Cycling Tour of Burgundy

Transcription

Burgundy by bike
Burgundy by bike
GB
Le Tour de Bourgogne à vélo ®
Cycling for Fun
in Burgundy
D
iscover Burgundy in all its splendour, stopping and starting as
and when you please, as you travel alongside canals, disused railway lines or
quiet country roads. Whether you have a few hours or a few days to spare,
whether you are cycling, rollerblading… or pushing a pram, now is your
chance to explore a region synonymous with the good things in life, to meet its inhabitants,
admire its heritage and history and enjoy its inimitable art de vivre.
Holiday cycling used to be a concept, but Burgundy has made it a reality.
Now, with the Cycling Tour of Burgundy, cycling enthusiasts can give free reign to their passion
and at the same time discover the beauty of the countryside. The Cycling Tour of Burgundy is
not designed as a stiff sporting challenge but as a gentle itinerary taking you to the heart of the
land – its vineyards, its little-known landscapes and sleepy country villages, its towns steeped in
art and history.
A Romanesque church rising above peaceful meadows, a lock-keeper’s house inhabited by a craftsman, the little cobblestone streets of a medieval town, the welcoming cool of a
wine cellar…. a never-ending list of things to do and see as you cycle in quest of authentic
Burgundy. Those of you familiar with Yves Montand’s beautiful song La bicyclette will know that
happiness is “getting up early in the morning and setting off with friends along the highways and
byways…. à bicyclette. Take the Cycling Tour of Burgundy and enjoy tourism with a human face!
02
www.la-bourgogne-a-velo.com
Contents
The Tour of earthly delights
p. 04 to 13
If there is one region where cycling rhymes with pleasure,
then that region is surely Burgundy. Here, you can combine
all the fun of cycling with the discovery of the region’s many
attractions: vineyards and gastronomy, old buildings and
historical monuments, rivers and canals, welcoming inns
and hotels and inimitable Burgundian hospitality.
The 5 Itineraries of the Tour
p. 14 to 27
The expression voie verte (“green way”) owes its origin to
Burgundy. The region offers a unique network of cycling
routes: five main itineraries (Southern Burgundy, Canal du
Centre, Nivernais Canal, Burgundy Canal, Voie des Vignes
(“Vineyard Way”) and a host of other itineraries you can
build up for yourself in the four departments of the region.
Ways and means
p. 28 to 31
Practical information and tips for planning your trip.
03
Vineyards and Winegrowers
Out and about
in the land of great wines
I
f Burgundy is virtually synonymous
with great wines, the Cycling Tour of
Burgundy is inseparable from such vineyards
of world repute as Pommard, Volnay, Meursault,
Chassagne- Montrachet and others that you will meet on
the véloroute running from Beaune to Santenay (see
Itinerary 5, page 26). The Cycling Tour of Burgundy
takes you through the vineyards of the Auxerrois and
Tonnerrois, the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits,
the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais, etc. – all
generously provided with vineyards and welcoming
wine-tasting cellars!
So you can look forward to some pleasant
visits to blissfully cool wine cellars and beckoning
country restaurants before saddling up once more, your
legs rejuvenated and your mind refreshed. Or perhaps
you prefer a good night’s sleep on the wine estate after a
hearty meal?
Each stage of your journey brings an opportunity to
savour a particular variety of wine, a grand cru or
perhaps a more modest vintage, from a region holding
the world record for the number of appellations (100
AOC wines listed). Enter a rich and complex world in
which local soil and time-honoured expertise combine to
produce the finest Burgundy wines. The Cycling Tour of
Burgundy is a tour of the vineyards!
05
Bon Appetit!
Gastronomic
jaunts
T
he region enjoys of course a worldwide reputation for gastronomy.
If you want to put this reputation to the test
and check that the culinary traditions are alive and well,
that the local produce is as varied and as excellent as
ever, that the chefs have lost none of their legendary
prowess – then the Cycling Tour of Burgundy is an
excellent way of doing so!
At different points along the way, you will
have a chance to savour the many culinary delights of
Burgundy: deliciously light and creamy gougères (choux
pastry with added cheese) to accompany an aperitif in a
country bistro; a few slices of Morvan ham slipped into
your saddle bag for a well-earned snack; an enticing
pôchouse (fish stew) as you break your journey along the
banks of the Saône; a handful of raspberries gleaned
from a producer in the Hautes-Côtes, etc. The succulent
produce on display at a country fair or a local market
will whet your appetite for the recipes served in the
countless restaurants, inns and tables d’hôtes along the
way. Enjoy to the full such simple pleasures as the fabled
Bresse chicken or an andouillette sausage in a Chablis
sauce, followed by such delicious Burgundian cheeses as
Epoisses, Cîteaux and Chevreton de Mâcon.
And to save the best for the last, no holiday
would be complete without a meal at a top restaurant in
one of France’s most renowned gastronomic regions. A
veritable feast for the senses and an unforgettable
moment of pleasure and emotion.
07
The Legacy of the Past
Cycling
into the past
Beaune
Cluny
Auxerre
C
ycling in Burgundy is also a journey
into an ever-present past! Wherever
your itinerary takes you, you will never be far
from a truly exceptional historical heritage.
Your Cycling Tour of Burgundy becomes an
invitation to explore Burgundian history: prehistoric
Burgundy in the shape of the famous Rock of
Solutré; the mythical Burgundy of our ancestors the
Gauls at the site of Alésia; the Burgundy of monastic
and spiritual tradition exemplified by such
landmarks as Cîteaux, Cluny, Vézelay and Paray-leMonial, not to mention countless little Romanesque
churches; flamboyant Burgundy with châteaux like
Bussy-Rabutin and Cormatin, and last but not least
the Burgundy of the ducal towns of Dijon,
Beaune and Nevers with their inestimable treasures
of art and history.
At every turning, the beauty of these
historical monuments is complemented by the
infinite charm of little medieval towns (Semur-enAuxois, Bourbon-Lancy, Saint-Gengoux-le-National,
etc.), not forgetting the cultural and industrial legacy
wrought by human ingenuity: Digoin and the boatmen
of the Loire, Montbard and the famous scientist Buffon,
Chalon-sur-Saône and Nicéphore Niepce, the genius
who invented photography, and so on. The canals, too,
pay tribute to such breathtaking feats of civil engineering
as the bridge-canal of Digoin, the tunnel of Pouilly-enAuxois and the Echelle de Sardy (“Sardy Ladder”) with its
sixteen locks on the Nivernais Canal.
09
Rivers and Canals
Upstream,
downstream
Canal du Nivernais
I
n the course of your Cycling Tour of
Burgundy you will discover that the canals of
Burgundy are much more than simple waterways.
The aptly named Burgundy Canal (from Migennes to
Dijon), the Canal du Centre (from Chalon-sur-Saône to
Digoin) and the Nivernais Canal (from Decize to
Clamecy and then Auxerre) together cover some 1000
kilometres, with many a reminder of the extraordinary
feats of human and technical endeavour that went
into their making. They bear eloquent witness to the
adventure of the inland waterways and the extraordinary
challenge of creating tunnels and locks to overcome the
tyranny imposed by nature’s contours.
