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Surroundings & Activities

Don't let the idyllic surroundings betray you into thinking there is nothing to do. There is a potpourri of different recreations for all ages to enjoy and mostly without the usual seasonal crowd like in other popular areas:

Ballooning

For the adventurers, you can take to the air in a hot-air balloon from Bourgogne Montgolfiere in Moroges or Air Escargot in Remigny. Other light flyers such as planes, helicopters, kite-surfing and paragliding are possible.

Cycling

A network of 180 km of "Voie Verte" and "Veloroutes" sling through soft countrysides and more challenging paths for mountain bikes are present. The "Voie Verte" goes 65 km between Givry and Charnay-le-Macon and used to be a train track, providing easy, safe and interesting alternatives to visit the area. Think about bringing your swimsuits and picnic baskets for the many river stops. Skates and tandems are also available for hire from St. Gengoux-le-National nearby, and all facilities are at hand.

Links: http://tourisme-sud-cote-chalonnaise.com/voie-verte-velo-vtt/, Burgundy by bike, BurgundyEye

Fishing

4000 km of rivers, canals, and 1200 ha of lakes make Saone-et-Loire a top location for fishing. Salmon and Trout are beloved catches. 300 km of waterways, 27 harbors and "haltes nautiques" with 120 rental boats also make it a water paradise of all sorts of activities.

For the children
  • Climbing trees at Acrobath in Bergesserin near Cluny and Acroparc in Givry.
  • The Parc Touristique de Combes in Le Creusot is an adventure park. A summer sleigh ride of 435 m, a go-cart track, a nautical jet, roller coaster, Mississippi boats, and famous steam engine that takes one through valleys, are some of the attractions not to be missed.
  • Touroparc in Romaneche-Thorins is a zoo with 800 animals living in a natural setting between rides.
  • From June to September, the original Diverti'Parc in Toulon-sur-Arroux comes alive with activities in nature, sportive and cultural recreation.
Horse-riding

This is somewhat of a tradition for the area. When visiting in spring, one should drive towards Cluny on the Cormatin route, to see foals happily lying or playing in the valleys. Visit the Haras National de Bourgogne in Cluny, one of the most important stables in France that serves seven riding routes in nature. Cluny also hosts well-known equestrian competitions in summer.

http://www.haras-nationaux.fr/index.php?id=3646&lang=en

Sightseeing

The list for this category is long as is Burgundy important, and includes prehistoric sites like the huge caves of Aze to the 17th century Chateau of Cormatin nearby.

Read more

Walking

There are thousands of kms of walks through villages, forests, valleys and hills:

  •     Grande Randonné: 8 days itinerary or 6 days itinerary. See also the Grande Randonée website (French)
  •     Les Balades Vertes": walks, cycle and riding paths.
  •     "De Sentiers de Decouverte" are discovery paths from 2-9 km ideal for nature-lovers.