Forêt de Boulogne & Étang de la Grenouillère
Just 10 km south of Blois, the Forêt de Boulogne is the northern edge of the vast Sologne wetland — a landscape of silver birch, heather, wild boar tracks and mirror-still ponds that feels a world away from the châteaux circuit.
Walking and cycling the forest
The Étang de la Grenouillère (Frog Pond) is the most accessible of the Sologne's many étangs, reached via a signed 8 km loop trail from the village of Cellettes. The path crosses heathland carpeted with purple heather in late August, passes through stands of maritime pine, and arrives at the pond's edge where grey herons stand motionless in the shallows.
The trail is flat and well-marked, suitable for families and casual walkers. Cyclists can connect from Blois via the D956 road (quiet on weekdays) or load bikes onto a local bus — Line 15 from Blois bus station stops at Cellettes village in 20 minutes.
Wildlife and seasonal highlights
The Sologne is one of France's premier game regions and the forest holds roe deer, red squirrels and, if you are very quiet at dusk, wild boar emerging from the bracken. Birdwatchers should bring binoculars: kingfishers work the pond edges and, in autumn migration, large numbers of common cranes pass overhead in V-formation, their bugling calls audible long before they appear.
In October the forest floor erupts with ceps (porcini) and chanterelles. Local foragers are territorial about their patches but the Office de Tourisme in Blois can recommend guided mushroom walks with a certified mycologist — a genuinely memorable half-day activity.
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