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Landscapes
and surroundings
WOODS AND FOREST
BELLENAVES
Forêt des Colettes
Forest planted with beeches and conifers streching out
the communes of Coutansouze, Échassières and Lalizolle.
DENEUILLE LES CHANTELLE
Forêt de Giverzat
Also streching out the commune of Fleuriel.
MONTOLDRE
Forêt
des Mouzières
SAINT-DIDIER-LA-FORET
Forêt
de Saint Gilbert et forêt de Marcenat
Huge
national forest planted with oaks.
VEAUCE
Forêt de Veauce
This forest borders the « forêt des Colettes »
(private property).But,
thanks to a secondary road which crossing this forest, it is possible to
walk following waymarked foot paths.
VOUSSAC
Forêt de
Vacheresse (Forest of Vacheresse)
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Lets
walk in the wood
The
Valley of the Sioule, with several thousands of hectares of forest, is a
real green lung. The forest of “Colettes” is the greatest (2.040 ha) and
the most interesting located mostly, on the grounds of Echassières and
Coutansouze, it is like its smaller sisters (Vacheresse, Giverzat and
Monestier more in north)and i ts
cousins (Saint Gilbert and Marcenat more in east) mostly arborated by
broad-leefed trees and also frequented by roe deers, boars and foxes.
This hilly forest (350 to 720 meters) offers many interesting waymarked
paths (pedestrian, equestrian and mountain bike) and is rich in
mushrooms varieties, old oaks, broad-leefed trees, European beeches
(near “”La Croix des Bois”), old kaolin quarries “retrained” in lakes
(near “la Bosse”), next to the site of Wolframines and overhangs the
peculiar castle of Veauce (south-east). East of the Valley of the Sioule,
close to Vichy, the forest of Marcenat,(1.145ha) crowdier, is less
furnished, but offers many paths penetrating broad-leefed oaks,
sometimes 180 years old, (D128 between Marcenat and Saint Didier La
Forêt). Strolling is also possible along the banks in bloom of the
stream Agasse (south of D218) or round the peaceful pond of Séroux (Les
Baux) borded by winter cherry trees, rosaceous plants (amélanchiers) and
other rare bushes. It is also a playground for wild ducks, coypus and
migrant cormorants.
 For
more information, please contact the local Tourist Offices.
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BEAUTY SPOT AND UNUSUAL SITE
BAYET
Square de la Fontaine
Beautiful panorama on the
forest of Marcenat, Mount of La Madeleine, the Valley of the Sioule
and "Iles des Grottes".
In the bourg, place Bellevue.
BELLENAVES
Puy de Mamin
Large shaded area with a view-point indicator. Landscape on the
village and its surroundings.
CHARROUX
Boulevard de la Chaume du Vent
View on the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne, Vichy.
Belvédère
View-point indicator and landscape on Chantelle, Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
and Moulins.
At the end of the Grande Rue
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Langy
Panorama,
on the Valley of the Allier, the Chaîne des Puys, The Montagne Bourbonnaise
and the plains of the Forterre.
Bellevue
- RN9
Sanssat
From
the hill of Tureau de la Motte nice panorama.
Trezelles
Iron
bridge of Tacot.
Very
nice place for picnic.
Communal
road, in the direction of Moulins.
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WOLFRAMINES : A DIVE INTO THE
MINING PAST
The granitic
and kaolinic massif of “ La Bosse “ (771 meters high) is very rich on rare
minerals and had to show its richness. Since summer 2001, the museographic
space of Wolframines, replacing the former “Maison de la géologie” is
located at the crossing of “La Bosse” in Echassiéres, exhibits large
collections of local and foreign minerals and disposes of a“scénovision”.
This spectacle relates, during 20 minutes,
thanks to special optical and acoustic effects, the human and scientific
adventure of the mineral deposit of Montmins, and old wolfram (tungsten
mineral used for manufacturing special steels, drill tools and electrical
filaments). The discovery of the subsoil knows, in the region a revival, as
Vulcania (near Clermont-Ferrand). At last but not least, close to
Wolframines, situated in a nice wooden cottage, the “discovery paths”, tours
evoking tin, kaolin and tungsten crossing the forest “des Colettes”, in the
neighbourhood..
Open
from 11th of April till 1st of November.
April-May-June-September-October
: every day except on Monday from 14h till 18h30.
July-August
: every day except on Monday from 10h00 till 18h30.
For the rest of the year on booking.
Tél. 04.70.90.44.99
ou 04.70.90.78.30 |
CHOUVIGNY
Le Tunnel
Main connection between Ébreuil
and Menat which developes the Gorges in making easier exchanges with the
Combrailles.
