The Regional Natural Park du Morvan
Come to the Regional Natural Park du Morvan for an outdoor holiday at the heart of Burgundy. This vast granite massif of forests, lakes and hills has plenty of sporting and cultural attractions for all the family !
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Regional Natural Park du Morvan
There are six lakes offering different leisure activities. Fishermen can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of Lac de Pannecière to fish for carnivorous fish, white fish, carp …and even crayfish from June onwards ! White water sporting enthusiasts can hurtle down the rushing River Chalaux near Lac de Chaumeçon, while Lac des Settons is great for swimming and water sports.
The rolling countryside is perfect for mountain biking through magnificent scenery. History fans mustn’t miss the Château de Bazoches, a listed castle near Vézelay which was the family home of Maréchal de Vauban in the 17th century. Inside the castle there is a huge family tree and many mementoes of Maréchal de Vauban including his bed and a carved bust !
Cultural attractions in the Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan : Vézelay, Musée de la Résistance...
From Bazoches, follow the old Roman way to the medieval village of Vézelay and its prestigious Romanesque basilica. At Saint-Brisson, the Maison du Parc houses the Office de Tourisme, and 2 museums: the Maison des Hommes et des Paysages tells the story of the Morvan of today and of yesteryear ; the Musée de la Résistance highlights the important role of the Resistance in this region during the Second World War and especially the action taken by the ‘Maquis’. In fact, there are 21 memorial sites in total relating to WW2 known as « Résistances en Morvan - Chemins de Mémoire » which deal with different themes connected with the history of the Resistance, repression and the Maquis du Morvan. At Alligny-en-Morvan, th Musée des Nourrices et des Enfants de l’Assistance Publique is a museum devoted to the sensitive subject of wet nurses, foster mothers and the foster children in the Morvan region. It features archive material and first-hand accounts of what happened to the children placed in families in Morvan, the families who took them in and wet nurses who went to feed babies of the aristocracy “in-situ”. Two centuries of local history against the backdrop of changes in society and state administration. Morvan is also the Number 1 Christmas tree growing region of France, mostly epicea and Nordmann varieties. Every year for the past 10 years, a Nordmann Christmas tree from Morvan has taken pride of place in the main courtyard of the Elysée.
A very unusual place to discover near Morvan is the Buddhist Temple at La Boulaye (a Bhutanese temple with prayer wheels and stupas). The Côte d’Orand its famous wine-growing region are also close-by.
« Morvan is a land in its own right with a strong identity. I particularly love springtime when bluebells bloom along the hedgerows, forming ‘blue carpets’ », says Aude from Gites de France.
Situated right in the centre of Burgundy, the Parc du Morvan is 2½ hours from Paris and 3 hours from Lyon.
Coming from Paris on A6 autoroute, take exit for Avallon (sortie n°22) and follow signs for « Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan » .
Coming from Lyon on A6 autrorouten take exit for Chalon-sur-Saône, head towards Autun, then follow signs for ""Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan"".
Discover the loveliest places in Nièvre with Gites de France Nièvre : Charité sur Loire, the town of Nevers, Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Destination Sancerre-Pouilly Fumé and Giennois, Puisaye Pottery, Etangs de Baye et de Vaux, Le Canal de Nivernais, Lac des Settons, Bibracte."
