"LA VIEILLE FORGE"

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LOCAL INFORMATION

Vijon

Local Activities

The Berry Region

The Loire Valley

The Auvergne

Ste. Sévère-sur-Indre

Boussac

Châteaumeillant

Vesdun

Bruère-Allichamps

Bourges

Mehun-sur-Yèvre

Nohant-Vic

Sarzay

HOW TO FIND US

BOOKING

 

The Village of Vijon


The Church of Vijon

 

 

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The village of Vijon consists of a few houses, the town hall which is also a small primary school (for about ten children; it is closed in July and August), a pretty little church, a picturesque cemetery and a newly built small bar and grocery shop, which is also open on Sunday.

Bigger shops are at 10 km distance, and various vendors come to the village on different days with their van to sell their products (the baker comes every day).  You can also buy local wine and beverages directly from a wholesaler by the village square, although the tap water in Vijon is so pure and sweet that you may choose to drink just that.

 

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Vijon is a very quiet place: apart from the occasional car passing by and the few children in the village school, the only sounds you will hear will be those of the cows mooing to the moon in the nearby fields, or the church bells announcing the sunset.  Even the street lights are sometimes switched off late at night.  At "La Vieille Forge" you will experience the peace and silence of the countryside, with the added benefit of knowing that you are not completely isolated, and there are (a few) people nearby if you need them.

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Local Activities

"La Vieille Forge" is an ideal base for those interested in water sports (in particular, canoeing and kayaking along one of the many rivers of the area, or in one of the 120 lakes of the Brenne).  Water sports are also available at Sidiailles (28 km from Vijon), as well as sandy lakeside beaches.  You may also choose cycling or rambling tours of the green and diverse valleys.  La Châtre (23 km from Vijon) offers a fantastic public swimming pool complex, with indoors and outdoors pools, sauna, etc.

 

The Lake of Sidiailles

 

In the area there are countless marvellous gardens to visit (from Romantic rose gardens, to secular parks, to marshes, to conservation gardens rich in medicinal plants), as well as animal conservation parks at Guéret (wolves) and in the Brenne (a Paradise for birds and deer).

Golf is available at Pouligny-Notre-Dame (13 km from Vijon).

The number of medieval, Renaissance and 18th century châteaux that you can visit even very near Vijon is enormous, as is that of the Romanesque churches and Abbeys in the Berry region (whilst Bourges Cathedral is a world-recognized masterpiece of Gothic architecture).  There are archaeological remains (Gaulish and Gallo-Roman), literary associations (George Sand, Alain Fournier) and artistic connections (Claude Monet and the Impressionists, world-famous porcelain and enamelware, Aubusson tapestries), as well as several unusual museums and exhibitions to visit, dedicated to anything from sorcery to men's shirts, from gold to walking sticks.

A view of the Berry countryside

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Early morning mist over the fields

 

Check out the local weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please click here for more information on the Lake of Sidiailles.

 

To visit the website of

La Châtre swimming pool click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please click here for more information.

 

For more information on the Brenne Natural Park click here.

 

The Berry Region

Vijon is situated in the historic and peaceful Berry region, at the meeting point of four French "départments", Indre, Cher, Creuse and Allier, and in an ideal location to explore two of the most beautiful and famous French regions, the Loire Valley to the North, and the Auvergne to the South.

The View from Vijon Square

The region is well worth a visit for its rich but simple traditional food, its many types of cow and goat cheese, and its delicious wines, several of which, like those from Sancerre, have attained world-wide recognition.

For  more information on this lovely part of France click here.

The Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is a favourite part of France for many, renowned for its fairytale castles, its sparkling rivers and its vineyards.  Called "the garden of France", the valley of the river Loire (the longest river in France) finds its heart in the gentle city of Tours, and boasts more than 300 châteaux of all shapes and sizes, dating from the 12th to the 18th century (it is the highest concentration of palatial houses anywhere in the world, proof of the love that the French Kings and nobility always had for this beautiful region and its temperate climate).

The Auvergne

The Auvergne is the volcanic region of France, famous for its dramatic landscapes and its mineral water springs, which have medicinal properties. It is a picturesque region, with a varied and interesting landscape, ideal for those who love cycling or rambling in its entrancing forests, or even just want to admire the bucolic scenery from the comfort of their car.  In the words of one of the guests of "La Vieille Forge":

The drive to the Auvergne down the A71 is one of the most breathtaking we have ever done (…). 