Roc Armand
Granitic rock erected between
The Sioule and the road, fit out as rock climbing.
Panorama on the Gorges of the Sioule
From the churchyard
CONTIGNY
Nature
Reserve of The Val d’Allier
Bridge of Saint Loup
CRECHY
Panorama on
the Val d'Allier
Chemin des Peux
DENEUILLE-LES-CHANTELLE
Panorama on the Gorges and Abbey
of Chantelle.
EBREUIL
Chapel Sainte Foy
This chapel overhanging
Ebreuil was a place of pilgrimage. View-point indicator.
On the RD998, direction Lalizolle on the right
village of Sainte Foy.
ECHASSIERES
Panorama on the Chaînes des Puys
Crossroads of La Bosse
FLEURIEL
Butte des Trequins
(Border between Chareil-Cintrat)
La Croix des Rameaux
Road of Monestier at the end of the village.
GANNAT
Site des Chapelles
Donkeys and wild orchids
Le Mont Libre
(camping)
Panorama
MAZERIER
Panorama on the Limagne and the Valley
of the Sioule.
RD 37, RD216 and RD 557
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MONETAY-SUR-ALLIER
Panorama
on the Val d'Allier
Belvédère
and church place
MONTOLDRE
Panorama
Plain
of the Forterre, the Chaînes des Puys and the Monts of La
Madeleine.
Châtelet
(near the forest of Mazières)
NADES
View-point
indicator
Panorama
on the Monts d’Auvergne
Communal
road
NAVES
View-point
indicator
Panorama
on three departments.
Saint
Germain de Salles
Les
Chiraux
Panorama
overhanging the village and the Valley of the Sioule.
Path
des Chiraux -La Conge
Saint
Pourçain sur Sioule
Hill
of Briailles
Overhangs
Saint-Pourçain (50m). Nice panorama on the city of Saint-Pourçain
in the west and on the Val d’Allier in the east.
Direction
Golf of Briailles or from D46.
Breux
Wineyard
overhanging Saint-Pourçain (30m). Panorama on the Sioule and
the Reserve of Val d’Allier.
RN9
on 2kms, on the right direction Breux at 600m.
SAINT
PRIEST SUR L'ANDELOT
Panorama
on the Limagnes and the chaîne des Volcans
Chabanat
SAULCET
Panorama
La
Chabanne - Malpoirier - Pénaud
SANSSAT
View
on the Mont of La Motte from the Tureau de la Motte
Sussat
Oven
for lime du Chancel
Panorama
300 deg.
Taxat-Senat
Panorama
on the forest of Colettes and the area of Saint-Pourçain.
TREZELLES
Bridge
of the railway of the Tacot.
Nice
place for picnic.
Local
way direction Moulins.
Ussel
d’Allier
View-point
indicator
Panorama
on the Monts du Forez, la Madeleine, Puy de Dôme, La Bosse and the
country of the Bourbon.
VALIGNAT
Panoramas
Following
the ramble pathways
VARENNES SUR ALLIER
La
Chapelle de la Ronde
Panorama
on the Val d'Allier and the Chaîne des Puys.
Veauce
La
Marsolle
Panoramas
Direction
Valignat
Voussac
Les
Chazeaux
Panorama
on the Monts d’Auvergne, the Forez and the Combrailles
CD
road of Target
La
Juche
Panorama
on the Monts d’Auvergne, Forez and Combrailles.
RD
46 direction Saint-Pourçain sur Sioule.
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RHINOPOLlS,
THE ORIGINS OF THE LIFE
23 millions
years ago, the plain of the Limagne (region of Gannat) was
a vast tropical lake, bathing in a luxuriant vegetation, with
palms, crocodiles and enormous diaceratheriumlemance, sort
of huge rhinoceros, for a matter of fact closer to our actual
hippopotamus. In 1933, one of these animals was brought out
in the quarry of “Mont Libre” hanging over the city of "Portes
d'Auvergne". One year after, Rhinopolis" (Rhinoceros
city) is born.
After several excavations in the area, the society founded
the museum of palaeontology, with the intention to relate
the origins of life. Met by a giant palaeozoic skeleton of
a bird, the visitors discover dinausor, marine and flying
reptiles coming from the corner of the world and also numerous
fossils found in Allier.
*
Open from May to October and during school holidays (Easter
and all Saint's Day) - Closed 1st May - every day from 14h
till 18h.
Educational
activities (beginner's course in excavations, moulding) during
the school holidays for the persons (only on booking) and
the year round for the groups.
Info
:Tél. 04 70 90 16 00
Mail
: rhinopolis@wanadoo.fr
Site
internet : www.rhinopolis.org
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