Discover Mérigny: Trails and Heritage

When looking for a hotel for a stay in Mérigny, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. Specific outdoor activities include a marked mountain biking loop, a hiking route, canoe and kayak rentals, and a recognized climbing site. A chapel, church, cave and monastic history add historical interests to the activities. These distinctions can help you plan how to divide your time between outdoor pursuits and culture.

Active in Mérigny: cycling, hiking, water and rock

A marked mountain biking loop crosses Mérigny from the hamlet of Beauchapeau to the hamlet of Plaincourault. Signage and route conditions may change; check both before setting out.

The “Entre falaises et coteaux de l'Anglin” route No. 41 follows small paths lined with dry-stone walls and offers views of the limestone plateau and the Anglin. Compared with the mountain biking loop, the two routes differ in how you travel and in the character of the route: the hiking route follows small paths and offers scenic views, while the loop is marked for mountain bikes and connects the two hamlets.

Canoe and kayak rentals are available in Mérigny, with departures from Mérigny and arrivals in Angles or Vicq-sur-Gartempe. Provider availability and departure arrangements may change; check both before making plans. It is worth taking the desired arrival point into account, as well as the specific departure arrangements.

The 31-metre-high Rocher de la Dube on the Anglin is a recognized climbing site with several routes graded from 3 to 7b. The figures describe two different things: 31 metres is the height of the rock, while 3 to 7b are the grades of its routes. The route grade is therefore relevant when choosing a climb. The peregrine falcon, a protected bird species, also visits the Rocher. This adds a specific nature interest alongside climbing.

Culture and history in Mérigny

The Poirelle Cave, also known as Roche Noire, is a prehistoric necropolis discovered in 1953. Both names refer to the same cave. A necropolis is a burial site; the term identifies the cave as a prehistoric site. Appropriate equipment is required to access the underground area; take this practical point into account when planning your visit.

The Plaincourault Chapel is a Romanesque building dating from the end of the 12th century. Its wall paintings depict fantastic animals and medieval legends; they are dated to the 12th to 15th centuries. This makes it possible to distinguish clearly between the date of the building and the period to which the paintings date.

The Church of Saint-Sulpice is in the centre of Mérigny and is believed to date back to the 13th century. A priory in the Mérigny area has been listed as a historic monument since 1979.

A monastery in the Mérigny area was built by the Order of Grandmont towards the end of the 12th century. The dates refer to different things: the priory’s designation as a historic monument and the monastery’s construction.

Discover more destinations: Mauvières, Baudres, Rivarennes, Sazeray, Maurepas, Bouges-Le-Château, Badecon-Le-Pin, Veuil

For the regional travel overview: Indre.