Exploring the Canals

Vélo Note: Nevers to Coulanges

Passing by Route de Gannay and picnicking by the Canal Latéral à la Loire is a moment of pure countryside bliss—where time slows down, and the beauty of rural France unfolds in its most peaceful form.

As you ride or drive along the Route de Gannay, the scenery is a serene mix of rolling meadows, golden fields, and quiet waterways. The road follows the gentle curves of the canal, where boats glide slowly, their reflections shimmering on the calm surface. Tall poplars and willows stand like silent sentinels along the water’s edge, their leaves rustling in the soft breeze. Now and then, you pass a quaint lock house, its red-tiled roof and flower-lined windows adding to the postcard-perfect charm of the landscape.

Stopping for a picnic along the canal feels like stepping into a simpler, more poetic world. You settle on a grassy bank, perhaps beneath the shade of a grand old tree, where the only sounds are the occasional ripple of water, the distant hum of a passing boat, and the chirping of birds hidden in the hedgerows. The fresh scent of the water mixes with the earthy aroma of the countryside, heightening the sense of tranquility.

Your picnic is a celebration of local flavors—a crusty baguette, creamy Crottin de Chavignol cheese, a few slices of jambon de Bourgogne, and a bottle of crisp white Pouilly-Fumé from a nearby vineyard. Each bite is accompanied by the peaceful rhythm of the canal, the gentle play of sunlight on the water, and the feeling of complete escape from the noise of modern life.

Here, by the Canal Latéral à la Loire, the beauty is in the stillness, the harmony of nature and human history, and the simple act of savoring the present moment—a reminder that some of the best journeys are not about the destination but about the pauses along the way.