In Coutansouze, hiking trails and historic viaducts offer two different perspectives on the surrounding area. The routes range from 12 to 22 kilometres; the hike at Le Gour de l’Annet is rated difficult. The area also features the beech forests of Forêt des Colettes, the Veauce Valley and structures with very different dimensions and histories. This makes it easier to decide which route or place should be the focus of your stay.
Choose hikes by distance and route
Le Gour de l’Annet is a 22-kilometre difficult hike through the beech forests of Forêt des Colettes and the Veauce Valley. It starts at the Rond point des Fayes forest crossroads on the D118 in Coutansouze. The route can also be completed by mountain bike or on horseback. This makes it the longest hike described here and the one for which a high level of difficulty is explicitly stated.
Shorter options are the 12-kilometre Chemin des Amoureux and the 16-kilometre Le Belon loop. You can take the Chemin des Amoureux from Coutansouze or Vert Plateau. After the Viaduc de la Perrière, Le Belon descends to the Coutansouze washhouse. The stated distances make it easy to compare the route lengths, while each trail has its own points of reference: two possible starting areas for the Chemin des Amoureux, and the viaduct and washhouse for Le Belon.
Forest trails and cycling routes
Several mountain bike routes also take in local paths and structures. The 14-kilometre VTT’Sioule – Circuit N°2 first passes the arched Viaduc de la Perrière, follows the Chemin des Amoureux and then reaches the Coutansouze washhouse. On the 36-kilometre VTT’Sioule – Circuit N°4, the Forêt des Colettes is located just below Coutansouze, near the municipality’s washhouse. These details help distinguish the routes by their length and named waypoints.
Forêt des Colettes lies mainly within Coutansouze, Échassières, Lalizolle and Bellenaves; beech is the predominant tree species there. Rare animals found in the forest include yellow-bellied toads and alpine longhorn beetles. Alongside the individual routes, this brings a larger forest landscape into view, spanning several municipalities. Anyone interested in the area’s natural environment will find specific information here about its trees and wildlife, while keeping the forest’s municipal boundaries in view.
Viaducts and local history
The Viaduc du Belon lies on the boundary between Coutansouze and Louroux-de-Bouble. Construction was completed in 1869, and it opened in June 1871. At 231 metres long and 48.50 metres high, it is the larger of the two viaducts described here. Its location on the municipal boundary also sets it apart from the Viaduc de la Perrière, which is in Coutansouze.
The Viaduc de la Perrière is a curved, masonry viaduct with several arches. It is 125 metres long and 34 metres high. The two structures are therefore of different dimensions: Belon is longer and higher, while Perrière is characterised by its curved course and arched construction. Both structures also serve as landmarks on the routes described here, including the Le Belon loop and the VTT’Sioule – Circuit N°2 mountain bike route.
The viaducts of Val de Sioule that are still used by SNCF for passenger and freight traffic include the Viaduc du Belon and the Viaduc de la Perrière. This operating status may change over time.
Smaller historic sites add to the picture. The remains of the former church of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais are in the hamlet of l’Étang, southwest of the present-day village centre. At Les Fayes stands a Calvary cross known as the Croix Saint-Antoine.
Discover more destinations: Toulon-Sur-Allier, Beaune-d'Allier, Trévol, Coulandon, Commentry, Le Veurdre, Bayet, Verneix.
For the main travel guide: Allier.
