Sologne
Succumb to the charms of Sologne

In France, Sologne is often synonymous to hunting, fine properties and châteaux for the wealthy elite. I also believed in this image. That was before I discovered Sologne's lesser-known secrets; before I let myself be swept away by its stories and its History...! With my map, my compass and may backpack... off I set. Ready, steady, walk:

the tale of my immersion in Sologne...

Mysterious Sologne...

First of all, it is a festival for the eyes: forests, moorlands, heathers, ponds and rivers, swathed in the morning mist... Greenery, the enchantment of the dawn and dusk hues, the smell of the undergrowth; only then did I begin to grasp its reputation as 'mysterious Sologne'. In fact, Sologne's landscape evolved under Napoleon III, who was keen to hunt there. He had pinasters planted, canals hollowed out and marshes drained. From a marshy land propitious to fishing, Sologne became an excellent hunting ground. For a long time considered as 'select', the area is now open to all, across its many marked walking routes.

Did you know that hunting for big animals was a privilege reserved for the lords, whereas hunting smaller game, either using bows or falcons, was far more popular? Hunting became a more organised pursuit after the French Revolution. In the late 19th century, hiring out land for the purposes of hunting was far more profitable than agriculture! Indeed, it was during that period – the golden age of hunting grounds when poaching was rife -  that Sologne's cynegetic fate was sealed;  So there I was, in total immersion, in true 'Raboliot' style.  Here, my classical novels sprung to mind, and I recalled reading Maurice Genevoix' famous Goncourt prize-winner on the life of a poacher from Sologne. Today, hunting federations are highly active in preserving local game (ducks, pheasants, partridges, rabbits and hares, deer, roe deer and boars).

Along the coast road
What I discovered

Once on site, it's a great pleasure to dawdle along the forest paths and across the village squares...

These typical small villages with their red brick houses seem to emerge from nowhere as one meanders along the forest roads. They offer charming stopovers for a gourmet break over some quite exceptional country fare. The presence of Napoleon III in Sologne is what helped breathe new life into these villages. Sologne's landscapes and traditional architecture are quite characteristic: here, widespread use has been made of brick, wood and cob.

And on the subject of architecture, the Sologne forest is also home to the oldest small-scale brick manufacturer in the region, La Bretèche - a five generation family business since 1890. Mixing, moulding, drying, stacking, firing: I have almost become an expert on brick making! La Bretèche is a jewel in the Sologne crown: its age-old skills have earned the firm an excellent reputation in the manufacture of bricks and tiles that don colours reminiscent of bygone days. It's no surprise that the French Historic Monuments commission finds all the material it needs here to restore the most illustrious of edifices, such as the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Hospices de Beaune, the façade of the Orléans court of audit or the flooring of the Château de Chambord.

Initially a poor region, Sologne, a landscape of forests and ponds often haloed in mist, has naturally inspired many a popular belief, essentially on the theme of water. These beliefs, where witchcraft and devotion rub shoulders, have left an indelible mark on the environment in the form of fountains and chapels that you can discover in the heart of the Sologne woodlands.

Not to be missed:

Retrouvez encore + de Sologne ici : l'occasion de micro-aventures, moments de partage, jolies tranches de vie, retrouvailles familiales, entre couleurs d'automne et quartiers d'été en Sologne...