Travel Guide Ferrières-Sur-Sichon

25 km from Vichy and at the crossroads of the ancient provinces of Bourbonnais, Auvergne and Forez, Ferrières-sur-Sichon offers in the green setting of its surrounding countryside the charm of a small welcoming and friendly village which does not lack attractions. Pierre Encize, a local scholar, wrote "The history of Ferrières is lost in the mists of time...". Here, gours, caves, rocks, woods and castles reveal legends and mysteries. The village would take its name from the blacksmiths who built a dam, a foundry and a forge to exploit the iron ore. Certain objects from the archaeological site of the hamlet of Glozel, dated by the carbon 14 technique or by thermoluminescence, attest to the presence of man in the area of Ferrières many centuries before our era. A village with an agricultural and forestry vocation, with its trade and crafts, Ferrières is now turned towards green tourism with its mill, its hiking trails, and also its arboretum. The five-hectare arboretum is named Paul Barge in honor of the owner of the land before it was acquired by the commune. At the place called La Croix des Barres, you will discover the forest species of the region as well as some more exotic species such as the ginkgo biloba and the tulip tree of Virginia. Identification markers for the trees along this marked trail have been installed and complement the presence of benches and picnic areas