On these once abandoned waters, the
boatmen have long since ceded pride of place to inland
waterway enthusiasts. The towpaths have been given a
new lease of life in the form of cycle paths or véloroutes,
just as certain old railway lines have been converted into
“green ways” or voies vertes.
You will have ample opportunity to
admire this striking industrial tribute to human
ingenuity and to thank the inventors of the canal lock
system for making cycling along the towpath such a
pleasant – and undemanding – experience!
11
Board and Lodging
Tempting overnight
accommodation
A
fter a (not very strenuous) day in
the saddle, it’s time to reap your reward!
You will find no shortage of quality
accommodation in the course of your Cycling
Tour of Burgundy.
Warm-hearted Burgundian folk will open
wide their doors to you. As you will see, our motto of
“Land of great art and good living” is no idle boast.
For what could be more rewarding, at the end of each
day, than a pleasant evening, a convivial meal and a
comfortable bed?
As you travel along the little country
roads of Burgundy, you will never have any
trouble in finding B&B accommodation or overnight
stays for groups. For one or more nights, the owners
of little winegrowers’ houses of character, or of
sumptuous manor houses complete with period
furniture, will make you feel at home.
The towns and villages are liberally
sprinkled with hotels, ranging from the simple
and friendly “Logis de France” network to four-star
luxury hotels, established perhaps in a château or
even a former abbey.
For those of you who can’t get enough
fresh air, there are numerous camping sites dotted
about the region. Many of them are located beside
a river or lake, and if you would rather not weigh
yourself down with a tent, you will find
other camping grounds that provide little wooden
chalets or bungalows.
13
In the land of the voie verte (green way)
the véloroute (cycle track) reigns supreme
In 1997, Burgundy invented the voie verte appellation by opening up a green way between
Buxy and Cluny in the Saône-et-Loire department. Since then the idea has caught on
in a big way and Burgundy now offers leisure cycling enthusiasts the largest regional
network of voies vertes in France. Cycle as you please and for as long as you like along
converted railway lines and beside canals in the four departments of the Burgundy region.
On your bike!
O
ver the past 12 years or so,
the notion of voies vertes – variously
known as green ways in the UK, vias
verdes in Spain and Radweg in Germany (see box
for definitions) – has gradually been gaining
momentum throughout Europe. The term was
first invented by the British, first translated into
French in Burgundy and first applied at a practical
level in Germany. Indeed, its origins can be traced
back to the 1980s and the 600 km of véloroute
running alongside the Danube in Germany and
Austria. Since then, the phenomenon has spread
throughout Europe, keeping pace with the desires
of a new breed of tourist (cyclists, rollerbladers,
scooter enthusiasts and walkers) in search of a safe,
independent and flexible holiday experience.
France has not been slow to follow suit.
As early as 1997, Burgundy showed the way with
a reserved itinerary running from Givry to Cluny
in the Saône-et-Loire department (see the
itinerary on pages 18-19). This asphalt strip,
baptised voie verte for the first time in France,
14
proved a great success and led to the creation
of a regional network of véloroutes without
equivalent anywhere else in the country. With
two-thirds of the total 800 km already in
operation in 2007, cyclists of all ages can
take their pick from a wide variety of itineraries
according to their means and desires.
On your own, with your family or a group
of friends, you can choose between a short
outing and an expedition lasting several days,
making the most of a network joining up four
very different departments. From the gentle
hedged farmland of the Charolais to the gates of
the Morvan, from the sloping vineyards of the
Auxerrois to the plains of the Auxois, from the
vineyards of Beaune to the Mâconnais, the
whole of Burgundy beckons you. Burgundy,
with its historical heritage and its vineyards, its
Voies Vertes and Véloroutes
town and villages and its inimitable art de vivre.
A Burgundy blissfully free of traffic, noise
and danger, and marked by only the gentlest of
slopes! Cycle where, when and as you please.
You can’t go wrong! Whatever your choice,
you can count on a véloroute close at
hand – and a wonderful feeling of achievement
at the end of the day.
The great Dukes of Burgundy once
dreamt of a Europe without frontiers; today’s
cyclist has turned that dream into reality.
Located at the hub of the European network,
Burgundy is in fact on the itinerary which
will shortly link Nantes to Budapest, the
Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. From now on,
all véloroutes lead to Burgundy!
• A véloroute is a safe, pleasant, long-distance
cycling itinerary (with very few exceptions, the
gradient must not exceed 3%). It is made up of
different stretches which may take different
forms: voies vertes, quiet country roads shared
with motorised traffic*, cycling corridors, etc.
These véloroutes may also be used by rollerbladers, walkers and persons with restricted
mobility. On certain stretches, cyclists may also
come across waterway officials, local residents,
farmers, etc.
• A voie ver te is a special itinerary
exclusively reserved for non-motorised traffic:
pedestrians, cyclists, roller-bladers, people in
wheelchairs. Thanks to its many towpaths,
Burgundy boasts a higher proportion of voies
vertes than most other French regions. It should
be noted that a voie verte is neither a pedestrian
area nor a road and is not yet covered by any
precise legal definition.
*Fewer than 1000 vehicles per day according
to national specifications.
15
Le Tour de Bourgogne à vélo®…
580 km
today,
800 km tomorrow
W
ith the development of
the nation’s most extensive network
o f v é l o ro u t e s , Bu r g u n d y w i l l
eventually possess a continuous loop of over 800
kilometres*, joining up four very different
departments and showcasing their main
attractions (châteaux and other historical
buildings, little towns of character, villages,
vineyards, etc.). The aim is to provide cyclists not
only with suitable routes and tracks but also with
a complete range of services (stopping places,
restaurants, B&B accommodation, bicycles for
hire, accompanied baggage facilities, etc.) under
a single “itinerant tourism” heading.
The itinerary, partly made up of voies vertes
where no motorised traffic is allowed, for the
most part follows canal towpaths but also
vineyard paths, disused railway lines and little
country roads. The Cycling Tour of Burgundy is
divided into five itineraries described in detail in
the following pages. It will also be accessible via
the Eurovéloroute, from the east via Switzerland
and Chalon-sur-Saône, and from the west via
Nantes and Nevers. The network is expanding
with each succeeding year thanks to the
combined financial contribution of the French
State, the Burgundy Regional Council and the
four General Councils of the Côte-d'Or, the
Nièvre, the Saône-et-Loire and the Yonne.
* 580 kilometres operational at the end of 2006,
about 660 kilometres scheduled for the end of 2007.
