Gergy brings together a wide variety of discoveries: an expansive lowland forest, remarkable buildings and a bridge across the Saône. When planning your trip, the question is less about choosing a single attraction and more about deciding what to focus on: would you like to explore the landscape and its trails, or learn about architecture and local history?
Forest and trails
The Forêt de Gergy is a 1,750-hectare lowland deciduous forest, already shown on the Cassini maps. Its size, tree species and landscape make the forest a distinctive natural attraction. If landscape is a factor in choosing your destination, you’ll find a clear contrast here with the buildings and local histories that also shape Gergy.
The trails also span two different scales: the Voie Bleue is more than 700 kilometres long as a complete route, connecting Luxembourg with Lyon. Separately, hiking trails in Gergy pass through forests, plains and towpaths. This means a long-distance cycling route and hiking trails with different focuses are both available. Before setting out, check the current route and local conditions, as surfaces and detours may change.
Church, workshop and château history
At the Église Saint-Germain de Gergy, take a closer look at the varied motifs inside. The capitals—the uppermost parts of the columns—are decorated with flowers, leaves and hooks. There are also carvings of fantastic animals and human heads, as well as a keystone bearing a lily cross. The plant ornaments, figurative depictions and cross each provide their own distinctive details.
Another aspect of local history is associated with Hilaire de Chardonnet: he set up his first research and experimental workshop for producing artificial silk at the villa “La Croix blanche”. Thus, Gergy’s history encompasses not only ecclesiastical and seigneurial buildings but also a chapter in local industrial history.
The dates help distinguish the Château de Meix-Berthaud’s different historical milestones. Jean Lebault, lord of Gergy, established the fief of Meix-Berthaud in 1428. Louis Quarré had the present château built in 1668; the year 1669 appears on a niche in the passage building. The dates therefore refer to the fief, the château building and a detail of the passage building. Its architectural features include a central building with two projecting wings, a wood-panelled chapel and a horseshoe staircase leading to the park entrance.
Saône bridge and garden
The Pont Boucicaut connects Gergy and Verjux across the Saône. At 216 metres long and 8 metres wide, it is a striking structure; its current metal deck rests on five masonry piers. Remnants of the markers from the earlier structure remain at both ends. Marguerite Boucicaut funded important building projects, including this bridge. Its dimensions, construction and surviving traces each reveal a different part of its history.
The Jardin de la Renaudière offers a different way to experience the landscape: this 7,000-square-metre garden combines English- and Tuscan-inspired areas, tree-lined paths, a pond and meadows. While the bridge is defined above all by its connection and construction, the garden is divided into landscaped areas and open spaces. Visits are arranged by telephone, so plan to book an appointment in advance by phone.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Pierre-le-Vieux, Toulon-Sur-Arroux, Mervans, Mancey, Grevilly, Fuissé, Gueugnon, Saint-Point.
Explore the broader travel guide: Saône-et-Loire.
