Chaillac Bed and Breakfast

Chambres d'Hotes in the Heart of France

Telephone +33 (0)2 54 25 68 37

email contact@chaillacbnb.com

Chaillac Bed and Breakfast is only a few kilometers away from the
Brenne Parc Naturel.

The Brenne is an extraordinary place, little known but full of interest, lying roughly between Chatellerault and Chateauroux in central France. It is a huge low-lying area of lakes, marshes, grasslands and woods, with a wonderfully rich fauna and flora, particularly noted for its bird life, dragonflies, and amphibians and reptiles.

Pond Turtle

European tree frog

The Brenne is picturesque throughout the year but for bird watching the best time in between late March and mid July. Mid-may is a superb time to be here. All the migrant birds are back and singing or displaying, there are choruses of frogs and crickets, spring butterflies and other insects are abundant, and there are orchids (36 species) and other flowers throughout. There is a lushness and exuberance about the Brenne that is not readily found elsewhere, thanks, perhaps, to the abundance of water and the vast extent of interconnected habitats.

Coots

Marsh Harrier

Amongst many other things, you can reasonably expect to see, or hear, golden orioles, bee-eaters, whiskered and black terns, little bittern, purple heron, marsh harriers, bitterns, hobby, Savi’s warbler, black-winged stilt, and the delightful black-necked grebes, easily visible from a hide.

European bee eater

Kingfisher

The interest of the area is not solely for its birds, for the lakes are France’s most important sites for the striking little European tree-frogs, and parsley frogs are common, in addition to the other widespread amphibians and reptiles. Throughout the high summer month’s fresh-water tortoises can be seen hauling out onto waterside logs for lazy sessions of sunning themselves. Then there are the 63 types of Dragonfly and 115 Butterfly species.

Yellow spotted emerald

Swallowtail

The woodlands and heaths provide cover for the larger mammals – Pine and Beech Martins, Red Deer, Roe Deer, and Wild Boar. Wet meadows are often full of lax-flowered orchids, tongue orchids, viper’s grass and many other wetland flowers. On the limestone to the south, you should be able to see military and monkey orchids and many other limestone specialties.

Red Deer

Elephant hawk moth

There are a number of public hides not far from Chaillac Bed and Breakfast.

During the summer there are two naturalists who staff the hides for two hours most mornings. One naturalist speaks English, the other only French but he makes up for it with a quick-draw guidebook and a well-practiced pointing finger.

Purple Heron

Red Legged Partridge

When to visit the Brenne? All times of year are interesting there is always something to observe, late March to the end June the best. Please see our Spring Specials

Guided visits - Outings with a bilingual guide are orgnized throughout the year
Réserve de Chérine visits every Tuesday afternoon during April, May and June from 16h to 18h reservation necessary as places are limited
contact mcherine@ wanadoo.fr

 © 2008 Chaillac Bed and Breakfast - Chambres d'Hotes - B&B, 5 rue du Docteur Audoucet, 36310, Chaillac, Saint Benoit du Sault, L'Indre, Centre, France Phone 0033 (0)254256837 e-mail matthew@chaillacbnb.com