The Loire in Burgundy
Last wild river in EuropeTake advantage of your stay to come and stroll on the last wild river in Europe. The Loire has a lot to offer thanks to the diversity of its landscapes, the richness of its fauna and flora. During an excursion along the Loire, or a stopover on the EuroVelo 6, you will discover a surprising landscape. Roaming is common on the banks of the Loire.
Wild islands, white sand banks… The Loire offers numerous opportunities for walks and is home to exceptional flora and fauna. That you are on foot, by bike or by canoe, take the opportunity to observe all the treasures of this protected natural environment.
©Jérôme Champagnat Experiencing homelessness at your own pace
Hiking enthusiasts, take the GR3 which follows the Loire valley from Mont-Gerbier-de-Jonc in Ardèche to La Baule in Loire Atlantique. You will skirt the Loire as closely as possible at a place called La Crevée (Charrin) and on the Thareau site (Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine) take a break: it’s the ideal place for a picnic on the banks of the Loire! These spaces are equipped with picnic tables, benches and barbecues, enough to recharge your batteries before continuing your hike.
©N-Monerau These two sites are also accessible by bike, via theEuroVelo 6 on the Cronat/Decize stage. This route constitutes one of the major routes of the Burgundy Bike Tour. To relax for a night, between Decize and Bourbon-Lancy, stop off in the town of Charrin: the Véloroute relay has all the comfort and equipment suitable for cyclists.
Would you prefer to discover the river even closer? Let yourself slide along the water aboard a canoeing or kayak… To access the Loire, 2 launching and docking areas are located at La Crevée (Charrin) and on the Thareau site (Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine). And if you are not equipped, L'Espérance Canoe Decize Saint-Léger-des-Vignes offers you to rent these types of boats from May to October.
The quintessence of “Loire en Vivant”
Because the Loire is not just about castles, the Loire Itinérances association has developed the destination “Loire in Life”Immerse yourself in another, more secret and unknown Loire by taking the Eurovélo 6 from Gien to Roanne. A 250 km route offering ideal diversity for roaming. Wild spaces, ideal for observing nature, and others with more cultural or gastronomic identities.
Among these territories crossed, some villages celebrate an authentic Loire, that of misty mornings, golden lights and silences populated by an infinity of sounds, away from the overcrowded tourists. This is the case of Charrin and Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine, nestled in a preserved natural setting. Here, we stroll to be moved by the unusual vestiges of our rural heritage. An upturned boat hull as a roof, an old brick ferryman's house... On the Rives du Morvan, the quintessence of “Loire en vie” is offered to lovers of timeless beauty.
Looking to satisfy your quest for new horizons? A multifaceted destination, "Loire en Vie" offers other ideas for wanderlust getaways. Your journey begins here, on video.
Discover the “Loire en vie” destination
©Hiking notebooks From sandy shores to gravel islands
The banks of the Loire Charrin and Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine presentnt a great diversity of natural environments : sandy shores that are sometimes colonized by vegetation, meanders active or abandoned, alluvial forest and islands of gravel regularly reworked. So many biotopes that favor diversity of fauna and flora. At the end of summer, it is the ideal spot for observehe groupings of white storks in the middle of flood-prone meadows.
©Mr. Jouve – CENB The fauna and flora that inhabit the banks of the river have been protected since 2015 by the regional nature reserve “Loire Burgundy” and make one unrivaled ecological gem.
The Loire benefits from the European program Natura 2000 for the protection of its biodiversity, its ecosystems as well as places of passage for migratory species. Stay vigilant so as not to disturb or damage local biodiversity.
A glimpse into History
Until the 18th century, the Loire was a busy waterway and Thareau was a river port, a place of passage for the abundant traffic of boats, which shuttled between Roanne and Nantes. It was also in Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine that sand was extracted for glass manufacturing at the Grande Halle de Fours. From Port-Thareau, manufactured glass left by boat.
The boatmen, carpenters, coopers, merchants, smugglers... have gone, and today only the attribution, the ferryman's house, some charming brick houses erected on the embankment of the Loire and the cobblestones of an old Roman road remain.
©N-Monerau 
©CENB 
©N. Monerau In Charrin, the nave of the church, rebuilt in 1705, bears witness to this maritime past since it has a wooden arch in the shape of a boat hull. Several reasons explain this particularity. At this time, the installation of a port at Crevée and the construction of a dike facilitated navigation on the Loire. Thus, a large number of carpenters navigating the river stopped in the region for its abundance of oak, and more particularly around Charrin.
