Discover the 50 shades of sandstone of Hérisson, a picturesque village full of history

Hérisson is a picturesque village located in the heart of a set of prestigious sites, including the Val d'Aumance and the famous forest of Tronçais. What makes this village unique are the reddish tones of the sandstone used to build many houses. The red sandstone brings an undeniable singularity to the charm of Hedgehog.

The buildings of the village are grouped at the foot of the ruins of the castle, built by the lords of Bourbon in the tenth century and reinforced in the fourteenth century by Louis II. As for many villages in Bourbon, Hérisson experienced troubled periods, linked to religious wars or English threats.

Despite this, several buildings in the heart of the village illustrate the importance of the village over the centuries. Visitors can choose between a view of the houses lining the river Aumance with the ruins of the castle in the background or a view from the tower that dominates the village.

Sloping tiled roofs and corner turrets emerge between the red sandstone buildings, adding their original architecture to Hedgehog's charm.

The presence of red sandstone in the heart of the Bourbonnais bocage is quite unusual. The history of this rock is linked to the erosion of the old Hercynian chain, ancestor of the Massif Central. The granite that constitutes it disintegrated into sand, which, loaded with iron oxides, then consolidated into red sandstone.

By visiting Hérisson, visitors will be able to discover the 50 shades of sandstone that have shaped this village full of charm and history.