Sermoyer: Dunes des Charmes, Trails and Heritage

Nature, trails and heritage in Sermoyer

Visitors choosing Sermoyer as a destination will find a clear focus on nature and trails, complemented by a specific connection to the local heritage. The Dunes des Charmes shape the natural landscape; several named routes differ in theme and length. The Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul houses statues of Saint Paul and Saint Peter.

The Dunes des Charmes and their plant life

Far from the sea, wind and high water shaped the Dunes des Charmes into dunes. The natural area includes dune habitats, ponds and woodland. This combination gives the Dunes des Charmes their distinctive landscape: in addition to how the dunes were formed, the area also includes a variety of habitats. For orientation, its location far from the coast is as characteristic as the forces that shaped the dunes.

A distinctive botanical combination can be found on the dunes: dune plants and marsh clubmoss (Lycopodium inundatum) grow side by side. This species is characteristic of montane peat bogs. Thus, plants of the dunes occur in the same natural area as a plant associated with mountain bogs. If you like to explore landscapes through their plant life, this contrast offers a specific point of interest alongside the ponds and woodland.

A cycling loop and routes of varying lengths

The family-friendly “Dunes and bocage” cycling loop passes through the Bresse bocage and lets you discover the sensitive natural area of the Dunes des Charmes in Sermoyer. It is open free of charge every day year-round, weather permitting. The loop therefore combines an activity specifically designed for cycling with the area’s natural attractions. Keep the weather requirement in mind when planning to include this cycling loop in your stay.

Other routes can be distinguished by their stated lengths. The “A l’assaut des dunes des Charmes” Explor'games trail is about 2.5 kilometres long. The “des Charmes” route is 10.7 kilometres long and passes by the Dunes des Charmes. The comparison gives a clear idea of the different lengths of the two options; for the second route, passing by the dunes is also a specific point of reference. When planning, you can therefore take both the distance and the theme of each route into account.

On foot to the old Seille

The “Rendez-vous with the Seille” walking trail starts at Sermoyer’s village church square, crosses the meadows of Sermoyer and leads to the old Seille. Its described route connects a starting point in the village with the meadows and the former river course. This sets it apart both from the cycling loop through the Bresse bocage and from the routes described by distance in kilometres. Here, orientation is defined not by a stated route length but by the sequence of the church square, meadows and old Seille.

The Vieille Seille is a former course of the Seille that became a dead end over the course of history. It is occasionally fed during high water. This history gives the old Seille its own hydrological story: it is a former river course that now ends in a dead end, with an explicitly noted connection to high-water events. The history of the landscape thus complements the walk through the meadows, without equating the Vieille Seille with the present-day Seille.

Statues in the Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul

The Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul also offers a specific historical and cultural connection to Sermoyer. It houses a statue of Saint Peter and a statue of Saint Paul. The statue of Saint Paul is stated to date from the 18th century. This places that part of the local heritage more precisely in time, while the statue of Saint Peter is also part of the church’s furnishings in Sermoyer. The natural landscape, the history of the trails and the two statues of saints offer different local themes for your stay—from the formation of the dunes to the history of a single work of art.

Discover more destinations: Reyrieux, Champfromier, Simandre-sur-Suran, Bourg-En-Bresse, Thoissey, Ambérieux-en-Dombes, Messimy-Sur-Saône, Lagnieu

For the regional travel overview: Ain.