The best walks and hikes around Bray-En-Val

great walk

Grignon is a little gem nestled in the heart of Loiret, near the Canal d’Orléans. This quiet village is home to the Auberge des 3 Écluses, a charming place where gourmets can enjoy authentic local cuisine. While strolling around the area, you will discover the Belle de Grignon, a replica of a Berry flute that brings the canal’s maritime past to life. This barge, built in oak by volunteers, offers walks and allows you to discover the region’s peaceful landscapes.

The Étang des Bois leisure center, nestled in the heart of the Orléans forest, is the perfect place to recharge your batteries in the heart of nature. Imagine yourself on the banks of this peaceful pond, surrounded by pines and oaks, with a sandy beach that invites you to swim in season. Here, the setting is sublime: shaded paths for quiet walks, picnic areas for outdoor lunches, and even a snack bar for a gourmet break. For those who want to prolong the pleasure, a friendly campsite is available, with a multitude of activities for the whole family.

Nestled in a meander of the Loire, the town of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire is home to one of the most beautiful jewels of Romanesque architecture: an 11th and 12th century basilica including the porch tower, decorated with twelve historic capitals. , the monumental portal and the nave constitute the most remarkable elements. Founded around 650 on the grounds of an ancient Gallo-Roman villa, Fleury Abbey has housed the relics of Saint Benedict, founder of Western monasticism and patron saint of Europe, since 672. During the 8th century, the patronage of the Prince of the Apostles was abandoned for that of Saint Benedict. This event is at the origin of the rapid expansion, prosperity and influence of the abbey which became Saint-Benoît de Fleury, while the village later became that of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire. In the 9th century, after the ordeal of the Norman invasions which pillaged and destroyed the monastery, Fleury Abbey flourished again. The 10th and 11th centuries were the great era of Fleury's spiritual, intellectual and artistic influence. The construction of Fleury was probably completed in 1218. A few centuries later, the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion ruined the monastery and disrupted regular life, the community's numbers collapsed. The French Revolution will end up dispersing the community of Fleury Abbey. But in 1944, a community of around forty monks resettled in the area and undertook the reconstruction of the monastery. A community of thirty-three monks lives there today under the direction of Father Abbot Etienne Ricaud. In 1947, the fourteenth centenary of the death of Saint Benedict led the abbey to be elevated to the status of a basilica. The visitor is invited to admire the fabulous historic capitals present in the porch tower, the nave and the choir; the magnificent paving which extends around the altar as well as the crypt where the relics of the patron saint rest. Not to be missed is the north portal and its monumental lintel carved in high relief.

We already find traces of a monastery in Fleury in the year 620. In 660, relics of Saint-Benoît were brought there and the abbey became Saint-Benoît de Fleury. Around the year 1000, the abbey experienced a golden age and the construction of the current basilica was launched. It will be consecrated in 1218. From the 16th to the 18th century, wars and the Revolution damaged the monastery. However, a community of 24 monks still lives there today.

This site is most characteristic of the Orléans Canal, which was once a vital waterway for transporting timber and other materials from the Orléans Forest to Paris. You can admire the three old locks and their lock house, which date from the 18th and 19th centuries. You can also see the small forge, built in 1821, which has a charming facade with a circular window. The site also includes a garden with remains of the original ponds. You can enjoy peaceful water and forest views, and perhaps spot the Belle de Grignon, a replica of a 19th century barge that was built by local enthusiasts. The Grignon site is an ideal place to discover the heritage and natural riches of the Loiret.

Pivot mill rebuilt by its owners in the 1980s. Its mechanism is complete and visits are possible on Sunday afternoons (3 p.m.-6 p.m.) between March and All Saints' Day, as well as on public holidays.

Pond with a beach (supervised in summer) for swimming