Water sports and swimming

Swimming

For a swim in natural surroundings, come and cool off in Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais and Valigny. The natural lakes at Saint-Bonnet and Goule offer, amongst other things, their well-equipped and supervised beaches every summer.

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Luc Olivier

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Luc Olivier

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Luc Olivier

Fishing

Whether you’re young or old, a keen angler or a casual enthusiast, for a day, a week or all year round, fishing is a leisure activity available throughout our region.Along the River Cher, by the lakes of the Tronçais Forest, on the Berry Canal or at the Rochebut dam; the variety of environments offers a wide range of fishing experiences for everyone!

For the most adventurous predator anglers, there is a dedicated ‘float tube’ route on the Rochebut dam, south of Montluçon.

A stroll along the water’s edge…

Just a stone’s throw from the town centre of Montluçon, a 2.8 km family walk follows the banks of the Étang de Sault (Prémilhat). A popular spot for fishing, and also home to the Montluçon Sailing Club, there are plenty of activities on offer here.
Étang de Sault is currently undergoing its ten-yearly draining operation, which began in November 2024 and is expected to last for around 18 months.
However, access to the banks remains possible for pedestrians and non-motorised two-wheelers.

The former towpath of the Berry Canal between Montluçon and Vallon-en-Sully has been converted into a greenway. It is reserved for non-motorised traffic. A virtually flat and safe 22 km route!

A piece of history linked to the^19th-century industrial past of the Pays de Tronçais, the Pirot pond (Isle-et-Bardais) offers a 7.5 km route that runs as close as possible to the water and is of definite interest in terms of flora and fauna.

Learn about and protect

The Vallée du Cœur de France region is home to three Sensitive Natural Areas (ENS). Serving as vital tools for the protection and observation of flora and fauna, the ENS sites at Goule (Valigny), La Vauvre (Nassigny) and the Upper Cher Valley (St Marcel en Marcillat) are open to the general public all year round.

Visitors, whether accompanied or on their own, are introduced to or made aware of the importance of protecting ecosystems. Because nature is accessible to everyone, the banks of the St Bonnet pond have been developed over a 1 km stretch with the Grillon accessible path. The boardwalks, picnic tables and fishing area are adapted for people with disabilities.