CALL OF THE FOREST

A prescription for well-being

Seine & Loing is a wooded area. Nearly one third of its territory is covered with oaks, beeches and other broadleaved trees, as well as Scots pines and maritime pines. It is home to the state-owned forests of Champagne, in the north, and Nanteau, in the south, and neighbours the famous Fontainebleau forest to the west. It is a paradise for outdoor leisure activities, offering a leafy green environment and plenty of fresh air, just three quarters of an hour outside of Paris.

Whether you want to contemplate nature with a walk, a nature study outing, or a spot of Shinrin-yoku ( Japanese “forest bathing”), or prefer a sporty option with rock climbing, horse-riding or bike-riding, answer the call of the forest!

Balade forestière en Seine & Loing

Did you know? : Fontainebleau forest

This vast forest, covering more than 20,000 hectares, Forêt d’Exception® certification.
A former hunting ground for the kings of France, particularly Francis I, this rich forest was a source of wood for timber and heating, as well as sandstone.

Famous around the world, Fontainebleau forest has inspired many painters (such as Corot, Millet and Renoir), writers and poets (including Victor Hugo and George Sand), who have been drawn to its evocatively shaped rock formations, lights and varied ambiances. At the instigation of such artists, particularly the Barbizon school of painters and, later, Rosa Bonheur, certain parts of the forest, designated as ‘sanctuaires de la nature’ (sanctuaries of nature), escaped the usual rules of exploitation (hardwood logging and sandstone extraction). This “art reserve” would become the world’s very first nature reserve.

Attracting many visitors (more than 17 million people a year), the forest has a network of more than 1000 kilometres of signposted paths, routes and alleys, which are very popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders. As a cradle of mountaineering, it is also a popular site for rock climbing.
This exceptional forest is in the running to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.