Isle-et-Bardais walks

The first circular stage of the Grand Loop of the Ponds, a walk through the heart of the Tronçais Forest, starting at the Étang de Pirot and finishing at the Étang de Tronçais.

Starting from the village of Bessais-le-Fromental, a walk through the unspoilt countryside of the southern Cher department. It will take you through the bocage and along the banks of the restored Canal du Berry. You’ll see lock-keeper’s houses, stone architecture and thatched roofs typical of the region, as well as farmsteads and castles.

A short family walk around the Étang de Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais pond in the heart of France's most beautiful oak forest, renowned among other things for its oak wood, which is highly sought after for the manufacture of barrels for the great vineyards. You will discover magnificent oak trees with perfectly straight trunks.

In the heart of the Tronçais Forest, a family walk along the ponds, navigating among the oak trees of the Colbert reserve.

This beautiful walk will take you back to the rich industrial past of the Tronçais Forest. You will visit the forges at Morat and Tronçais, built by the Lorraine industrialist Nicolas Rambourg, and the four ponds (Saint-Bonnet, Morat, Tronçais, Saloup) that he created to power them. An industrial nod in the heart of France’s most beautiful oak forest.

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.

This walk in the Tronçais Forest alternates between wide forest tracks and slightly grassy but well-cleared paths. You will pass the Begault logging site and observe the various stages of forestry operations.

This walk follows local roads and paths accessible to most people. You will pass through the Tronçais National Forest and walk along the paths of the Bourbonnais bocage.

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.

This walk offers panoramic views of the Cher Valley and the partially filled-in Berry Canal. Start from the car park at Urçay church.The route is partially marked with yellow lines.

This route will take you from the heights of the Croix de l'Ours to the Soulongis National Forest. Views overlooking the medieval village of Hérisson and numerous heritage sites punctuate this route.

A short route starting in the pretty village of Hérisson at the foot of its castle ruins.