Le Chalaux River, Saint Martin du Puy

Close to the lake, there is one of the best canoe and kayaking places in France, the river “Le Chalaux”, where national and international competitions are held quite regularly. The National Kayak Championship of France in 2001 and 2004 as well as the European Kayak and Canoe Championship of 2005 also took place in the specific location.

Photo source

The river offers possibilities for a breathtaking rafting experience in its vivid and rapid water streams, due to the fact that water derive with force from an upcoming hydro-electric station, releasing strong water streams towards the 37 m/121 ft depth of the river’s bottom. Thus, it makes the spot ideal for practicing white water rafting.

Although the limited accommodation and services options of the village, Saint Martin du Puy offers a local french bakery, a small bar/country restaurant, post office, camping facilities, renting rooms, shelters or hostel accommodation options for adventurous practitioners who love just nature. The village is situated on a hill in the middle of a National Park called the Morvan.

It is a very old village and rumors say that it dates back to 500 BC. There are some interesting legends about the  village’s location and its history, as mentioned by locals while three  kilometers away from Saint Martin du Puy, a beautiful chateau is located in Vesigneux, which is still owned by the Bourbon family (one of the oldest French noble families).