16
…Today and Tomorrow
Itinerary 4: Along the Burgundy Canal
From Migennes to Dijon via Montbard
Tomorrow*, from Auxerre to Dijon
Parcours praticable
Yonne
Parcours en cours d'aménagement
Parcours à venir
Migennes
Bo
ur
go
gne
Tonnerre
Auxerre
Can
a
Montbard
à
la
r
Loi
e
Nièvre
p. 22-23
Nevers
vernais
Canal du Ni
Clamecy
Itinerary 3:
The Nivernais Canal
From Decize to Auxerre
via Clamecy
Pouillyen-Auxois
Chitryles-Mines
Dijon
NuitsSaint-Georges
Beaune
Chagny
la
ire
Lo
Bourbon-Lancy
Digoin
ne
Canal de Roan
na
Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Gergy
Chalonsur-Saône
Itinerary 1: Southern Burgundy
From Chalon-sur-Saône to Mâcon via
the Voie Verte
Tomorrow*, return via the Voie Bleue
Givry
Saôneet-Loire
Cluny
Tournus
Volesvres
Parayle-Monial
Charnayles-Mâcon
p. 18-19
Fleurville
Mâcon
Mâcon-Loché
0
20 Km
40 Km
àD
i
igo
n
p. 20-21
Cronat
Ca
Ecuisses
Montceaules-Mines
à
Rully
ld
u
Ce
nt
re
Saint-Legersur-Dheune
Decize
Ligne TGV
St-Symphoriensur-Saône
Pagny-le-Château
Châtillon-en-Bazois
Santenay
Parcours praticable
Itinerary 2:
From the Saône to the
Loire via the
Canal du Centre
Parcours à venir
From Chalon-sur-Saône to Saint-Légersur-DheuneRivière
and from Volesvres to Cronat
Tomorrow*,Canal
from Chalon-sur-Saône to Decize,
extension asVignobles
far as Nevers
p. 26-27
Pontde-Pany
Villeneuve-sur-Yonne
Cana
l la
tér
al
Itinerary 5: The Vineyard Way (Voie des Vignes)
From Beaune to Santenay
Tomorrow*, from Dijon to Santenay
Côted'Or
l la
tér
al
La
Saône
Vignobles
Ligne TGV
de
e
nn
Canal
Y
de
nal
Ca
Rivière
o
p. 24-25
Ca
na
l
0
20 Km
40 Km
17
YOUR ITINERARY
Givry - Charnay-les-Mâcon (65 km)
Parcours praticable
Chalon-Givry section: work ends in 2007.
Parcours à venir
sur Dheune
N
73
Canal
Givry
Vignobles
N
via the Voie Verte and the Voie Bleue
From Givry to the gates of the Morvan, the Voie Verte is a delightful blend
80
Km 23 Saint-Gengoux-le-National. Characteristic
old railway station and little medieval town with
remarkable fortified houses, towers, bartizans,
stairways, ramparts, etc.
Southern Burgundy
CHALONSUR-SAÔNE
Ligne TGV
Km 19 Etiveau. Viaduct in the village and vineyards.
of the vineyards of the Côte Chalonnaise and historical heritage,
N6
Buxy
spiritual influence and the romantic appeal of the country forever
associated with the poet Lamartine. The Voie Bleue now climbs from
A6
Km 28 Malay. Delightful Romanesque church
(former priory of Cluny).
St-Boil
Mâcon to Fleurville and will extend to Chalon via the Saône in the future.
Km 31 Cormatin. Renaissance château (superb Louis
XIII interior, grand staircase in an open well, English
garden), Cycle Museum (5000 exhibits), remarkable
works of religious art in the church.
SA
ÔN
E
St-Gengouxle-National
Km 35 Taizé. Pretty traditional village atop a hill,
ecumenical community.
TOURNUS
Malay
Km 44 Cluny. Benedictine abbey, medieval town,
Museum of Art and Archaeology, National Stud,
sweeping views from the Tour des Fromages.
Cormatin
Fleurville
CLUNY
Km 57 La Roche-Vineuse. Wine village of SaintSorlin, archaeological site of the quarries of La Lie.
SA
ÔN
E
Lugny
Km 52 Berzé-le-Châtel. Gateway to the Val
lamartinien (Vale of Lamartine), medieval castle.
A6
Taizé
Km 49 Le Bois Clair. Climb towards the old
railway tunnel, converted into a voie verte, separating
the Clunisois and Mâconnais regions; the longest
voie verte tunnel in Europe (1.6 km).
Berzé-le-Châtel
N
Km 65 Charnay-les-Mâcon. At the western edge of
Mâcon, point of departure for excursions to Solutré
and the vineyards of Pouilly and Saint-Véran.
79
Tunnel
du Bois Clair
Berzé-la-Ville
La Roche-Vineuse
Prissé
N
THE VOIE BLEUE
Mâcon - Fleurville (17 km)
79
Charnay-les-Mâcon
Mâcon-Loché
0
Km 17 Fleurville. A tourist centre is scheduled to
open in 2008 in the old Fleurville gravel pit.
10 Km
N6
Pont-de-Vaux
Km 62 Prissé. Flower-bedecked villages, traditional Mâconnais buildings (houses with galleries,
dovecotes, etc.).
18
NE
SA
Rivière
Km 0 Givry. Curious church with domes and semidomes, corn exchange, elegant town hall (18C),
beautiful fountains, etc.
es
Km 9 Buxy. Former station now the Tourist Office;
charming little town with remains of fortifications,
old winegrowers’ houses, wine museum.
Km 0 Mâcon. (near “Le Poisson d’Or” restaurant)
Cycling alongside the Saône has become a real
pleasure since the recent creation of the Voie Bleue.
Rest areas with tables will soon be available along the
itinerary. Extensive tree-lopping and pruning work
has opened up new vistas of the Saône.
Ô
N7
9
MÂCON
A 40
T
he itinerary is based on France’s
very first voie verte, opened in
1997, between Buxy and Cluny following the trace of an abandoned railway line.
Pending its extension to Chalon-sur-Saône, the
itinerary starts at the picturesque little wine
town of Givry and skirts the foot of the Côte
Chalonnaise vineyards as far as the highly evocative former railway station of Saint-Gengoux-le-National. We then leave the wine slopes and travel alongside the river Grosne,
skipping from one bank to another as we cycle
through a green valley.
After Cormatin, with its beautifully
restored 17C château and extraordinary cycle
museum, we continue to the foot of the hill
of Taizé, home of the late lamented Brother
Roger’s ecumenical community, which each year
attracts thousands of young people from all
parts of the world. And so we come to Cluny
whose celebrated abbey was the largest church
in Christendom from the 10C to the 13C.
After the old railway tunnel of Bois
Clair, specially converted for cyclists
and pedestrians (6-8 minutes by bike), we join
up with the vineyards once again at Berzé-le-
Itinerary 1: From Chalon-sur-Saône to Mâcon
Cluny
On the way...
DISCOVER
THE WINES OF THE
CÔTE
C H A LO N N A I S E . The best-known vintages
(Mercurey, Rully, Givry, Montagny) are of truly
remarkable quality and finesse. At the end of
the itinerary, you can taste the wines of the
Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran,
among others, in the many private and
cooperative wine cellars along your route.
