Saint-Amand-Montrond walks

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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Passing through the Colbert reserve, the route offers views of seven of the forty or so listed oak trees in Tronçais. You can see naturally shaped oaks, boundary trees such as the Saint-Louis and the Sentinelle, and forest trees with long, straight trunks, of which the Stebbing is an example.

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.

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".

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.

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.