 0. Many barges used to travel along it, transporting grain, wood and iron ore. The canal was decommissioned in 1955.