Lere France
Frequently Asked Questions
At the mooring on the Loire lateral canal, in the Cher department at the edge of the Sancerre country. The basin is a few steps from the village: everything is done on foot.
Facilities that are rare on this stretch of waterway: drinking water, electricity, toilets and showers. The village also has basic shops for provisions.
The former collegiate church, founded in the 11th century, whose scale is startling for so small a commune: a high nave, a broad choir, and a Gothic doorway topped by an image of Saint Martin sharing his cloak.
A Romanesque crypt, which sheltered the relics of Saint Martin of Tours, brought here to protect them from the dangers of the age. The cool of the thousand-year-old stone is part of the experience.
You ask the tourist office for the keys. It is a friendly village formality that adds to the pleasure: you enter the church as though let in on a secret.
The collegiate church and its crypt, then a walk or a bike ride along the towpath. If the itinerary offers it, the Sancerre excursion fills a full half day.
Yes, for kilometres, and it is flat and shaded. You follow green water dotted with water lilies, pass anglers and walkers, and watch the slow ballet of a lock when a boat arrives.
Yes, the river runs close to the canal, with its sandbanks and terns diving for fish. The contrast is constant between the untamed Loire and its canalised double, orderly and straight as a ruled line.
Yes. The Sancerre hills begin about twenty kilometres to the south, and some river itineraries offer the excursion to the vineyard hilltop and its cellars. Sauvignon blanc expresses itself here on flint and limestone soils.
It suits those looking for quiet. No famous monument, no organised entertainment: the programme is a crypt, plane trees and slow water. Anyone wanting major sights will be disappointed.
