Montigny-Aux-Amognes: Forest, Bocage and Cultural Heritage

Montigny-aux-Amognes brings together several distinct themes for planning a trip: the signposted Boucle Montignoise, the landscapes of the Forêt des Amognes and the bocage, and the Romanesque Église Saint-Louis. The hiking route can be considered as a separate activity based on its length and stated duration. The church, forest and protected areas also offer different perspectives on the area. You can therefore choose the focus of your stay based on how much time you have for hiking, your interest in landscapes or architectural history.

Hiking the Boucle Montignoise

The Boucle Montignoise is a moderately difficult, 14-kilometre route marked in yellow. Its stated duration is 3 hours and 45 minutes. This gives you a specific timeframe for planning your day; check the route details locally before setting out.

The route crosses the Ruisseau de Meulot and passes a restored forest pond where you can observe forest life. Viewpoints look out over the Vallée des Amognes and the Forêt des Amognes. The route also opens onto the bocage landscape, with its patchwork of meadows and hedgerows. The hike therefore offers both forest and water features as well as open landscapes.

The Lavoir de Rigolas is one of the sights along the Boucle Montignoise. It is one of five 19th-century covered communal washhouses in Montigny-aux-Amognes. A visit to this historic site complements the route’s natural scenery with a glimpse into everyday community history.

Forest, bocage and protected nature

Montigny-aux-Amognes lies entirely within two overlapping Natura 2000 sites in the “Bocage, forêts et milieux humides des Amognes et du Bassin de la Machine” complex. The Natura 2000 complex extends across almost the entire commune and includes broadleaf forests and bocage meadows closely divided by hedgerows. The commune’s planning documents give the area of the Forêt domaniale des Amognes within the commune as 817.67 hectares.

Birdlife is also part of the area’s conservation profile. For the ZPS FR2612009, the black stork (Ciconia nigra) is a protected and threatened species and one of the main conservation priorities. The DOCOB for ZPS FR2612009 lists 32 bird species in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Of these, 20 are considered breeding birds; 30 are present each year as passage migrants or winter visitors. These figures distinguish between species considered breeding birds and those that occur during the year as passage migrants or winter visitors.

Romanesque church and local history

The Église Saint-Louis is a 12th-century Romanesque church classified as a Monument historique. Its features include the decorated west façade, sculpted apse corbels and medieval frescoes in the choir. The façade, sculptures and paintings represent different art-historical aspects of the building and give a cultural visit a specific focus.

The Église Saint-Louis is open on market days and during the Journées du Patrimoine. Check the dates before your visit.

This gives you two distinct options for planning your visit: the Boucle Montignoise offers a clearly defined distance and timeframe for a hike, while the Église Saint-Louis provides a focus on architecture and the stated occasions when it is open. You can decide whether a multi-hour hike or a dedicated cultural visit should take centre stage during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ville-Langy, Saint-Brisson, Magny-Lormes, Poil, Marigny-Sur-Yonne, Vauclaix, Montigny-Sur-Canne, Arquian

For the broader travel overview: Nièvre.