The oldest castle in Burgundy, miles of flat, off-road cycling & some of the most beautiful villages in France.

Campsite Highlights

We stayed at Camping La Chevrette just outside Digoin, which is in the Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy region in east-central France. It is 68 km from Macon, the department capital.

We had planned to stay only a few nights but stayed a week. There was great cycling and walking from the doorstep and we made use of the beautiful river for swimming and stand up paddle boarding (SUP). The toilet facilities were very clean but a little tired and in need of updating, not that this bothered us. We had a nice, big corner pitch, but sizes did vary. We would definitely return as a destination, rather than a stopover.

Campsite Tips

1. If you want a peace, it is best to find a pitch at the far end of the site, away from the reception, pool and children’s play area.
2. The nature pitches at the far end, nearest the river, mostly have no EHU, but are in a stunning location with views directly over the water. Most pitches have shade, which was essential when the temperature soared to 37C!
3. It was a short (500m) walk into town along a flat, scenic, pedestrianised promenade beside the river. It was safe for the dogs to be off-lead until reaching the town.

For the Canine Crew

Off-Lead Walking – there was off-lead walking straight from the site either along the river into the town of Digoin, or in the opposite direction through open fields, with a slipway giving ready access to the river. Once reaching the aqueduct in town, there were miles of towpaths next to the canal which again, were perfect for off-lead walks.

For the Humans to Do

1. Swimming – there is a pool on site but we preferred to swim in the river from the slipway, in the field just outside the site!
2. Cycling – there are oodles of green routes and with the meeting of a number of canals at Digoin, plenty of flat rides along the towpaths.
3. Canoeing – You can hire canoes to paddle along the river the campsite can organise multi-day descents of the Loire for you, with luxury tentular overnight accommodation!
4. SUP – the current on the river was slack and it was deep enough to launch our own SUP boards.

Sightseeing Don’t Miss

Semur en Brionnais – One of the most beautiful villages in France. As well as the village, there is an exceptional Roman style Collegiale Church and the remains of Chateau de Saint-Hugues, which could be the oldest castle in Burgundy.

The Loire is replete with Chateaux, beautiful villages and gardens. We enjoyed the local area but if you want to travel further afield, check out the Digoin Tourism and Travel Guide here .

You May Not Have Thought Of

Maison du Charolais – A museum with taste and, er, no taste – devoted to… cows! You can learn all about the Charolais breed, visit the gift shop, walk on 6km of waymarked paths in beautiful countryside – and when you have worked up an appetite, you can eat tender and tasty Charolais beef in the restaurant!!!!!

During our stay in Digoin, we encountered caravan envy, a National identity crisis, Lollipop Ladies & a ship in the sky. Read all about it in Digoin – Now That’s What I Call a River Walk!