Neighbouring châteaux, forests, characterful villages: the Bourbonnais offers plenty to discover a few kilometres from Le Creux, between architectural heritage and unspoilt nature. Enough to fill the days of a stay of several nights without ever going far from the château.
The Château de Meillant, about forty kilometres from Le Creux, offers an interesting architectural contrast for anyone interested in regional heritage: Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance, rather than the 18th-century classicism that characterises Le Creux. This difference in style, less than an hour’s drive away, makes it possible to measure in concrete terms the evolution of French castle architecture over several centuries, from the late Middle Ages to the Ancien Régime. Meillant is open to visitors according to its own calendar, to be checked before going rather than counting on permanent opening hours like those of a city museum.
The Aumance and the surrounding ponds lend themselves to fishing, an activity that follows its own regulatory calendar depending on the species and opening periods. Birdwatching, in the bocage and on the edge of the Tronçais forest, varies greatly with the season: the best sightings are generally early in the morning, in spring and summer. Autumn, for its part, opens the mushroom-picking season in the woods, a common practice in the region but one that requires good knowledge of the species to avoid any dangerous confusion. These activities, less organised than a château visit, suit guests who prefer to improvise their day rather than follow a programme set in advance.
The Saint-Pourçain vineyard, further east in the Allier, has produced wine since Gallo-Roman times and is one of the oldest wine appellations in France, older than many vineyards that are better known today. Less publicised than the great appellations of the Loire or Burgundy, it remains largely unknown outside the region, which does not prevent quality production in white, red and rosé. A bottle of Saint-Pourçain naturally accompanies a dinner at the château’s table d’hôte, in keeping with the other local products showcased at these shared meals.
Spring and summer are best for outdoor activities: hiking and mountain biking in the Tronçais forest, early-morning birdwatching, fishing in the Aumance and the surrounding ponds. The Montluçon golf course, 30 kilometres away, is open all year round but naturally sees more play in fine weather. Autumn shifts the focus to mushroom picking in the forest and to the table, with the opening of the small game shooting season on the château’s own estate. Winter, quieter, favours heritage visits (Meillant, Moulins, Souvigny) and long evenings by the fire rather than outdoor activities, without entirely ruling out a walk in dry weather.
The Bourbonnais is a farming land: Charolais cattle, cheeses, Saint-Pourçain wines, one of the oldest appellations in France. To taste: Bourbonnais potato pie (pâté de pommes de terre), a savoury pie typical of the region, AOC cheeses from the Auvergne such as Saint-Nectaire or Cantal, Charolais beef, renowned throughout France, and the tarte bourbonnaise, a fruit tart that changes with the season.
The Montluçon market, on Saturday mornings, remains the best place to discover these products in a single outing. Local farms and producers can also be visited on request, for those who want to go back to the source rather than settle for a market stall.
