Charenton-Du-Cher offers historic religious buildings, traces of metalworking and trails through the countryside along the Canal de Berry. The town’s character ranges from churches with architectural features dating from several centuries to a forge’s waterworks, as well as a wildlife park and walking routes. When choosing where to stay, the specific differences are worth considering: religious architecture, industrial heritage, animals or a particular route.
Church Architecture and Industrial History
The Church of Saint-Martin was listed as a Monument historique by decree on 26 January 1927. Its nave and choir date from the late 11th century; its bell tower and chapels date from the 12th to the 15th centuries. Architectural features from several centuries therefore stand side by side. The Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is located in the narthex, the porch of the former Romanesque abbey church dating from the 12th century. Some remains of the apse have been preserved in a garden.
La Grosse Forge was one of five works operated by the Meillant-Charenton metallurgical business, which was probably founded around 1590 to 1600. Two partly vaulted, masonry water channels remain at the site; they were part of the Fenderie’s hydraulic system. This draws attention to a different aspect of the industrial heritage from the church’s architecture: here, the focus is on the relationship between water management and metalworking.
Wildlife Park and Trails on the Edge of the Forest
The Domaine de Revert wildlife park covers 20 hectares in Charenton-Du-Cher. More than 200 animals live there, including a wide variety of domesticated breeds from different continents. There are landscaped paths and walking trails along the edge of the forest. The park thus combines wildlife with a network of trails in a wooded setting. As the animal population and trail options may change, check the latest information before your visit.
Circular Routes and Countryside
The Boucle de la Marmande starts at the car park of the Salle des FĂŞtes in Charenton-Du-Cher and is marked in yellow. It crosses the Marmande plains, passing through fields and along stony paths before returning to the banks of the Canal de Berry. The Circuit Charenton Vernais is an easy 19.2-kilometre route. It passes through idyllic countryside to the village of Vernais and returns via the Canal de Berry. This route has a specific village as its destination, while the course of the Boucle is shaped by the Marmande plains and the transition from fields to stony paths. Before setting out, check the latest conditions and, for the Boucle, confirm the starting point and trail markings.
Another walking route is the Way of St James between Charenton-Du-Cher and La Châtre. It passes through the landscapes, forests and villages of southern Berry. The tree-lined Parc du Château de la Grave offers a different way to experience the landscape: it was laid out in the 1840s between the château and the newly built Canal de Berry.
Discover more destinations: Coust, Neuilly-En-Dun, Barlieu, Bué, Montigny, Saint-Symphorien, Saint-Jeanvrin, Aubigny-Sur-Nère
For the broader travel overview: Cher.
