La Charité, a monastic site
The Priory, founded in 1059 by the powerful order of Cluny, is the heart around which the town has grown. A major stage on the Way of St James, and an obligatory point of passage on the Loire, the monastery became wealthy and quickly assumed a vital role in the Cluny network. La Charité-sur-Loire became one of the five ‘elder daughters of Cluny’, and extended its influence over 45 priories and 400 dependencies.
The Nature Reserve of the Val de Loire
The abundance of biodiversity of the Loire in this area helped to gain it classified status in 1995. The Nature Reserve extends over 1 500 hectares along 20km of the Loire from the bridge at La Charité-sur-Loire to Tracy-sur-Loire, a village situated downstream, at the foot of the hill of Sancerre. It is home to thirty species of fish, almost 500 species of flora (10% of the total in France) and more than 200 species of bird, which accounts for one third of all living species in Europe.
The Bertranges Forest
Given to the priory of La Charité-sur-Loire in 1121, this large forest has increased in size several times before becoming the at the time of the Revolution. The Bertranges Forest today extends over 10 000 hectares and is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. It contributes important economic activity in the form of forestry to the Nivernais and Charitois regions, with saw mills, wood processing plants, and stave mills for coopering.
> For more information go to: www.lacharitesurloire-tourisme.com - www.pavillon-pouilly.com