The best traffic-free bike rides around Thoury

The Solognot village of 1255 inhabitants (INSEE figure 2022) Ligny-le-Ribault is located, between La Ferté-Saint-Aubin and Chambord, in the heart of Sologne. Just 1h30 from Paris, Ligny-le-Ribault offers you intense moments.... The dynamism of the traders, artisans and associations make Ligny-le-Ribault a lively village where it is good to live. Amidst forests, ponds, moors and heathers... for fishing, hunting, hiking or listening to the deer's roar in autumn, our village offers you a charming discovery.

Ideal for a picnic

A Millennial Church The Church of Saint-Sulpice, established as a parish in 1050, is a modest building steeped in history. Formerly part of the Diocese of Orléans, it joined the Diocese of Blois in 1823. It was given in 1105 to the Abbey of Micy-Saint-Mesmin by Sanche, Lord of La Ferté-Hubert. While the Collegiate Church of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais, once a neighbor, no longer exists, Saint-Sulpice remains a testament to the region's medieval past. La Ferté-Saint-Cyr is also the birthplace of Blessed Daniel Brottier, founder of the National Union of Veterans. Located near the castles of Chambord and Talcy, as well as the Sologne Nature Reserve, the church attracts visitors and worshippers eager to discover this heritage.

The Church of Saint-Martin is a modest building, but representative of the Sologne region. It consists of a single nave, 15 meters long by 7.50 meters wide, extended by a wider chancel, 10.50 meters long by 8 meters wide. The nave dates from the 12th century and is built of small, irregular rubble stones* and various reclaimed materials (iron burls have even been found in the walls). Dressed stone (lake limestone) is reserved for the quoins and window and door surrounds. The west door is Romanesque: a semicircular arch with an extradosed stringcourse of diamond points (the surrounds have been altered). It is surmounted by a narrow, rather archaic window with a gunport-like vault and no rebate, which has recently been reopened and fitted with a newly created stained-glass window. Traces of two other similar Romanesque windows have been discovered and preserved on the south and north walls of the nave. A beautiful basket-handle arched "door of the dead" was also discovered to the south. The current stained-glass windows were added no later than the early 20th century. In 2003, the entire structure was restored with a lime plaster finish and tufa stone window and door frames. The apse, flanked by brick buttresses laid in a diamond pattern, is characteristic of the early 16th century. The removal of the plasterwork revealed two large segmental arched windows to the south (dating from the 17th or 18th centuries). The sacristy roof was restored with flat tiles, and its doorway was rebuilt with dressed stone and an oak lintel. The church has a small timber-framed bell tower (17th century?) overlooking the west facade. The nave roofs are now covered in slate, whereas they were originally covered in local tiles, as was the sacristy (built in the late 18th or early 19th century). Inside, the church remains in its 19th-century state. While the 17th-century timber frame has disappeared, the building still possesses an interesting 15th- or 16th-century timber frame, with tie beams adorned with rather naive corbels. The king posts and wooden vault were modified later, culminating in the 19th century with a low-pitched plaster vault on laths. A complete 15th-century truss, with a molded king post, base, and capital, is hidden between the west gable wall and the bell tower. While the interior plasterwork was redone a few years ago, the work carried out in 2002 and 2003 uncovered remnants of mural paintings on the west side, by clearing the Romanesque window (which had been blocked during the installation of the bell tower). A faux-ashlar decoration with double ochre-red joints is still clearly visible. The church retains most of its furnishings from after the Counter-Reformation: the pulpit, the altar with its altarpiece (decorated with a Charity of Saint Martin, a copy from 1867), and the baptismal font.

Timeless road, moss in the middle of the road, but very smooth.

Warning: road closed after 3-4km in August 2025. A municipal decree dated 2024 indicates that the road is impassable. There is no indication that the situation will change quickly. A diversion via forest paths is possible if you have a gravel bike.

At the heart of one of the most beautiful deer populations in France, discover the fascinating world of the deer in this museum dedicated to them. In an authentic Sologne building, immerse yourself in the life of this majestic animal through a fun and educational tour. Understand the evolution of its antlers, learn to recognize its prints, and discover the secrets of its roar.

It's the Bracieux market hall, not Selles-sur-Cher. I don't know how we can change that.