The Cher and the vineyards at Saint-Georges-sur-Cher

A large car park is located on Rue de Verdun, behind the shops: restaurant, butcher’s and delicatessen, fine food shop, mini-market, florist, bar-restaurant, takeaway pizza.
Start near the covered market.

(S/E) Walk past the church and continue along Rue du Général de Gaulle heading east.

(1) Take the street on the left, heading east, then join the D27 on the left, Rue de la France Libre.

(2) Head towards the roundabout and go straight across it. Turn right onto Rue de l'Ancienne Tuilerie, then right again onto Rue des Mariniers, and you’ll reach the height barrier on the left. Continue left, heading due north, until you reach the River Cher. Follow it on the left to take Rue du Chantier de l'Abreuvoir.

(3) Follow the Cher, then continue straight ahead onto Rue du Chantier du Port. You will reach the flood gauge.

(4) Continue along the path, heading west, until you reach the chain ferry.

(5) After the Le Résistance chain ferry, continue westwards along the banks of the Cher. Go round the bend, then keep right at the next junction. Continue straight ahead until you reach a footbridge crossing the Le Chézelles stream at its confluence with the Cher (known as La Gueule du Rio)

(6) From La Gueule du Rio, continue along this path which runs alongside the Cher, heading west, then turn 90° left and join the D976.

(7) Carefully cross the main road to take the small road directly opposite, then, opposite No. 59, turn left, heading east, to enter Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. Turn right onto Rue des Tailles and follow the first grassy path on the right which runs alongside the property at No. 4 towards La Moleterie and Le Lavoir.

(8) At the Gué de la Moleterie ford, cross the stream using the footbridge and continue straight on along Rue de la Voie Romaine until you reach a four-way junction.

(9) Take Route des Couldraies opposite, slightly to the left, heading south-west.

(10) Just past Château des Couldraies, turn left, then immediately left again onto the grassy path. Walk first through the vineyards, then carry on straight ahead until you reach the road. Head straight ahead onto the tarmac road and cross the stream Le Chézelles.

(11) Walk past the ancient Chézelles mill and continue along the tarmac road. Pass number 146, then turn right onto the dirt track a few metres further on. A little further on, turn right again and follow this track to the Prieuré de la Chaise.

(12) Continue straight ahead, leaving the Prieuré de la Chaise on your left, hidden behind its surrounding walls. At the next junction, head straight on along the^D27A, Rue de la Liberté, and join Rue Saint-Vincent at the corner of No. 1.

(13) Turn right onto Rue Saint-Vincent, which leads to the hamlet of La Poterie. Pass through the hamlet, continuing straight ahead at every junction, until you reach a three-way junction (elevation 109).

(14) Keep left and take VC No. 24, heading south-east, to the hamlet of Montériou. Continue straight ahead, heading south-east, along Route de Villeneuve, to the next junction.

(15) Ignore the Route de la Pierrerie and carry on straight ahead. Cross the motorway and continue south to Villeneuve.

(16) Keep going straight on, Route de Villeneuve, towards Les Bruyères.

(17) Drive through Les Bruyères and turn left at the next junction. Turn left, heading north-west, and at the three-way junction, keep right, heading north towards Les Bois, then return to the hamlet of Villeneuve.

(16) Take Route de Villeneuve again, on the right, heading north-west, and cross the motorway once more, heading north. Continue until you reach Route de la Pierrerie.

(15) Turn right onto this road and cross the Ruisseau de Senelles. Immediately turn left onto the Route de la Pierrerie, continue northwards and arrive at La Chauverie.

(18) Still heading north, continue along the same road until you reach the junction with the RD127.

(19) Go straight on along Route du Porteau, then reach the next junction.

(20) Turn right to create a circular route through the hamlet of Parçay. Further on, keep right onto Rue du Carroir, then take the bend, turn left onto Sentier du Chemin Vert, and finally right to reach the junction from the outward journey.

(20) Go straight on, heading north, along Route du Carroir de Parçay, then turn left onto Chemin du Moulin du Mesnil, taking care. The path is very steep and stony. You will arrive at the beautiful site of Moulin du Mesnil.

(21) Walk up the opposite side to a side street (Rue du Mesnil). Turn right, then take the Chemin des Carrières on the right, then right again (Rue des Champs Blancs), and reach the Seneles stream.

(22) After crossing the stream, turn left onto Rue du Général de Gaulle.

(23) Turn left and head back to the junction from the outward journey.

(2) Return to the starting point via the same route (S/E).

(S/E) Bicycle parking around the Halle, near the shops and the Bar-Snacking.
Car parking, Rue de Verdun, behind the shops.

(S/E) The heritage of Saint-Georges-sur-Cher could be summed up as follows: the Cher and the vineyards.

This mountain bike route runs alongside the Cher for 3 kilometres. You’ll enjoy the natural, green landscapes of this valley, including its confluence with the Chézelles, known as the “Gueule du Rio”. The Cher is about 100 metres wide. The Bac à Chaines ferry provides easy crossings for pedestrians and cyclists. The Port of Saint-Georges was the most important river port on this river. It bears witness to the history of river transport and shipping

On the hillsides, it is the vineyards that shape the landscape and tell us of the winegrowers and their wines. Our ancestors tell us that there were once up to 1,000 hectares of vineyards and 1,000 winegrowers here. It was from the Port of Saint-Georges-sur-Cher in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that the wine trade developed, with transport by river all the way to Paris. Today, genealogical records show that several families have been winegrowers for generations, dating back to previous centuries.