Maison de la forêt de Haute-Saintonge
CDC Haute-Saintonge V. Sabadel
Maison de la forêt de Haute-Saintonge
CDC Haute-Saintonge V. Sabadel
Maison de la forêt de Haute-Saintonge
CDC Haute -Saintonge V. Sabadel

The Forest house of Haute-Saintonge

Learn all about maritime pines

Nestling in the heart of the Haute-Saintonge’s forest, just a few kilometres from the Scandibérique passing via St-Martin d’Ary, the Maison de la Forêt welcomes visitors year-round. Take in this unspoilt 20-hectare natural site by climbing the watch tower. Maritime pines thrive in this region. Through the last couple of centuries, harvesting their resin was commonly practised. This ancestral activity has been replaced by the management of local woods for logging and selling timber.

Wandering along the trails, discover fascinating themed spaces: the beehives, the bird labyrinth, the butterfly reserve, the burrows and their inhabitants, the clearing where mushrooms grow… Immerse yourself in the forest to discover the secrets of this ecosystem, so essential for the cycle of life.

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Accommodation Useful information Leasure Restauration

Accommodation Useful information Leasure Restauration

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Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire / Clérac

34 Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire / Clérac

39 km
2 h 34 min
I begin / Family
This Scandibérique stage leads via the county of Charente’s vineyards on to forests typical of the neighbouring county of Charente-Maritime and continues to the border between the historic areas of the Saintonge and the Périgord. Cruise easily along the Galope Chopine Greenway from Barbezieux St-Hilaire to Clérac, the way increasingly wooded. The medieval Château de Montguyon, an imposing fort ravaged by time, offers a tempting reason to deviate slightly from the Haute-Saintonge greenway. Just a few arrows’ lengths further on, cycling into the heart of the Double Saintongeaise Forest (40,000 hectares of woods stretching between Montguyon, Montlieu la Garde and Montendre) you reach Clérac. This stage provides plenty of invigorating country air!
Clérac / Libourne

35 Clérac / Libourne

46 km
3 h 05 min
I begin / Family
Clérac offers a haven of peace, nestled in its green wooded corner at the southern edge of the Saintonge area. The Scandibérique then leads you into the Bordelais area. At first, up to Guîtres, as well as the green of the pines, the bright white of former kaolin clay mines stands out, while the lakes that have formed in these pits reflect the deep blue of the sky. Next, the scenery changes, as you cycle beside the Isle River, the slopes covered with world-famous vineyards as you approach Libourne, an historic port at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne Rivers. By now, the feel is very southern!