Le Poinçonnet brings together an extensive forest landscape and traces of local history. The Forêt domaniale de Châteauroux covers 5,354 hectares, of which 2,500 hectares lie within the municipality. Forest trails, fountains and cultural sites offer different ways to plan your stay.
State Forest and Trails
You can explore the trails and forest roads of the Forêt domaniale de Châteauroux on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. You can also visit the state forest without being accompanied by a technician from the Office national des forêts. A walk may take you to the ruins of the 13th-century abbey of the Order of Grandmont. Two large ditches from the former Château de la Mothe still remain in the state forest today.
If you are interested in an orienteering course, the forest is home to the “Sur les pas de la biche” trail, created in 2008 and starting at Carrefour Picard. Check the current signage on site before setting out. Another option on two wheels is the “Le Poinçonnet, sa forêt domaniale et ses environs” cycle route, which passes through the municipality, particularly the state forest and its surroundings.
The Circuit de l’eau in the Town Centre
The “Circuit de l’eau” runs through Le Poinçonnet and includes six restored fountains and a pond in the town centre. This pond is a protected biodiversity area. The route therefore offers a different focus from the state forest trails: here, the fountains and the waterside habitat in the town take centre stage. Combining the two themes can help you choose between an outing in the forest and a walk connected with the town’s history.
Churches and Historical Traces
The parish church of Saint-Pierre was built in the 1860s by Alfred Dauvergne. The new building was intended to address the great distance to, and poor condition of, the church in Lourouer-les-Bois. The stained-glass windows also have a phased history: they were installed in five successive campaigns. The bell tower of the former church in Lourouer-les-Bois dates from the 12th century.
The construction history of the Saint-Pierre church and the older bell tower offer two different points of reference for exploring the municipality’s religious heritage. In the state forest, meanwhile, the abbey ruins and the surviving ditches of the former Château de la Mothe recall other historic sites; you can discover the abbey on a walk through the forest.
Memorial Ceremony and Cultural Programme
A memorial stele at Riau de la Motte honours resistance fighter Georges Sandrier and gendarme Jean Ségalen. The memorial ceremony takes place every year on the Sunday closest to 30 August. If you would like to plan your visit around it, check the exact date for the year in question.
The Centre Culturel Asphodèle presents a cultural season every year, put together by the municipality with support from the “Asphodèle” association. The programme includes music, dance, theatre and comedy. Individual events and dates may change, so check the current programme when planning your visit.
An Experience with Changing Conditions
Le Manoir de l'Illusion et du Mystérieux offers more than 20 experiences. These include immersive escape games, optical illusion trails, demonstrations of mentalism and spiritualism, and secret missions. If you plan to visit, check the current offerings and booking conditions in advance.
Discover more destinations: Mouhet, Chasseneuil, Reuilly, Buzançais, Mers-Sur-Indre, Verneuil-sur-Igneraie, Rouvres-les-Bois, Rivarennes
For the wider travel overview: Indre.
