Map of the Châtillon forest extracted from the Atlas des bois dépendans des duchés de Nivernois et Donziois (1789)

Châtillon forest once depended on the Châtellenie de Monceaux-le-Comte belonging to the Dukes of Nevers since the 17^th century. This former ducal forest was located on Germenay and Dirol municipalities.

Châtillon forest was delimited to the West by the Bouilles brook (former Bourgeron brook), to the North by the Canal du Nivernais, to the East by the Bouillon brook (former Cassandre brook) and to the South by the Saulois forest. Châtillon forest no longer exists. It has probably been cleared during the 20th century and has been replaced by agricultural land. However there are still some remains of the forest in Dirol: the Bois de Monceaux (6,5 hectares) and both Bois Brûlé and Bois de Charmois who are mentioned on the Atlas.

The atlas indicates that the Châtillon forest, containing 562 arpents and 22 perches (approximately 286 hectares), was divided in 14 cuts, from the year 1786 to the year 1799. This forest was once reunited to the Bois Brûlé, Bois de Teigny, Bois de la Maison Dieu, Bois de Charmois and to the Relin to form a single rotation. Those ducal woods and forests were divided “in 22 cuts whose first cut began in 1781.”