Nevers, duchess of the Loire
Saint-Cyr-and-Sainte-Julitte Cathedral, with its Romanesque and Gothic double choir, and the Ducal Palace, often cited as one of the first châteaux of the Loire, overlook the old town. A Sunday-morning date leads naturally into a stroll through cobbled lanes to the ramparts, then a pause by the river. The master faïenciers’ shops remind you that ceramic painting has thrived here since the sixteenth century, with the famous blue of Nevers known across France.
La Charité-sur-Loire and Pouilly
UNESCO-listed as part of the Routes of Santiago, La Charité-sur-Loire has become a city of books and words: second-hand booksellers, writers in residence and the great Cluniac priory share the small town. Nearby, Pouilly-sur-Loire lines up its Sauvignon plots and produces Pouilly-Fumé, one of the great white wines of the Loire. A date among cellars, cobbled courtyards and river views instantly feels like travel.
Canal du Nivernais and racing circuit
In the south of the département, the Canal du Nivernais, over a hundred and sixty kilometres long, winds between vines, forests and villages. You cruise it on a licence-free boat or walk its towpath. A little further, the Magny-Cours circuit draws motor-racing fans. On Lyad, Nivernais singles share their favourite stops; it is up to you to find someone to raise a hand at the next lock with.
Date ideas
- Nevers
- Saint-Cyr-and-Sainte-Julitte Cathedral
- Ducal Palace of Nevers
- Nevers Faience
- La Charité-sur-Loire
- Pouilly-sur-Loire
- Magny-Cours Circuit
