Little tourist train

LITTLE TRAIN or CITY TRAIN at CROZANT

Towards the Pont Charraud (Charraud Bridge) Creuse

Leaving from the centre of the village of Crozant, the tour begins with the presentation of the Hotel Lépinat: a Heritage Interpretation Centre. The Hotel Lépinat retraces the passing of the painters of the Crozant School through the Creuse Valley at the end of the XIXth century and the start of the XXth century. In addition, each season, temporary exhibitions of exceptional quality are held.

During the tour towards the Pont Charraud, the time of the Crozant School will be described. After the cemetery, there are two houses in particular that were inhabited in succession by the painter Armand Guillaumin (Master Impressionist, major figure of the Crozant School) and the Pont Charraud site features on several of his paintings.

Fresselines will also be presented, where visitors will be able to discover the second site dedicated to the painters of the Crozant School: the Espace Monet Rollinat. In Fresselines they can also follow in the footsteps of the painters on the “Sentier Monet” (“Monet’s Path”), which provides access to the confluence of the two Creuses.

Upon arrival at the Pont Charraud, a presentation of the “Sentier des Peintres” will be made, an interpretation circuit that connects Crozant to the Pont Charraud by way of the banks of the Sedelle. Although the number of visitors is difficult to quantify for these sites, they are by far the most frequented of the Valley.
At the Pont Charraud it will be possible for visitors to get off the train and, either walk back to the village following the river, or go back on the next train.

Towards the “Rocher de la Fileuse” (“Spinners Rock”)

The second part of the tour will take place in the Indre Department. From the town centre of Crozant the train will head towards the church, descending towards the ruins and the Creuse. A presentation of the church – a listed historical monument – will be made.

The bust of Armand Guillaumin, present at the foot of the church, evokes once again the artist. Upon their return, visitors will be invited to enjoy the Chopeline esplanade (behind the church), from the remarkable viewpoint of the site of the Crozant Ruins.
Going down to the Ruins, the story will be told of the 4 identical villas that draw in many visitors.

A presentation of the site of the Crozant Ruins.
Then, a presentation of the Hotel du Lac and its activites. Boat trips, canoe-kayak, terrace on the banks of the Creuse, restaurant and hotel.
The train will then be in the Indre department presenting the commune of Saint Plantaire (Fougères beach, sentier des Arts).

Upon arrival at Montet visitors may get off to walk down to the Rocher de la Fileuse (approx. 1 km walk – 10 min), a cliff that plunges into the Creuse just opposite the tip of the Ruins. It is an emblematic site of the Valley and the most visited.

From this location, there is a stunning view of the site itself, the confluence of the Sedelle and the Creuse and the village of Crozant. It is located on the “Sentier des Arts” and on the hiking trail that goes around the Eguzon Lake. It is also on the GR 654 and the route of Santiago de Compostela (Vezelay route).

On the way back, the Eguzon Lake will be presented along with the dam that created it.