Discover Oisy: walking route and local history

When choosing a destination, Oisy combines a named nature trail with local and architectural history. The Circuit des éoliennes gives the nature theme a clear name and a set length; the spring at Place de la Fontaine, the church and Oisy stone offer further points of interest.

The Circuit des éoliennes

The Circuit des éoliennes walking route starts and ends in Oisy and is 10.2 kilometres long. It is considered an easy walk and runs mainly through cultivated fields as a nature trail. Near the wind turbines, the route offers 360° panoramic views. If you are looking for a destination with a named hike and a specific distance, this provides a clear point of reference. The wind turbines also shape the viewpoints. The route can also be ridden by mountain bike, so there are two ways to enjoy the same named circuit.

Four of the six turbines in the Clamecy/Oisy wind farm are in Oisy; it was the first wind farm in the Nièvre department. Together with the panoramic views, this gives the turbines a distinctive connection to the route’s landscape: they are both part of the view and a striking feature of the area.

Local history and architectural features

Oisy grew up around the spring at Place de la Fontaine. The village has been known by the name AUCIACUS since the late 7th century; the name Oisy is documented from 1540. These different forms of the name provide two chronological reference points for the village’s history, spanning an early name through to the name Oisy, documented from 1540.

Oisy church stands outside the village on the edge of a stream. The present church building includes an older section with a nave and choir, and has a bell tower at the front. Two chapels give it the ground plan of a Latin cross. The nave forms the main longitudinal section, while the choir is the adjoining area; the chapels define the cross shape of the ground plan. These specific architectural features make it possible to understand the church’s design as more than just a single building.

The statue “Sainte Anne, éducation de la Vierge” is in the Chapelle Sainte-Anne. It is made of painted polychrome limestone. Polychrome means multicoloured, adding a visible aspect of the artwork to the information about its material.

Oisy stone and its uses

Oisy stone is considered hard and frost-resistant. It was used for slabs, paving stones, pavement edging, troughs, livestock waterers and tombstones. Its uses thus ranged from building elements and edging to items for everyday life and agriculture. The stone is associated not with a single type of construction, but with a range of historical uses in and around the village.

At the square by Saint-Etienne Cathedral in Auxerre, boundary stones made of Oisy stone have also been preserved in one section. This example connects local material history with another named place. It offers a further perspective on the use of the stone and helps put Oisy in context, alongside local architectural features and the walking route through the fields.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Benin-D'azy, Varennes-Vauzelles, Lormes, Brassy, Préporché, Saint-Pierre-Le-Moûtier, Menestreau, Pougny.

For the broader travel overview: Nièvre.