Bué is a winegrowing village within the Sancerre appellation. Its vineyard landscape can be explored on foot or by bicycle from the surrounding hills. Viewpoints, local vineyards and the history of the village give your stay several distinct focal points. When looking for a hotel in Bué, consider whether you would prefer to focus your stay on wine and terroir, outdoor activities or historical heritage: Bué offers something for all three interests.
Trails, Crosses and Panoramas
The Circuit des Croix offers a short route of 5.3 kilometres and a long route of 13.5 kilometres. This walking trail leads to 19 crosses scattered around Bué and takes in several of the village’s viewpoints. With two route lengths to choose from, you can pick the distance that suits your day’s plans; check the route details again before you travel. The surrounding hills also offer numerous remarkable panoramas over the vineyards of the Sancerrois; this landscape can also be explored on foot or by bicycle.
Wine and Terroir in Bué
The vineyard landscape has specific features: Caillottes refers to stony limestone soil. The best-known vineyards on this type of soil include Le Grand Chemarin and Le Chêne Marchand. These terroir terms give Bué’s winegrowing village character a local dimension. Rather than seeing Sancerre only as the name of an appellation, you can also pay attention to its named soils and vineyards.
The seasonal “It’s Wine Time” programme at Domaine du Carrou includes a 45-minute discovery walk with explanations about the region and its terroirs. This is followed by a 45-minute tasting of three to four wines, during which the vineyard where each wine comes from is introduced. The format combines landscape and wine tasting in a single programme. Check the dates for the current year and the venue before you travel.
At Domaine Merlin-Cherrier, red, white and rosé Sancerre AOC wines are sold directly at the estate. Individual visitors can take a self-guided tour lasting around 30 minutes by prior request. Confirm the current visiting and sales arrangements in advance. This offers two distinct ways to discover wine: a seasonal programme with a walk and tasting, and a tour by request followed by sales directly at the estate.
Church History and Local Tradition
The former parish church of Sainte-Radegonde is no longer an active parish church. It was built in the 13th century under the patronage of the chapter of Saint-Étienne in Bourges. Only remnants of the church remain, incorporated into a building dating from the 1870s. Other historical traces include the nearby Roman road from Bourges to Auxerre and a spring that feeds a votive fountain in the heart of Bué. Both suggest that the village has been inhabited for a very long time.
The Foire aux Sorciers was founded in 1946 and renamed La Nuit des Sorciers in 2008; it is the oldest festival in the Sancerrois. La Nuit des Sorciers includes a torchlight procession of the Birettes through the vineyards. Check the dates for the relevant year if you would like to include this event in your plans.
Discover more destinations: Morogues, Le Subdray, Colombiers, Rezay, Berry-Bouy, Lazenay, Saint-Priest-la-Marche, Couy
For the main travel guide: Cher.
