In the Dreuille Forest in search of the Stone of the Four Priests

Start at a place called La Rible. Parking is available on the hard shoulder of the eastern bypass around Cosne-d’Allier, which is a heavy goods vehicle diversion.

(S/E) Take the dirt track (heading east) towards the ford on the Aumance, which you will cross via the footbridge a few metres upstream. Turn right (south-east) and continue straight on, leaving the tarmac road on your right. Pass the riding centre and arrive at Pisseloup, at the edge of the forest.

(1) Turn right onto the forest road of the same name (heading south-east).

(2) At the first junction, take the track on the left (heading north-east), which will lead you to the Rond de la Demi-Lune.

(3) Cross the RD 22 and follow it to the left towards Cosne for about ten metres. Look for the marked bridle path and take it to the right until you reach the Buxière forest track (unpaved), which you should follow to the right as far as the Rond de la Plantonnée.

(4) Take the forest track on the right (unpaved).

(5) Cross the RD 22 again at the Rond-Point des Tourneaux and continue in the same direction along the same forest track until you reach the edge of the forest and the end of the track.

(6) There is a bench here where you can rest if you’re feeling a bit tired. Turn right (west) onto the yellow-marked bridle path which runs along the edge of the forest and leads to the Rond du Puits Mathieu, where you’ll rejoin the Pisseloup forest track.

(7) Head straight ahead, first westwards then north-westwards.

(2) Continue straight on.

(1) Turn left onto the same path as on the way out to reach the Aumance and then the Rible (S/E).

(1) In season, one can hear birds typical of lowland forests such as the wood warbler, the grey-headed woodpecker, the black woodpecker, etc.

You can try to find the ‘Pierre des Quatre Curés’ (at the boundary of the four parishes), where, it is said, on 13 July 1789 the parish priests of Cosne, Tortezais, Buxières and Vieure gathered “at the stone of the four parishes, at midday, to dine together and cement the union of four good and loyal colleagues” (source: *Le patrimoine des communes de l’Allier*, published by Flohic). Did they foresee what would happen the following day?
Coordinates: N 46°28'16.2"
E 02°52'44.8"