page_title: Forest of Tronçais
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Forest of Tronçais / Geography
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: La piste que nous voyons, se trouve dans la plus belle forêt de chênes d'Europe. Tronçais. A proximité du "chêne carré". Photo prise dans l'Allier en France. Nous sommes en décembre 2011, une pluie fine tombe sur les grands arbres dépourvus de feuilles.C'est en fin de journée.
context_page_description: The Forest of Tronçais is a national forest comprising 10,600 hectares in the Allier department of central France. It is managed by the National Forests Office. Its oaks, planted by Louis XIV's minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert to supply the French Navy, constitute one of the principal stands of oaks in Europe.
  Within the forest boundaries are the communes of Braize, Cérilly, Isle-et-Bardais, Le Brethon, Meaulne, Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais, Urçay, Valigny and Vitray. It is mainly made up of sessile oak. It also contains 130 hectares of ponds and is deemed by many as the most-beautiful oakwood in Europe.
context_section_description: The Forest of Tronçais is located in the inventaire forestier national (INF) sylvoecoregion of Boischaut et Champagne Berrichonne. The forest constitutes the most part of the massif du Tronçais, a highland region which spans about 12,000 ha (30,000 acres) and is part of the Massif Central.
  The massif is located in the Allier department of the Bourbonnais region. The oakwood spans the communes of Braize (776 ha), Cérilly, Allier (1,788 ha), Couleuvre (405 ha), Isle-et-Bardais (2,788 ha), Le Brethon (1,400 ha), Meaulne (112 ha), Saint-Bonnet-Tronçais (1,176 ha), Urçay (343 ha), Valigny (17 ha) and Vitray (1,728 ha).
  The massif has a general north–west orientation, with slight slopes, except in the massif de La Bouteille and stream hollows. 
  Altitudes vary from 205 m (673 ft) in the northwest to 360 m (1,180 ft) in Bois Laid.
  Annual rainfall is between 800 and 900 mm (31 and 35 in), with an average temperature of 10 °C (50 °F).
  There are four main parts of the forest: l'Armenanche (east), la Réserve (centre), les Landes blanches (north-west) and la Bouteille (south-west). Several enclaves have created " open areas ". The contours of the écotone/lisières massif are very rugged.
caption: Path near the "Chêne carré" (December 2011)
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