At 2 hours from Paris, the department of NievreNestled in the south-western part of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, it is full of options for families or groups of friends eager for fresh air and walks. In the centre of the country, the department is both on the road to Santiago de Compostela, allows you to enjoy yourself by tasting quality wines, to go back in time by discovering an important place of the Second World War, to sail on the canals or to enjoy hiking and other cross-country paths, on foot or by bike.In short, once again this spring, the Nièvre will have more than one trick up its sleeve to take advantage of the arrival of fine weather!
On the road to Santiago de Compostela
Let's face it, the Nièvre is spiritual! The department is home to the Way of Saint James and the famous Vézelay route. A route that runs along the Loire, notably at Charité-sur-Loire, an essential Burgundian stopover on this pilgrimage route. For the walled city has always welcomed pilgrims. As early as the Middle Ages, they stopped here and enjoyed the hospitality and charity of the monks. This virtue was so well practiced that the city has kept the name. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and labelled a Town of Art and History since November 2011, La Charité-sur-Loire marvels at its many historical testimonies, and invites walkers to stroll through the town of course, but also to visit the exceptional site of the Priory or Notre-Dame de la Charité-sur-Loire, the largest church in Burgundy after that of Cluny, which has received up to 5,000 pilgrims. Pilgrims who also pass through Nevers. With its heritage and cultural influence, the august city, listed as a Town of Art and History, dominates this corner of the Nièvre. If the Romanesque architecture of the church of Saint-Etienne is famous, it is also the testimony of the presence of the monks who marked the history of the country. The cathedral, the belfry, the ducal palace and the town hall also reflect the prestige of the local capital
A duty to remember
The department of Nièvre is also home to the leafy roof of the Morvan forest. A green setting that hosts no less than 21 sites of remembrance to pay tribute to the 10,000 maquisards who took refuge in this richly wooded region. An important historical moment also highlighted by the digital gallery of the Museum of Resistance in Morvan in Saint-Brisson. It is therefore exciting to enjoy walks in the middle of nature, going back in time, letting your emotions run high when visiting martyr villages or meditating on the military cemetery which can be discovered in the middle of the forest. In short, a useful and exciting outing that will delight the whole family!
Cheers!
Combining the pleasure of the palate and the pleasure of the eyes, that is what the wine route offers you. Because if Burgundy is the region of art and pleasure of living, the department of Nièvre is also famous for its excellent wines, its sense of welcome and its good restaurants. You should therefore not miss the Pouilly-sur-Loire vineyard which stretches along the banks of the Loire, along the RN7. Approximately 1 050 ha are exploited, 50 of which are planted with Chasselas (AOC Pouilly-sur-Loire) and the rest with Sauvignon (AOC Pouilly Fumé). Pouilly-fumé is a dry white wine with very characteristic smoky aromas. Its pale gold colour with green reflections, its varied aromatic range with floral, fruity or more mineral notes, means that Pouilly-Fumé can be found on the best tables in France and abroad. It goes well with shellfish, fish, white meat and goat's cheese. In Pouilly, the vine is the master of the place! On foot or by bike, you can criss-cross the hillsides, but also walk along the banks of the Loire, a river so present in the local landscape. You should also visit the Pavillon du Milieu de Loire, a real museum of the fauna and flora of the Loire. Of course, a visit to one of the many wineries is a must, and is completed by a visit to the Tour du Pouilly Fumé.
A mess of activities
Visiting the Nièvre is also a chance to enjoy a host of activities. Family activities that will delight young and old alike. The department is indeed a mecca for pottery in France. Notably in Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, where the sandstone museum can be visited inside the castle. This museum retraces the four centuries of a history that has shaped the landscape and the people of this land of hedged farmland and forests in this land of pottery. If it was in Saint-Amand that pieces for culinary use, such as toulons, berchets and other toads, were born, the town was then the home, from the end of the 19th century, of an artistic movement turned towards the Decorative Arts. For more than seventy years, around Jean Carriès. Moreover, the castle of Ratilly, superb and fortified, also houses a pottery workshop.
The Nièvre is also the occasion for beautiful family walks. Indeed, thirteen trails of 3 km or less allow the youngest to discover the local fauna and flora on the Nivernais trails. A golden opportunity to spot a grey heron or kingfisher!
Trails that can also be explored by bicycle, particularly along the Nivernais Canal. Unless the whole tribe would rather get on a boat? The main city of the Canal Latéral à la Loire, Nevers welcomes every year many yachtsmen and cyclists from the Loire à Vélo, EuroVélo 6, thanks in particular to its port, located 1.5 km from the historic centre.
Finally, the more sporty can also enjoy themselves in the Morvan Park, between forests and large lakes during long mountain bike treks in search of thrills and fresh air. In short, a perfect spot to wait for summer!
Smart info
When? All year round, even if the arrival of fine weather is obviously more pleasant.
Useful. To best prepare his escapade
NIÈVRE TOURISME - More information on the site
