Saint-Nicolas-Des-Biefs: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Culture

The Musée du Verrier tells the story of the settlement of the glassmaking families, the “Gentilshommes Verriers”, in 1660 and of the forest glassworks they founded, whose furnaces were operated until 1780. The museum also includes an archaeological section with a historically reconstructed glass furnace complex built to scale. The glass gallery displays unusual objects from numerous French and foreign glassworks.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs can consider the town as a specific travel destination.

The village church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs has brightly coloured stained-glass windows and wooden statues. The town was also the starting point in 2003 for the Festival de musique des Monts de la Madeleine, where concerts are held every summer.

Nature

The Tourbière de la Verrerie covers 55.67 hectares and lies at an altitude between 994 and 1,028 metres. It contains a raised bog with protected flora, including round-leaved sundew. The Tourbière de la Verrerie area also includes the municipality of Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs.

Numerous marked trails cross a preserved wetland landscape on the Plateau de la Verrerie. From there, visitors can enjoy views of the Côte Roannaise and, in clear weather, of the Mont Blanc range and the Chaîne des Puys.

The Pierre Châtel climbing area is located in the Espace Naturel Sensible des Hêtres tortueux, an area designated as a sensitive natural area, and offers views of the Galant and Sapey valleys. The Hêtres tortueux area contains numerous beech trees, some standing in rows, that are around 400 years old and have twisted forms. These forms are the result of the traditional hedge-maintenance technique known as plessage.

Hiking and Cycling

Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs has six starting points for walking routes at Camping des Myrtilles and four at the cross-country skiing centre. Camping des Myrtilles is a mountain-biking base awarded the FFCT label, with routes of 13, 16, 25 and 40 km.

The PR11 “La Pierre Châtel” is a 4.5 km hike lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes that starts at the church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs. The Pierre Châtel climbing area has 134 routes spread across 14 sectors and four rock formations.

Local Traditions

Finot is part of the programme at the annual village festival of Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs. The traditional dish of the clog makers is prepared with potatoes and bacon as its main ingredients. Visitors can take part in its preparation in the morning by peeling potatoes.

Further Activities

Cani-hiking, a hike with a dog on a lead, is offered in Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs for adults and children.

The Foyer de ski de la Verrerie rents out cross-country skis, snowshoes, Ski-Hok equipment and sledges.

Isserpent, Couleuvre, Chazemais, Le Vernet, Dompierre-Sur-Besbre, Hérisson, Saint-Léopardin-d'Augy, Paray-Sous-Briailles

To the overarching travel overview: Allier.