CLIMB THE CHURCH TOWER of Saint-Gengouxle-National, 12C Romanesque church modified in
the 16C, and admire the superb view over the
medieval town. Or perhaps you would prefer to
climb to the top of the nearby Mont Goubot.
Chatel, dominated by a spectacular feudal castle. The itinerary now runs below the Mâconnais hills, land of the poet Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869), between wine villages and
remote farmsteads.
At La Roche-Vineuse, a little road leads to
the famous Roche de Solutré and its
cousin the Roche de Vergisson. You can climb
to the top of both these rocks and enjoy superb
views over the entire region. Back on the
Voie Verte, we waste no time in reaching
Prissé and then Charnay-les-Mâcon, where the
véloroute comes to an end for the time being
in front of the old station which now houses
the Tourist Office.
Roche de Solutré
GO ON A RETREAT AT TAIZÉ. Short of a full
week-long retreat in the ecumenical community
open to all (prayer, religious discussion, etc.),
you can always visit the shop where the books,
pottery and paintings produced by the monks
are on display.
SEARCH FOR AUTHENTICITY in the little villages
of the Mâconnais (Berzé, La Roche-Vineuse,
Prissé, etc.): winegrowers’ houses with galleries,
dovecotes, little Romanesque churches, washhouses, etc. – all built from the ochre stone which
gives the landscape its characteristic gentle luminosity.
FOLLOW
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
LAMARTINE.
Les Haras nationaux de Cluny
Romantic nostalgia is the theme of this 70 km
route as we explore the country which inspired
some of Alphonse de Lamartine’s most famous
poems. We travel from the museum housed
in the family home in Mâcon to the poet’s
endearing house of Milly, by way of the
c h â t e a u x o f Mo n c e a u , ( P i e r r e c l o s ) a n d
Sa i n t - Po i n t . A n i n s t r u c t i v e a n d m ov i n g
excursion in the steps of a great poet.
TAKE A PILGRIMAGE TO SOLUTRÉ. Walk to
the top of the hill, like so many others before
you, and visit the museum which traces the
site’s prehistoric adventure.
19
YOUR ITINERARY
Chalon-sur-Saône – Saint-Légersur-Dheune (34 km)
Volesvres – Cronat (74 km)
Km 98 Volesvres. The Voie Verte starts on the towpath of the Canal du
Centre.
Km 0 Chalon-sur-Saône. In the town, follow the cycle
corridors to reach the canal.
Km 101 Paray-le-Monial. Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Chapel of the Visitation, Hiéron Sacred Art Museum, Maison Jayet, Tour Saint-Nicolas.
Km 1 Start of the Voie Verte, in the north-west of the town, on
the towpath of the Canal du Centre.
Km 115 Digoin. Canal-carry bridge, ceramics information centre, pottery.
The Véloroute arrives at the marina.
Km 16 Chagny. Commercial port, top restaurants, town mansions,
old watch tower, church (13C nave, monumental Romanesque
tower).
Km 144 Gilly-sur-Loire. The Voie Verte follows an abandoned railway line.
Km 150 Saint-Aubin-sur-Loire. The magnificent 18C castle of SaintAubin is considered as the first castle of the Loire.
Km 20 Remigny. Little canal-side village.
Km 155 Bourbon-Lancy. Built on a hill close to the Loire river, BourbonLancy proposes a pretty historical centre (medieval architecture), a spa and a
brand new fitness centre: CeltÔ.
Km 22 Santenay. Lively wine town, casino.
Km 34 Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune. Important crossroads. SaintLéger-sur-Dheune is a pleasant river stopping place on the Canal
du Centre –‘capitainerie’ and house-boats rental–.
Km 171 Cronat. End of the ‘véloroute’.
From Digoin to Gilly-sur-Loire (29 km): road shared with traffic .
From Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune, a 70 km ‘véloroute’ will join, end
of 2007, Volesvres. The itinerary will cross Saint-Julien-sur-Dheune,
Ecuisses, Blanzy, Montceau-les-Mines, Saint-Vallier, Ciry-le-Noble and
Palinges.
From Cronat, it is possible to reach Decize and the start of Itinerary 3 by the
D 979 (31 km).
Chagny
du
Ce
6
nt
N
re
Santenay
Ca
n
al
Rully
St-Legersur-Dheune
Ô
NE
SA
l tér a l
la
na
Ca
Cronat
i re
à la L o
Vitry-sur-Loire
Ecuisses
LO
IR E
BOURBONLANCY
Givry
N
Montceaules-Mines
73
CHALONSUR-SAÔNE
80
N6
Buxy
GUEUGNON
N
St-Aubin-sur-Loire
A6
Gilly-sur-Loire
N
Vitry-enCharollais
Malay
N 79
PARAYLE-MONIAL
Parcours à venir
Rivière
CormatinCanal
Taizé
0
20
E
ntre
C
ÔN
Volesvres
79
Parcours praticable
St-Gengouxle-National
10 Km
Vignobles
Ligne TGV
SA
Loir
e
l d
u C
e
DIGOIN
la
an a
Ca
na
l la
tér
al
à
N 70
St-Boil
DompierreS.-Besbre
TOURNUS
From the Saône to the Loire
via the Canal du Centre
Leaving the Saône plain behind us, we come to the vineyards in the
vicinity of Santenay, and then there is a complete change of scenery.
Further on, we cycle through the lush hedged farmland of the Charolais
before reaching the plain of the Loire at Digoin. Finally, we arrive at
the charming spa of Bourbon-Lancy. A leisurely waterside jaunt!
W
ed to the Saône since time
immemorial, Chalon-sur-Saône has
in recent times become known
as the “image town”, boasting a front-ranking
technological and economic centre as well as a
museum devoted to photography and named
after its inventor, Nicéphore Niepce. After a
leisurely stroll along the embankments, on the Île
Saint-Laurent and through the old town huddled
around the cathedral of Saint-Vincent, it is time to
head for the Voie Verte which follows the southern
branch of the Canal du Centre.
After a series of eight locks in quick
succession, we reach the port of Chagny, a pleasant
little town on the banks of the river Dheune and
Itinerary 2: from Chalon-sur-Saône to Digoin
well-known for such shrines of Burgundian gastronomy as Lameloise. The town centre, with its fine
restaurants and old houses, is a stone's throw away
and an ideal spot for a leisurely meal or a short cultural visit. From here, we make rapid progress along
the towpath to first Remigny and then Santenay
where we join the Voie des Vignes (see Itinerary 5,
pages 26-27). The véloroute now heads south along
the foot of the Maranges vineyards where many a
wine estate lies in wait for you... On our way to
Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune, we pass through several
picturesque villages (Chassey-le-Camp, Cheilly-lesMaranges, Dennevy), all worthy of a visit.