The Auvergne offers a fascinating and unusual experience in the visit to the Volcanic Theme Parc and research establishment of Vulcania (near Clermont-Ferrand, about 160 km from Vijon), a 55-hectar development housed inside an extinct volcano (over two thirds underground) and designed by the award-winning architect Hans Hollein.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

To visit the website of Vulcania please click here

  

 

SOME TOWNS AND VILLAGES WELL WORTH A VISIT:

Ste. Sévère-sur-Indre

This village north of "La Vieille Forge", which houses an impressive medieval covered market (17th century), is the location where Jacques Tati (1909-1982), the cinematographic genius of French comedy better known for his Mr. Hulot, directed in 1948 his first feature film, "Jour de fête" ("The Big Day" or "Holiday"). Tati, a Jew, was a refugee in Le Marembert (which is part of the municipality of Vijon) during the Second World War. "Jour de fête", which was an international success, winning the Best Screenplay Award at the Venice Film Festival and being declared by Jean-Luc Godard to mark the birth of French Neo-realism, takes inspiration from the super-efficient US postal service and features Tati as a "mad bicycling postman" who decides to modernize mail delivery in his small village. According to Tati's biographer David Bellos, the film ridicules "all the things Tati disliked: work, efficiency, hurry and organization". The castle of Ste. Sévère and the dilapidated tower in its grounds are also the setting for George Sand's novel Mauprat, which depicts the clash between feudalism and more modern social and ideological attitudes.

 

Boussac

A tranquil village in the Creuse department, about 15 km south of "La Vieille Forge", whose history is intimately linked to that of its château, built in the 12th century on the edge of a cliff, destroyed during the Hundred Years' War, and rebuilt in the 15th century by Jean de Brosse, companion in arms of Joan of Arc.  The renowned 19th century novelist Georges Sand resided in the castle (see her dainty bath!), and the famous 15th century tapestry "The Lady and the Unicorn" was discovered here.  The castle also houses an interesting exhibition of walking sticks.

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One can also visit the restored 15th century church on Sainte Anne and the Rural Museum (17,000 m2 dedicated to agriculture and agricultural implements from the Middle Ages onwards).  There are interesting excursions to Les Pierres Jaumâtres (extraordinary granite formations, perhaps once the site of human sacrifice) and to Toulx-Sainte-Croix (Neolithic, Gaulish and Gallo-Roman remains; Romanesque church).

Châteaumeillant

Another village to the north of "La Vieille Forge", where one can visit: the Romanesque church of St. Genès (12th century); the church of Notre Dame la Petite, called "Le Chapitre" (11th -12th and 16th century); the Archaeological Museum Émile Chenon; stroll along well-defined rambling routes, and taste the local variety of white and red wine produced in the area.

Vesdun

Vesdun (south of St. Amand-Montrond, nr. Culan) is designated by the National Geographic Institute as the "geographical centre" of France.

Bruère-Allichamps

Bruère-Allichamps (north of St. Amand-Montrond) is popularly thought since 1865 to mark the geographical centre of France.

Bourges

A bit further away from "La Vieille Forge", this is a city with a rich medieval past that will appeal to art lovers.  Bourges is built on the slopes of a hill lapped by a network of rivers and canals.  The magnificent Gothic cathedral of St. Étienne can be seen emerging from the Berry countryside when approaching the city. You can visit Jacques Coeur's Great House; see the relic of the Apostle St. Jacques in the church of Saint Bonnet; stroll among the gardens and canals of Les Marais, or experience the magic of a night walk among the illuminated monuments of this unique city.

 

 

To find out more about Bourges please  click here.

 

Mehun-sur-Yèvre

This charming old town (nr. Bourges) is a centre of porcelain manufacture. You can visit the Musée Charles VII, the water Gardens of the Duc Jean-de-Berry, the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame, and the Rue Jeanne-d'Arc, flanked by old houses with their wells, among which is the building where Joan of Arc once stayed (n. 87).


The Medieval Fortress of Sarzay


The Medieval Fortress of Sarzay

Nohant-Vic

Not too far from "La Vieille Forge", nr. La Châtre, this village is the location of the house of Aurore Dupin baroness Dudevant, better known as George Sand (1804-1876), where she grew up and lived for most of her life, receiving famous guests like de Musset, Chopin (both were also her lovers) and Balzac, and where she wrote most of her books and is buried.

Sarzay

This Medieval fortress nr. Nohant-Vic, consisting of tall round towers with tiled roofs, was built during the 100-Years' War as a protection against the English, but soon became obsolete due to the introduction of fire-arms.  Abandoned and left in ruins, it was bought twenty years ago by a private citizen who has been restoring it ever since in his spare time!  During the 100-Years' War the English also passed through Vijon, but then moved away, and the residents of "La Vieille Forge" are among the first English people to set foot there in 500 years.

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