Home / Blog

Gannat with the family: Paléopolis, rail biking, canoeing and swimming

Published 31 October 2026

Gannat is a good base for a holiday with children: a dinosaur park in town, a rail bike ride a few minutes away, the Sioule for canoeing and an indoor municipal swimming pool. Here are the activities families enjoy, with the age requirements and practical information to know before you go.

Paléopolis, dinosaurs in Gannat

Paléopolis, the dinosaur hill, sits on the heights of Gannat. Children discover fossils, life-size reconstructions and the history of life on Earth. Workshops (casting, cave art) are offered to 5 to 15-year-olds for €2 extra.

• 2026 prices: €16 for adults, €14 for 5 to 15-year-olds, €8 for 3 to 4-year-olds, free for under-3s.
• Duration: tickets are valid all day, and you can leave and come back. Allow at least half a day.
• Opening: in periods, mainly during the school holidays. In summer, some evenings have extended hours.

The 2027 calendar will be published on the official Paléopolis website. More details in our article Paléopolis.

The Vélorail de la Sioule

At Le Mayet-d'École, next to Gannat, you pedal along a former railway line. Each rail bike has two pedalling seats and a bench at the back: up to 5 people. All are electrically assisted, which makes the ride easy, even with children.

• Routes: 10 km there and back towards Gannat (about 1 hour) or 16 km towards Bayet, crossing two viaducts (about 1.5 hours).
• Ages: you must be at least 1.30 m tall to pedal. Children aged 9 months to 3 years ride in a car seat provided on site. The activity is not open to babies under 9 months.
• Season: from April to the end of October, by booking only. In 2026, prices started at €10 per adult and €8 per child depending on the route.

On site, a snack bar and shaded terraces let you take a break. The 2027 dates will be announced on the vélorail website. See also our article Vélorail de la Sioule.

A canoe trip down the Sioule

Between May and September, you can canoe down the Sioule from Ébreuil, about ten kilometres from Gannat. For a first family outing, choose a short, calm route. For example, Sioule Canoë offered "La Familiale" in 2026, 12 km between Chouvigny and Ébreuil, with a shuttle transfer to the start. The price was €15 per person for half a day.

Before booking, ask the provider about the minimum age and whether you need to be able to swim. Bring shoes that can get wet, sun cream and a change of clothes. Our article a canoe trip on the Sioule lists other providers in the valley.

Swimming around Gannat

Gannat's municipal swimming pool, rue Jules Bertin, is indoors; its opening hours change with the period, so check with the town hall.

Swimming in the Sioule is not supervised. If you stop by the water, keep children within arm's reach: the current and depth change quickly, especially after a storm. The simplest option is often the property's own pool, when it has one (see below).

Rainy days

• The Musée Yves Machelon, in Gannat's castle: the skeleton of the 23-million-year-old fossil rhinoceros never fails to impress. Opening hours on 04 70 90 23 78.
• The Maison du Luthier-Musée in Jenzat: instruments, a workshop and hurdy-gurdies. Admission was free for under-16s in 2026. Phone ahead out of season.
• Charroux, about fifteen minutes away: craft workshops and a medieval village to explore on foot in half a day.

For more ideas, our list of 10 things to do in Gannat complements this article.

Family-friendly accommodation

With children, space and outdoor areas matter as much as location. The Hameau de la Grande Varenne, facing Charroux, brings together three stone gîtes for 6 to 9 people, with a shared heated swimming pool, pétanque court and table tennis table. It is ideal for two families travelling together. In Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort, the Saint-Bonnet gîtes are smaller (2 and 4 people), quiet, with terraces and a shared pool.

If you would rather be in town, close to the shops, La Grande Maison in Gannat sleeps up to 10 people and has a garden. All our properties can be booked from one night, cleaning and linen included.