Further south, but still hugging the Canal du
Centre, we meet up with the Voie Verte at Volesvres,
in the heart of the Charolais. Here the vineyards give
way to the lush meadows of a land which gave
birth to the famous Charolais cattle and numerous
Romanesque churches. The basilica at Paray-leMonial, cradle of the worship of the Sacred Heart,
is considered one of the finest examples of the
architecture of Cluny. In the little town of Digoin,
famous for its ceramics, the canal continues to thrive
thanks to a busy marina and the presence of a remarkable canal-carrying bridge 243 metres in length.
After Digoin, the itinerary forsakes the comfort
of the towpath for a somewhat steeper little
country road open to traffic. At Gilly-sur-Loire, we
get back to a voie verte which runs alongside the
canal, close to the château de Saint-Aubin-sur-
Bourbon-Lancy
Loire, on its way to Bourbon-Lancy. This charming
and beautifully preserved medieval town is well
worth a visit, not only for its historical legacy but
also for its hydrotherapy centre and casino. The last
stretch of our itinerary is once more on a little road
open to traffic. Journey's end is at Cronat, a pretty
little town snugly ensconced on the edge of the
Nièvre department.
Pont-canal à Digoin
On the way...
V ISIT C HALON - SUR -S AÔNE ... AND EXPLORE
EGYPT! Chalon is above all the home town of
GET
TO KNOW THE RIVER LOIRE. The Loire is
unique, with a life, fauna, flora, history and culture
of its own. Explore all these features at the ObservaLoire, an interactive museographic centre in Digoin.
Or follow the nature trail at Le Petit Fleury (between
Saint-Aubin-sur-Loire and Bourbon-Lancy). In the
space of two hours, you will learn a lot about the
natural environment of the river bank, one of the
islands on the Loire and its alluvial forest.
Nicéphore Niepce (1765-1833), the man who
invented photography. The museum named after
him has been housed since 1972 in a former 18C
town house. A less well-known native son,
Dominique Vivant Denon (born in Givry in 1747),
also has a museum devoted to him. In addition to
numerous archaeological exhibits, the visitor can
admire the marvellous drawings made by the “first
modern museologist” as a member of the team of
scientists accompanying Napoleon to Egypt.
TA K E
FOOTLOOSE IN THE MARANGES. The Maranges
country awaits you at the southernmost tip of the
Côte de Beaune: a string of authentic wine villages
like Dezize-les-Maranges clinging to the hillside, and
remarkable, powerful and highly coloured red wines
with distinctive aromas of soft fruit and the undergrowth. And don't forget the village of Bouzeron and
its famous aligoté white wines.
This historical health resort (handsome early 20C
villas in the spa district) makes a refreshing break.
In addition to its curative virtues, hydrotherapy
helps you get away from your daily routine
and to take stock of your health. So why not
“get back to form” between two stages of your
itinerary? Treat yourself to a course of treatment at
the spa or to hydrotherapy or fitness sessions at
the brand new CeltÔ centre. A wide choice of
formulas is available.
T H E WAT E R S AT
B O U R B O N -L A N C Y.
21
YOUR ITINERARY
Decize – Clamecy – Auxerre (175 km)
Km 0 Decize. Departure point of the canal; follow the
towpath as far as Cercy-la-Tour.
The natural beauty of
the Nivernais Canal
Km 15 Cercy-la-Tour. Old fortified village; return to the towpath.
AUXERRE
Km 26 The véloroute leaves the canal; easy country lanes
with a few slopes.
96
5
N6
D
This itinerary runs from the Nièvre to the
Yonne department, following the course of the
Nivernais Canal from start to finish. Our
journey takes us through the rich farmland of
the Bazois, skirts the massif of the Morvan,
makes an incursion into the Vales of the Yonne
and ends at the foot of the Auxerrois wine
slopes. Natural beauty and “canal civilisation”
are the watchwords of this Véloroute.
Chablis
Km 34 Panneçot. Return to the towpath, meanders.
Irancy
Coulanges-la-Vineuse
Cravant
Km 54 Châtillon-en-Bazois. Bustling market town
dominated by its castle; pass alongside several double locks
and one triple lock.
Accolay
N6
Coursonles-Carrières
Mailly-la-Ville
Km 70 Baye. The Collancelle tunnels: the canal goes
underground three times as it crosses the watershed.
Rochers du Saussois
Lucy-sur-Yonne
Km 74 Port-Brûlé. Return to the towpath, first lock on
the Seine side.
Châtel-Censoir
Pousseaux
VÉZELAY
CLAMECY
1
D 95
B
N
15
1
Km 78 Sardy “Staircase”. Continue along the towpath,
16 locks in the space of 4 kilometres.
Km 86 Chitry-les-Mines. Option to continue to Corbigny,
lively town with a handsome Renaissance church and a
former abbey.
Lormes
Km 98 Saint-Didier. Drawbridge over the canal; little back
roads to Clamecy via the pretty wine village of Tannay.
Brinon-s-Beuvron
Corbigny
Chitry-les-Mines
Parcours praticable
L'
10 Km
St-Saulge
Vignobles
The itinerary and the canal both start at
Decize, a bustling and pleasant town on the
Châtillon-en-Bazois
D 978
78
D9
MoulinsEngilbert
St-Benin-d'Azy
Km 153 Bazarnes. Continue on the towpath to La Cour
Barrée, at the foot of the Auxerrois vineyards.
Km 165 Bellombre. The véloroute crosses the Yonne and
the RN 6 main road.
Km 175 Auxerre. The véloroute passes through Vaux-surYonne and then enters the town; exceptional view of the town.
22
N
0
Canal
is
i ev rn a
l du N
Km 142 Mailly-la-Ville. After Lock 65, little road to the
church of Prégilbert, then return to the towpath.
E
Baye
C an a
Km 138 Le Saussois. Return to the towpath at the bridge
over the canal; pass underneath some awe-inspiring cliffs.
Rivière
N
Sardy
Parcours à venir
Km 121 Pousseaux. End of the prepared véloroute, return
to little roads alongside the Yonne.
O
Y
Km 117 Clamecy. Collegiate church and Romain Rolland
Museum; leave the town by the road and join up with the
towpath 3 km further on.
St-Didier
Tannay
Varzy
St-Honoréles-Bains
La Machine
Cercy-la-Tour
N8
1
DECIZE
N 81
L A LOI
R
D9
79
E
uilt between 1784 and 1842 as a
means of transporting firewood from the
Morvan to the people of Paris, the Nivernais Canal links the Loire valley to the Yonne and
the Seine. Towards the end of the 19C, activity on
the canal started to decline sharply following the
decision not to upgrade the central portion to the
“Freycinet Gauge”. The good old canal was saved by
the advent of inland water tourism and it is today
one of the most popular waterways in France.
Loire. We then leave the towpath and make our way
along little country lanes through the grazing land of
the Bazois. Once past the market town of Châtillonen-Bazois, overlooked by its château, we come to the
impressive civil engineering structures of Baye. First
of all, three underground tunnels carry the canal
across the watershed separating the Seine from the
Loire catchment areas. Then there is the “Sardy
Itinerary 3: from Decize to Auxerre
Les rochers du Saussois
Staircase”, a succession of locks with their
impressive period mechanism and picturesque lockkeepers' houses, now often occupied by craftsmen.
