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| Morvan North (Departments 21 Côte d'Or & 58 Nièvre) |
Here is a paradise for lovers of the great outdoors, a totally unspoilt regional park, known as the lake district of Burgundy, a mix of forested terrain and beautiful valleys.
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What you find within the Morvan-Nord section
Property prices and accessibility in the Morvan-Nord area
There are many reasonably priced properties to be found in this area and you get a lot of construction for your money, often with land too. The buildings are solid, with granite barns, just crying out to be renovated. You certainly won’t find a housing estate being built on your doorstep in this location – being in a protected national park, the authorities govern the building regulations from the Maison du Parc. Towards the extremities, Vézelay, Avallon and Saulieu, the prices are higher due to increased accessibility. The Morvan is a particular favourite of the Dutch, many of whom have made it their permanent home.
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Accessibility
The eastern and northern flanks of this part of the Morvan Forest, partly in the Yonne and partly in the Côte d’Or departments, are well served by the A6/E15 and N6 roads. Paris is 2hrs 30 and the Channel ports 5hrs 30. Amsterdam takes 7hrs 30. The nearest airports are Paris Charles de Gaulle, about a 3hr drive and Paris Orly, 2hrs 30. The TGV station Montbard takes 40 mins by road and from here and you can be in Paris in 1hr 30 and London via Lille in 5 hrs. making weekly commuting a consideration. The south west side of the Morvan Nord in the Nièvre department is considerably more isolated, still gravitating toward the towns of Avallon and Saulieu and the A6/E15 for access.
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Morvan Regional Park
The Morvan is a Natural Park covering nearly 226,000 hectares standing tall and proud in the middle of Burgundy. And what a contrast it is to the surrounding limestone terrain – the enduring granite has been used to build the houses and farms nestling in the verdant valleys, surrounded by forest and brush covered heath. White Charolais cattle and horses graze in the pasture.The economy of the area depends on livestock and forestry, as it always has. Country life goes on, little changed over the last two hundred years and thanks to the national park regulations, this will remain a preserved area.
The EU administration recently re-zoned the area to make it the Massif Central Morvan. Amongst the granite terrain, there are deep river valleys. The rivers Cure, Cousin and Yonne rise in the Morvan Nord, as do many smaller rivers. Wherever you go, you will find streams, waterfalls and lakes ranging from small ponds or ‘etangs’ to stunning reservoirs which supply the villages and towns far and wide. There are five reservoirs in all: Lac des Settons, Pannecière/Chaumard, Chaumeçon, Lac de Crescent and St-Agnan.
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Outdoor Leisure
Here you can find all the outdoor activities from watersports, fishing and birdwatching to the more boisterous quad biking. The river Chalaux is known for white water rafting and regularly hosts championships. Canoe-kayaking and sailing are popular on the lakes and rivers. Throughout the Morvan, walking routes are indicated and there are active walking groups, a great way to improve your French, and enjoy exercise and the country-fresh air at the same time.
In Burgundy most things get round to food and wine. The Morvan is famous for a variety of cheeses, mostly made from goats’ milk, cured ham, sausage and a mouth- watering range of honey in a variety of flavours such as chestnut, flowers of the forest, sapin or fir and acacia. In autumn, many varieties of mushrooms can be found; some a gourmet’s delight, some deadly poisonous.
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Typical Morvan spots
Saulieu on the eastern side of the National Park is noted for gastronomy and hosts food fairs and an annual Charolais cattle festival each August. Having a Michelin three star establishment, the Relais Bernard Loiseau, has attracted other restaurants to the town, and the food shops are of a particularly high standard. Make a note too of the Cajun music weekend each August.
Quarre-les-Tombes has more of a village atmosphere with a Sunday morning market in the square. This has an arts and crafts fair annually at the end of April with over 100 exhibitors from all over France.
Lormes, a small town on the western border between the Morvan and the Nivernais is an ideal setting off point for day trips to the nearby reservoirs. From the aptly named Rue du Panorama there is a vantage point with a panoramic view over the woods and valleys. Close to the town is the waterfall, the Gorges de Narvaux , a particularly beautiful spot.
The Morvan was particularly active in the Resistance Movement during World War II. The countryside provided an ideal hiding place for the underground movement, the maquis. You will find memorials and an interesting museum at Maison du Parc at St. Brisson which is also the tourist centre and headquarters of the park. Over the years folklore has grown up and myths and legends abound in the forest. In a tranquil spot, hidden in the forest at St-Léger-Vauban is the Abbey of Pierre qui Vire, where 60 monks of the Benedictine order run a farm, pottery and retreat with a surprisingly sophisticated shop, open to the public.
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