Saint-Seine
A small picturesque village in beautiful surroundings in the far south-west of the Morvan, a large national park in the Niévre. The Niévre is one of the four departments in Burgundy. The village has about 220 inhabitants. Most people earn their living from forestry or cattle breeding. Everywhere you come across the beautiful Charolais cattle. Herds of peacefully grazing white cows. From La Cressonne, these are also easy to watch.
Of course, the Morvan is a national park for a reason. There is plenty of natural beauty to enjoy. Hiking, cycling, canoeing. There are lots of possibilities. We are happy to help our guests find excursions. La Cressonne is also a good starting point for visiting various wine regions. Within a radius of about 100 km there are famous wine regions such as the Côte d’Or (Burgundy), Chablis, Mâcon and Beaujolais.
At a distance of 3 km from Saint Seine is the little church of Ternant. This little church contains a great treasure. Two medieval triptychs of a very high quality. Similar triptychs are also on display at the Musée des Beaux Arts in Dijon, Opinions differ as to which are more beautiful. The chauvinists of Ternant say the images in Ternant are much more beautiful anyway 🙂 .
The castle of Ternant
Ternant is a very old place. There was a castle there in the Middle Ages. it was later demolished and rebuilt in a new form in the 18th century. A few years ago, the castle was bought by two Belgian architects. The new owners want to renovate the castle in the 18th century style. They are using old pictures and maps of the castle. The work is progressing very slowly, but it will be very beautiful.
Market in Saint-Seine & Ternant
In the months of June, July, August and September, a market is held in Saint-Seine on Tuesdays with local and handicraft products. The market offers vegetables, fruit, cheese, bread, olives, flowers, bric-a-brac, glass art and much more. These markets are also a meeting place for all the people living in the area. So definitely worth a visit.
Walking
The surroundings of Saint-Seine immediately invite you to go hiking. About 40 hiking routes ranging from 4 to 18 kilometres in length have been set out by the tourist office in the Saint-Seine area. Two routes start from Ternant. But you can also walk endlessly in the area on your own initiative and be surprised time and again by ever-changing views.
Cycling
Nothing like a bike ride along one of Burgundy and Auvergne’s many canals. Several canals are close to Saint-Seine, such as the Canal du Centre and the Canal du Nievernais. La Cressonne has a number of mountain bikes for hire, and bike rental shops in Decize and Chatillon-en-Bazois are also available for those who left their own bikes at home. The immediate surroundings of Ternant are hilly. Although the hills are not that high (around 300 metres), they are often steep. This makes cycling close to home a real challenge.
Fishing
In the neighbouring village of La Nocle-Maulaix, there is a lake with an old water mill/pumping station that has plenty of fish. Ideal for fishing enthusiasts. Rivers such as the Loire and Allier are also good fishing waters.
Golf
Occasionally hitting a golf ball is fine on the golf courses of both Bourbon-Lancy and Autun. The Bourbon-Lancy course has 9 holes. It is a simple course, but great fun to play. In summer, the magazine Bourgondische Zaken organises a tournament for French and Dutch golfers together with this golf course. If you want to know more about this, please contact us. The Autun golf course has 11 holes. A course with much more challenge for technically experienced golfers. Then there is also a course in Monchanin, which according to connoisseurs is the best of the three. A characteristic of all courses is that they are located in a beautiful spot with many beautiful views.
Nearby cities
Luzy
A small town 17 km from Saint-Seine. The old centre is nice to look at. The weekly market on Friday mornings is very pleasant and definitely worth a visit, if only to buy delicious cheese. In the summer months, the art market is a must. In Luzy you will find all kinds of general amenities such as banks, pharmacies, GPs, garages, two supermarkets….
Bourbon-Lancy
15 km from Saint-Seine is Bourbon-Lancy with a beautiful medieval centre. Bourbon is a spa town where one can take healing baths. It also has a beautiful lake where one can enjoy excellent recreation. Bourbon has three supermarkets, a hardware store and several tourist attractions (see Excursions).
Decize
Decize is 35 km from Saint-Seine. Decize houses the nearest hospital, as well as a beautiful city centre situated on an island in the Loire. The river enhances the beauty of the city. A bustling town where various activities are organised throughout the year such as one of the largest fairs in France, and a very large flea market. Decize also has a number of supermarkets where you can do your shopping.
Moulins
About 50 km west of Saint-Seine is Moulins, capital of the Allier department. Moulins has a beautiful medieval heart. North and south of the city are large shopping centres with gigantic supermarkets, large home furnishing and DIY shops, toy shops, sports shops, etc.
Autun
The historic city of Autun is 50 km east of Saint-Seine. A city with a very ancient history dating back to Roman times. Where traces of the Middle Ages can also be found. This can be seen in the various buildings. From a Roman theatre, through the magnificent cathedral to the Italian-style modern theatre. Every Friday there is a market and you can buy delicious regional products in the covered fresh market.
Nevers
Nevers is the capital of the Nièvre department. The city suffered greatly from bombing in World War II. The cathedral has been beautifully restored, especially the modern stained-glass windows. Pottery lovers can visit several workshops open to the public.
Trips
The area around Saint-Seine offers something for everyone, including many opportunities for children.