At Sardy, at the foot of the Morvan, the canal
meets up with the Yonne valley and stays with it all
the way to Auxerre. Keeping to the towpath, we reach
Chitry-les-Mines, which takes its name from the old
silver-lead mines and is full of memories of the writer
Jules Renard. Next stop is Saint-Didier with
its extraordinary drawbridge over the canal. The
itinerary now leaves the canal by a little road
climbing up to the wine village of Tannay and then
wends its way between the hills to Clamecy. This historical town, birthplace of the writer Romain Rolland and
traditional centre of the famous “log floaters of the
Yonne”, is an ideal spot to break our journey: elegant
Gothic collegiate church, museums and old districts.
The second part of the itinerary alternates
between specially prepared sections of the towpath
and little roads running alongside the Yonne, where
the often remarkable natural environment includes
such spectacular features as the Surgy and Saussois
cliffs. We pass through the pretty villages of Cravant
and Vinzelles, at the foot of the Auxerrois wine slopes,
on our way to an incredible construction at Bélombre
– a church, a bridge and a dam rolled into one!
The arrival at Auxerre makes a fitting finale with
a panoramic view of the old town stretching out towards
the horizon, the chevets of its churches overlooking the
river, the old districts and their half-timbered houses
with tiled roofs. A host of things to do and see!
Vers les voûtes de la Collancelle
TRAVEL
On the way...
GLIDING
DOWN THE
LOIRE. In the best local
INTO THE WATER AT THE
BACK TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE
LOG FLOATERS. On 14 July each year, Clamecy
boating tradition, Les Ligéries (an association of
former Loire boatmen based in Decize) organise
cr uises aboard a gabarre (traditional barge
measuring 15 m by 3.70 m). You can also rent
a barge for the day or canoe down the river
with the Canoë-Club de Decize based at SaintLéger-des-Vignes.
DIVE
Clamecy
ETANG VAUX,
between Châtillon-en-Bazois and Corbigny (altitude
260 m). This fishing, swimming and water sports
area is very popular in summer and makes
a refreshing port of call. There are facilities for
waterway tourists at the port of Les Poujats.
The canal is connected to the Etang (pond).
perpetuates tradition by staging very lively water
jousts (the favourite pastime of the log floaters).
You can find out more about this aspect of local
culture at the Romain-Rolland Museum in town,
or at Asnois (near Tannay) where the earthy
founder of the “Morvan Log Train Association”
exhibits his models and regales visitors with stories
of the log floaters.
GO CLIMBING ABOVE THE YONNE. How about
a little rock climbing as a change from cycling?
The Saussois rocks at Merry-sur-Yonne offer an
extensive choice of climbs (400 routes rated 4
to 8 on the scale of difficulty). You will be
rewarded by a view of the Yonne stretching out like
a ribbon 60 m below you. The Surgy rocks are
more accessible and suitable for beginners.
23
Along the
YOUR ITINERARY
Migennes-Montbard-Dijon (212 km)
The itinerary keeps close to the Burgundy Canal. The towpaths are
maintained by the VNF (French Waterways Authority) and are on
the whole in good condition. With a mountain or hybrid bike you
can even keep on them from start to finish. The various towpath
stretches are linked by little roads passing through the towns and
villages. A detailed itinerary may be found in the handbook entitled
“A vélo le long du canal de Bourgogne” (Cycling alongside the
Burgundy Canal (see p. 29)).
Km 96 Buffon Forge. 18C industrial establishment
remarkable for its technique and architecture.
Km 0 Migennes. Major rail hub; the itinerary starts on the
towpath at Lock 114.
Km 120 Pouillenay. Optional detour to Semur-en-Auxois
(12 km via D 9).
Km 17 Saint-Florentin. Church with remarkable stained glass
windows, canal bridge, old district with shops.
Km 155 Pouilly-en-Auxois. Circumventing the "Burgundy
threshold" tunnel (3350 metres).
Km 45 Tonnerre. Arrival and departure at the marina; Fosse
Dionne (circular washhouse), Hôtel-Dieu, hospital museum
and vineyards.
Km 171 Pont-d’Ouche. Old river port where coal from
Epinac-les-Mines was loaded onto barges; the canal follows
the charming Ouche valley.
Km 53 Tanlay. Renaissance château (16C) with a
contemporary art centre in the outbuildings.
Km 194 Pont-de-Pany. The towpath becomes a Voie Verte
until Lake Kir situated at the entrance of Dijon.
Km 78 Ancy-le-Franc. Superbly decorated Renaissance château,
earthenware museum.
Km 212 Dijon. The voie verte gives way to a cycling track
alongside Lake Kir; the town centre and the railway station are
1.5 km away.
3
D 94
Km 100 Montbard. Musée de l’Ancienne Orangerie, Parc
Buffon, Fine Arts Museum; nearby Fontenay Abbey (12 km
round trip).
Km 112 Venarey-les-Laumes. Optional loop (25 km) via
Bussy-Rabutin, Alise-Sainte-Reine and Flavigny-sur-Ozerain;
return via the canal from Pouillenay.
Saint-Florentin
Migennes
N6
Tonnerre
AUXERRE
Tanlay
65
D9
Ancy-le-Franc
05
D9
Rougemont
MONTBARD
Les Laumes
Alise-Ste-Reine
Venarey-les-Laumes
Flavignysur-Ozerain
gn
DIJON
Eguilly
A 38
POUILLYPont de Pany
EN-AUXOIS
Châteauneuf- Barbirey-sur-Ouche
en-Auxois
La Bussière-sur-Ouche
Vandenesse-en-Auxois
6
Vignobles
Ligne TGV
24
0
10 Km
Pont-d'Ouche
31
A
N 74
A
Ca
na
ld
Canal
PlombièresN
les-Dijon71
og
ne
Rivière
Vitteaux
Pont-Royal
A6
St-Thibaut
rg
Parcours à venir
o
ou
Précy-sousThil
eB
rg
ou
eB
Canal d
Parcours praticable
Bierreles-Semur
e
Semur-en-Auxois
Burgundy Canal
Cycle from Migennes to Dijon along the canal towpath and quiet
little back roads, preferably on a mountain or hybrid bike. At the
same time, make the most of the numerous tourist attractions along
the way. From the Tonnerre area to the Ouche valley, this itinerary
features Burgundy in a nutshell: vineyards and farmland, châteaux
and industrial heritage, villages of character and towns of distinction.
T
he itinerary begins at Migennes,
a little town nowadays mostly known
for its railway station but which originally owed its development to the creation of
the Burgundy Canal (1775-1834). Migennes
marks the northern entrance to the canal which
follows the river Yonne before climbing steadily,
from lock to lock, to Pouilly-en-Auxois where it
crosses the watershed (the “threshold of
Burgundy”) by means of an exceptionally long
tunnel (3350 m) before dropping down
towards the Saône plain. In the course of our
journey, we will follow the Armançon valley
and cross the limestone plateau of the revitalised vineyards of the Tonnerrois before reaching
the historical and industrial town of Montbard,
which has preserved intact the legacy of the
famous naturalist Buffon. Make sure you find
time to visit the Cistercian abbey of Fontenay,
part of UNESCO World Heritage.
