Dreaming of a place just 2 hours from Paris, where you can cruise a canal, pedal along the banks of the wild Loire and breathe deeply in a nature park? Then you'll love the Nièvre! From the west of the Loire to the forests of Morvan, this Burgundy department's landscapes are divided into three very distinct areas: Loire, Canal du Nivernais and Morvan.

When it comes to nature and outdoor sports, you can choose between cycling loops along the Loire - Europe's last wild river - via EuroVelo 6, paddle or kayak outings punctuated by breaks in the vineyards of Pouilly-sur-Loire, hiking along the Canal du Nivernais (174 km of car-free greenway), mountain biking around the six great lakes of the Morvan, including the mythical Settons, as well as walks or trails on forest summits...

When it comes to heritage & culture, each bank tells its own story: La Charité-sur-Loire and its UNESCO-listed Cluniac priory, the ducal palace and cathedral of Nevers, the medieval facades of Clamecy. In the Morvan, you'll pass by the fortifications of Bazoches and the Gallic site of Bibracte before reaching the eternal hill of Vézelay. As for the village markets, they reveal the potters, earthenware makers and master glassmakers who perpetuate Burgundian know-how.

As for your taste buds, treat yourself to farmhouse cheeses from the Morvan, Nevers négus and Nivernais wines tasted in a troglodytic cellar.

Photo : Lac de Chaumecon - © Miguel bouttry - Nièvre attractive