For example, a trip to Mont Beuvray (35 km) to visit the archaeological excavations of Bibracte. Bibracte was a Gallic city and was conquered by Julius Ceasar from the Gauls. Those who read Asterix and Obelix know all about it. At the foot of the mountain is a museum, there is a car park and a restaurant. A shuttle bus runs up the mountain in July and August, the rest of the year anyone can go up in their own car. But if you can, walking is of course the best option, because on foot you will come across several excavations where you can look around at your leisure.
Wonderful wine routes
Wine lovers will do well in La Vieille Mairie. Ternant, the Burgundy village, makes an excellent base to visit the various wine regions in Burgundy. East of Saint Seine the Côte d’Or with its Grand Crus, the Côte Chalonaise with its Grand vins and the Mâconnaise with its delectable white wines and the northern tip of the Beaujolais with its Crus. West of Ternant you will find the Coteaux Pouilly-Sancerre and finally the Chablis.
Ab Verkerk, vinologist at the Wine Academy, has set out a number of attractive wine routes starting and ending at La Vieille Mairie in Ternant. Routes that lead past wineries located in beautiful landscapes, leading through picturesque villages and cosy small towns. The route takes you from winery to winery. Each time, Ab gives some suggestions for wines to taste. An expert introduction to the wines of Burgundy. Of course, it remains possible to do your own research here and there. At Burgundy wineries, hospitality is paramount and you will be warmly welcomed everywhere.
The starting point for selecting the wines described in the itinerary was the price/quality ratio. Good to very good wines for no more than €10. With a few exceptions, because the more exclusive the wine, the higher the price. Tasting is possible everywhere. Sometimes a price is charged for tasting. In Beaune, you can enter the cellars for an amount per person (varying per winery and per package). In Mercurey, you pay a small amount per quantity of wine you taste. How exactly is clearly explained in the itinerary.
Swimming, canoeing and pedal boating
There are outdoor swimming pools in Bourbon Lancy and in Luzy. In Luzy, this is a heated pool. In the Bourbon pool, the water is not heated, but on the other hand, it is a larger pool with a nice little pool for the little ones.
Bourbon-Lancy Lake offers many opportunities for outdoor water enthusiasts. There is a beach with a large slide and you can rent a canoe or a pedalo to take a trip on the lake. Access to the beach and slide is free. A large playground has been built on the other side of the lake. Super fun for scramblers and wobblers. Four-seater bicycles with a roof can also be rented here. In July and August, there are often activities around the lake with attractions for children.
Climbing in Uchon
The real climbers head to Uchon, some 40 km from Ternant. The small village of Uchon (96 inhabitants) is at an altitude of 681 metres in a forested area. Part of the mountain on which Uchon lies is littered with huge granite blocks. One of the hiking trails runs through this section. That means scrambling. Exciting for children to climb on such a high rock with the help of mum or dad. All hikers get a beautiful view over the Morvan as a reward for making it to the top of the mountain. Another hiking trail will take you to a pasture with donkeys along the way. In Uchon, you can also visit a medieval monastery. So Uchon has plenty to offer and is not called the Pearl of the Morvan for nothing.
amusement park Le Pal in Dompierre sur Besbre (45 km)
Small children will really find a visit to Le Pal the very, very best part of the whole holiday. And no wonder. Le Pal is a brilliant amusement park where visitors can have a great time all day long. There are fun activities for children of all ages and many adults also visit the park for a fun day out. Highly recommended. More information can be found on Le Pal’s website: www.lepal.com.
Le Robinson, amusement park in Bourbon Lancy (20 km)
Le Robinson is a small amusement park suitable for children up to 10 years old. It’s a bit old-fashioned, so they don’t have a website. But you can spend a few enjoyable hours there. It is highly recommended for small children because the park is quiet and friendly.
Diverti park in Toulon-sur-Arroux (35 km)
In Toulon sur Arroux, you will find the Diverti’Parc. A little paradise for big and small children. The park has several inflatables, trampolines, games, all kinds of bikes and animals. Great for an afternoon of fun!
And …Markets
There are weekly markets in all cities. Sometimes these are indoor markets like in Autun. Everywhere in the region there are regular fairs where you can buy local products directly from the producer. Like wine and cheese.
A cosy flea market where there is always something nice to find. The French love old cars and tractors and they love to show off their possessions. In summer, many a ‘vide grenier’ (flea market) is graced by a vintage car show.
Taizé
Taizé is 90 km from Saint-Seine. The Taizé community has about 100 brothers from almost 30 countries. They are Catholic and of various Protestant backgrounds. By its very existence, the community is a “parable of communion”, a concrete sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and separated peoples.
Throughout the year, the Taizé community attracts many young people from all parts of the world. Together they spend several days there to pray, celebrate and share. Furthermore, many people visit Taizé to taste the special atmosphere of this community.
Attending a Taizé celebration is a special experience. For more than half an hour, people sing together in many different languages, and in between there is complete silence.
Also nice is a visit to…
The Grand Cafe in Moulins, which we call Mirror Restaurant, is really special. You see each other endlessly reflected in the mirror walls made in Art-Nouveau style.
The crockery museum in Digoin, a fun museum with everything about Digoin pottery.
Ever seen a canal over a river? In Digion, there is a water bridge over the Loire. One of the canals is led across the river via this bridge. The waterways consist of canals because the Loire is not navigable.