As we continue to cycle beside the
canal, we pass beneath Mont Auxois with its
statue of Vercingetorix, the leader of the Gauls
defeated here by Julius Caesar in 52 BC. It is an
easy bike ride to the Château of Bussy-Rabutin,
to the site of Alésia, and to the medieval villages
of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Semur-en-Auxois.
Beyond Pouilly-en-Auxois, you can leave the
canal for a while and set out in search of the
Burgundy of legends: Commarin, the village of
Itinerary 4: from Migennes to Dijon
On the way...
MIGENNES
AND THE RAILWAY ERA. Situated
halfway between Paris and Dijon, the town owes
much to the railways and its church of Christ the King
has in some ways become the "Lourdes" of
railwaymen. There is an admirable monumental
statue of Christ and an impressive 60 m church tower.
OUT AND ABOUT IN THE TONNERROIS. After
marvelling at Tonnerre's remarkable architectural
heritage (Hôtel-Dieu and hospital museum,
the Fosse Dionne washhouse, Hôtel d’Uzès, etc.),
find time to explore the nearby vineyards
(once renowned, then destroyed by the phyloxera
scourge, and today thriving once more).
ACT
Vandenesse-en-Auxois
the author Henri Vincenot with its superb
inhabited château, and the little medieval village of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois perched on top
of a hill and huddled around its castle.
At Pont-d’Ouche , the Burgundy Canal
makes a 120° turn to follow the Ouche valley:
Veuvey-sur-Ouche, La Bussière-sur-Ouche and
its old Cistercian abbey now converted into a
hotel, the lock of La Charme and its store
selling local products, Barbirey-sur-Ouche and
its gardens, Pont-de-Pany where river and canal
pass through the middle of the mountain.
At Plombières-les-Dijon, the varnished-tile
church tower reminds us that we are now
approaching the heart of ducal Burgundy.
Indeed, Dijon itself beckons on the other side
of the lake named after Canon Kir, the famous
ecclesiastic who was also mayor of Dijon.
The capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, just like Auxerre at the outset of
the itinerary, lies in wait, ready to unveil its
architectural and historical treasures.
Ancy-le-Franc
THE LORD OF THE MANOR at Tanlay or
Ancy-le-Franc, two of the most beautiful
Renaissance châteaux in Burgundy (16C). The
former houses a contemporary art centre in its
outbuildings, while the latter contains the largest
collection of mural paintings currently preserved
and some superb period apartments.
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BUFFON. Born in
Montbard in1707, the naturalist Georges Louis
Leclerc de Buffon was also an entrepreneur
who founded the Great Forge, an industrial
establishment remarkable for its technique and
architecture. You can learn more about his life by
visiting the Musée de l’Ancienne Orangerie as well
as his study located in one of the towers of the
Parc Buffon (both in Montbard).
Semur-en-Auxois
"CAP CANAL" AT POUILLY. The Burgundy Canal
information centre comprises the Canal Institute
(museum area), a hall devoted to the toueur
(boat-tower) and the hydroelectric power station.
You and your bike can go through the tunnel on a
pleasure boat and get off a little further on.
FANCY FREE IN THE OUCHE VALLEY. Starting
in Pont-d’Ouche, the valley is a succession of
picturesque villages and bucolic landscapes. Stop
off to admire the landscaped gardens at Barbirey
(art exhibitions in summer) and the Cistercian
abbey (now a hotel) at La Bussière.
Dijon
25
YOUR ITINERARY
Beaune - Santenay (20 km)
The Vineyard Way
Pommard
Km 0 Beaune. Starting from the Parc de la
Bouzaise, the véloroute runs alongside the Clos
(walled vineyard) de la Mousse, and then climbs
gently through the vineyards to Pommard which
we reach at the Clos de la Commaraine.
From Beaune to Santenay, the véloroute winds its way along vineyard
paths, passing through villages with such evocative names as Pommard,
Km 3 Pommard. The véloroute runs through the
village and then climbs towards Volnay alongside
the vineyards of Pommard-Rugiens and VolnayFrémiets; superb view over the plain of the Saône
with the Jura mountains beyond.
Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, to name but a few. An appetising
journey in the heart of Burgundy - and the heart of Burgundy wines!
Km 4.8 Volnay. Leaving the village, we drop
down towards the chapel of Notre-Dame de Pitié
and the premier cru vineyards of Les Champans
and Les Santenots.
31
A3
6
A
Parcours à venir
Km 8.6 Meursault. We pass in front of the town hall
with its roof of coloured and varnished tiles, and then
cross the vineyards of Les Porruzots, Les Genevrières
and Les Charmes; we reach Puligny by the premier
cru vineyards of Les Folatières and Les Pucelles.
BEAUNE
Rivière
Canal
Pommard
Vignobles
Volnay
A6
Meursault
Puligny-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet
Chagny
re
Santenay
du
Ce
6
nt
N
Rully
al
St-Legersur-Dheune
Givry
Km 20 Santenay. The arrival is via the premier cru
vineyard of Les Gravières. Continuation possible
by taking the Voie Verte alongside the Canal du
Centre, either towards Chagny and Chalon-surSaône or towards Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune (see
“Canal du Centre” itinerary.
NE
N
CHALONSUR-SAÔNE
80
Buxy
N6
Ô
SA
Ca
n
Km 15 Chassagne-Montrachet. We go through
the village (Clos Saint-Jean in the middle), go
down between the premiers cru vineyards of La
Maltroie and Les Champgrains, and then hug
the hillside at the foot of the ruins of the abbey
of Morgeot.
26
Beaune. For a lover of Burgundy wine
it would be hard to imagine a more
tempting itinerary. The stretch between Dijon
and Beaune is not yet strictly speaking a cycle
track, but you can still cross the vineyards of the
Côte de Nuits along the Route des Grands Crus,
thereby avoiding the heavy traffic of the main
road. For the time being, the Vineyard Way
(Voie des Vignes) begins at Beaune.
Still hemmed in by its old city walls, the wine
capital of Burgundy possesses an astonishing and
enviable architectural heritage: the emblematic
and renowned Hôtel-Dieu with its characteristic
roof of varnished tiles, the collegiate church
Parcours praticable
Km 13 Puligny-Montrachet. From the main
square we head for Chassagne-Montrachet (view
over the hills of the Côte Chalonnaise). We cycle
below the vineyards of Le Batard-Montrachet
before crossing the secondary road CD 906
and climbing up to the village of Chassagne-Montrachet.
F
rom Dijon to Santenay by way of
N
73
of Notre-Dame, the Wine Museum, the splendid
town houses, etc. - not forgetting the large
number of wine cellars and bars awaiting your
visit after a day in the saddle!
