Simandre – Discover the Church, Walking Trails and Nature

Simandre brings together historic architecture, walking trails through several hamlets, and a nature site with activities for visitors to discover. When looking for a hotel in Simandre, it may help to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: would you like to explore Saint Jean Baptiste Church and its architectural history, compare trails of different lengths, or set aside time for La Lande des Bruyères? These topics offer different perspectives on the commune and can be explored through specific names, route lengths and timings.

Saint Jean Baptiste Church

Saint Jean Baptiste Church in Simandre was built in the 12th century. Its bell tower and apse have been listed as historic monuments since 27 November 1951. The apse is the end section of the choir; together with the bell tower, it is one of the two listed parts of the building. The construction period and listing date provide different points of reference for exploring the building’s history.

Exploring Simandre on foot

The five “Balades vertes” comprise five walking trails between 3.8 and 10 kilometres long, offering a total of 44 kilometres of trails to explore the commune. They pass through various hamlets in Simandre; along the way, visitors can discover old buildings, local heritage, and rich flora and fauna. The range from 3.8 to 10 kilometres describes the individual trails, while 44 kilometres is the total length of the entire offering. The longest of the five trails is more than twice as long as the shortest.

One specifically named walking route is “Du calvaire aux Mares Joly (SI3)”: it is 5.6 kilometres long, rated easy, and listed as taking one hour. This provides both a choice of routes of different lengths and a specific difficulty rating and duration.

La Lande des Bruyères

The commune has developed La Lande des Bruyères as a discovery site for tourists, school groups and walkers. Its footpaths offer the chance to discover the local flora and fauna. Allow around two hours for a visit; binoculars and sturdy footwear are recommended. Compared with the one-hour SI3 walking route, a longer time is planned for a visit.

Ponds and washhouses

As part of the discovery trail featuring ponds and washhouses, eight ponds have been enhanced. The Conservatoire des mares selected them for their appearance, fauna or flora. In Simandre, six washhouses have also been completely renovated; they are part of the local discovery offering focused on ponds and washhouses. The focus differs within the offering: appearance, fauna or flora were the reasons for selecting the ponds, while the complete renovation of the washhouses is the relevant aspect.

Discover more destinations: Ozenay, Fontaines, Volesvres, Anost, Saint-Didier-en-Brionnais, Blanzy, Vauban and Saillenard.

See the broader travel guide: Saône-Et-Loire.