Two themes come together in Cerilly: architectural and local history around the Église Saint-Martin, and trails that highlight the bocage, wetlands, and forestry traditions. Distances also vary considerably—from the 3.1-kilometre Sentier François Péron loop to the 37.3-kilometre Boucle des étangs (partie ouest). When planning, it is therefore worth first deciding whether you want to focus on historic sites, nature watching, or a longer route.
Church, Cemetery, and Museum
You can visit the Église Saint-Martin independently with an explanatory document; visits are free of charge. The nave has five bays. The side aisles date from the 12th century, while four chapels were added along each side wall in the 15th century. The church also contains a limestone Deposition from the Cross dating from 1691, with life-size figures.
The Vieux cimetière in Cérilly preserves the history of the town. The graves that once stood around the Église Saint-Martin were moved there after the French Revolution. Another cultural highlight is the Musée Charles-Louis Philippe: it was restored in 1994 and awarded the “Maisons des illustres” label in 2012.
Routes with Different Highlights
The Sentier François Péron is a 3.1-kilometre loop through the area around the town centre. Information panels along the route explore the bocage landscape and the links between nature and local history. At Font Rousse, a biodiversity observation point also explains the importance of wetlands.
The Circuit du Label is a 3.4-kilometre mountain bike loop. It starts in Cérilly at the Rond de Thiolais, where you’ll find Forest’Art sculptures and a picnic area. At 3.1 and 3.4 kilometres, the Sentier François Péron and Circuit du Label are similar in length; however, the Circuit du Label is specifically designated as a mountain bike route.
The Circuit du Rond de Thiolais offers insight into forestry traditions and the traditional lives of charcoal burners, sawyers, and woodcutters. While the Sentier François Péron combines nature and local history, this circuit places special emphasis on working in the forest.
The Sentier des Merrandiers offers a different perspective on the landscape. It runs between the bocage and the Forêt de Tronçais, near the Font de la Goutte d’Argent. Unlike the Sentier François Péron, it focuses on the link between the bocage and the forest.
Ponds, Water, and Longer Routes
The Boucle des étangs (partie ouest) is a 37.3-kilometre circular route that starts in Cérilly and passes through the Massif de Tronçais. This massif contains five ponds created through human intervention. The landscape also includes large ponds, adjoining marshlands, numerous streams and rivers such as the Marmande and the Sologne, and around forty springs and fountains. Compared with the other routes, the Boucle is considerably longer than the Sentier François Péron and the Circuit du Label.
Guided Tour of Oaks and the Fontaine de Viljot
The guided tour “Il était une fois Tronçais, Chênes et Légendes” visits several remarkable oaks that are centuries old, as well as the Fontaine de Viljot. The tour is seasonal, so check the dates for your travel period in advance.
Discover more destinations: Buxières-Les-Mines, Murat, Saint-Germain-De-Salles, Châtel-Montagne, Contigny, Audes, Monétay-sur-Allier, Vicq.
For the broader travel overview: Allier.
