Local Area & History
Le Brenne National Park
The edge of the amazing Brenne National Park is a 10-15 minute drive from St Benoit du Sault. To indicate the scale of the Brenne; it covers 166,000 hectares and includes 2,234 lakes!
The Brenne is an ideal location for anyone who enjoys picturesque scenery and a special delight for:
- Bird-watchers
- Naturalists
- Walkers
- Cyclists
- Photographers
- Anglers
There are no charges for access to this vast park. The celebrated La Creuse River cuts a wide arc across the Brenne centre, from Argenton-Sur-Creuse in the east to Tournon Saint-Martin in the west.
St Gaultier, Ruffec, Belabre and Le Blanc are just a few of the attractive riverside towns and villages located on La Creuse. These are easily reached from the main east-west road route that closely follows the course of La Creuse, across the park.
The many resident and migrant birds found within the Brenne include:
- Purple Heron
- Black necked Grebe
- Bittern
- Wetland Warblers
- Marsh Harrier
- Whiskered Tern
- Short Toed Eagle
- Many species of Duck
This is a fraction of the 150 main species of the total of 267 recorded within the Brenne.
The Brenne is also France's most important site for the protected Freshwater Tortoise weighing up to 1kg.
Within the Brenne Forests both Red & Roe deer are to be found, along with Wild Boar in large numbers.
The Brenne also carries an immensely rich plant life with approximately 1200-recorded species including wild orchids.