For the most part following the little vineyard
paths used by winegrowers and grape harvesters
since time immemorial, the véloroute gives you an
insider's view of the Burgundian terroir: Pommard
Grands Epenots, Volnay Santenots, Meursault
Charmes, Batard Montrachet, Santenay Les
Gravières and a host of others. The itinerary is
liberally sprinkled with the parcels of grands crus,
each an invitation to explore Burgundy's unrivalled expertise in the production of fine wines.
As you travel from one wine village to
Itinerary 5: from Beaune to Santenay
On the way...
LEARN
Beaune
ABOUT WINE. The BIVB (The
Interprofessional Bureau for Burgundy Wines) in
Beaune is the undisputed font of knowledge for all
things wine. Learn about Wine as you travel…
Before setting off on the vineyard roads: the Ecole
des Vins de Bourgogne (Burgundy Wine School)
(lectures & tasting sessions, weekend and other
tasting courses). This will help you make the most
of your itinerary.
DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF MUSTARD. Beaune
is less well-known for its mustard than its hospices,
and yet a visit to the traditional Fallot mustard
factory will help you find out all about the secret
of mustard production. You can even try making
some yourself!
R EL AX
TO THE SOOTHING SOUND OF A
BAROQUE MUSIC CONCERT. The July Internation-
another, wine properties large and small
await you at every turning for a tasting session
(in moderation of course!) in the welcome cool of
a wine cellar. This is an opportunity to put to the
test the old adage which insists that "one does not
really know a wine until one knows the vine from
which it springs and the winegrower who has
raised it". You will find, too, that the winegrowers
are always more than happy to share the secrets of
their trade with you. So you can look forward to
some fascinating conversations as well as some
interesting discoveries.
Arriving at Santenay, you will be surprised
to learn that this bustling little town in the middle
of the winegrowing area is reputed for its mineral
water and its casino!
al Festival of Baroque Opera has established an
enviable reputation and is now a major attraction for
music lovers from all parts of the world. Listening to
the music in the extraordinary setting of the collegiate church of Notre-Dame or the main courtyard of
the Hôtel-Dieu is a truly unforgettable experience.
OUT AND ABOUT IN MEURSAULT. Meursault is
of course reputed for its superb white wines, but
don't forget to look in on the village hall where
some scenes of one of France's best loved films, La
Grande Vadrouille, were shot. And you will want
to visit the château's wine cellars storing a little
matter of 800,000 bottles!
AWAY FROM IT ALL. If you are looking for peace
of mind, head for the little village of Narosse near
Santenay, nestling snugly at the bottom of a coombe
on the "Cliff of the Three Crosses". Here you will
find the little church surrounded by its peaceful
cemetery, with as an added bonus a 15C choir with
multiple ribbed vaults and a beautiful statuary.
The inimitable charm of deepest Burgundy!
27
Planning
your own trip
A wide selection of maps, guides, brochures, websites, etc. to help you plan your own cycling
trip is available from the Burgundy Regional Tourist Board, the Departemental Tourist Board
of the Saône-et-Loire, and the Tourist Development Agencies of the Côte-d'Or, the Nievre and
the Yonne. Whether you are travelling alone or with a group, for a short trip or a long trek,
they can provide you with all the information you need.
28
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
on the Internet
This site, specifically devoted to the
Cycling Tour of Burgundy®
is published by the Burgundy Regional
Tourist Board. Operational in july 2007
and regularly updated, it brings together
all the information you need
to plan a cycling excursion in our region:
itineraries already in service, updates on
work in progress, services available and
advice, visits and useful addresses, etc.
Burgundy Regional Tourist Board
(Bourgogne Tourisme)
[email protected]
www.bourgogne-tourisme.com
Leaving on your own
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Downloadable brochures, maps and documents
ITINERARY 1:
SOUTHERN BURGUNDY
Voies vertes et Cyclotourisme
en Bourgogne du Sud
Voies vertes and cycling in Southern
Burgundy. This leaflet includes a map
of the Saône-et-Loire department, an
overview of the network and a list of
useful services. There are also photographs and information on the circuits, bike rentals and rules of good
conduct.
Published by the Saône-et-Loire
Departmental Tourist Board
Free leaflet.
Document downloadable on
www.bourgogne-du-sud.com
section "Voies vertes".
Saône-et-Loire Deparmental
Tourist Board :
Tel. : +33 (0)3 85 21 02 20
[email protected]
ITINERARY 2:
CANAL DU CENTRE
Saône-et-Loire Deparmental
Tourist Board :
Tel. : +33 (0)3 85 21 02 20
[email protected]
ITINERARY 3:
NIVERNAIS CANAL
La véloroute - Voie verte
Canal du Nivernais
Cycling guide in the form of fact sheets
WARNING
Canal and the surrounding area.
Published by the Nièvre Tourist
Development Agency
Pack of 15 sheets,
5 euros (+ 2 euros postage).
Order brochure on
www.nievre-tourisme.com
section: “Brochures”.
Cycling on towpaths
The towpaths of the Cycling Tour of
Burgundy® (Burgundy Canal,
Nivernais Canal and Canal du
Centre) are still governed by Article
62 of the Navigation Code which
states that "circulation on the towpath
is forbidden except on foot".
Nièvre Tourist
Development Agency
Tel. : +33 (0)3 86 36 39 80
[email protected]
covering the 180 km of the Nivernais
Canal, from Saint-Léger-des-Vignes to
Auxerre.
Published by the Nièvre Tourist
Development Agency.
Pack of 8 "circuit" sheets
+ 1 "practical information" sheet
6 euros (+ 2 euros postage).
Order brochure on
section: “Brochures”.
La véloroute
autour du canal du Nivernais
15 cycling loop circuits in the form of
fact sheets for discovering the Nivernais
A vélo le long de l’Yonne
et du canal du Nivernais
Description of the stretch between
Clamecy and Auxerre along the towpath of the Nivernais Canal, with map
and practical information (bike hire,
accommodation,
shops, etc.)
Edited by
the Yonne Tourist
Development Agency.
Free brochure
The publication may
be ordered on
www.tourismeyonne.com
section:
“documentation”.
Yonne Tourist Development
Agency
Tel. : +33 (0)3 86 72 92 00
[email protected]
www.tourisme-yonne.com
Voies Vertes
et Cyclotourisme :
Itineraries 1 and 2
However, the VNF (the public
authority responsible for running
the French inland waterways) has
agreed, in partnership with the
French State, the Region and Departments of Burgundy, to develop
tourism on the canals, particularly
with regard to the transformation of
towpaths into cycling tracks.
Cyclists must not disturb the VNF
staff (in particular lock-keepers)
in their daily activities, and must
maintain good relations with the
other canal users (boatmen,
waterway tourists, fishing enthusiasts).
By respecting these simple rules, we
help to ensure that the use of the
towpaths is an enjoyable experience
for all concerned.
Source V.N.F.
…
29
Planning
your own trip(continued)
ITINERARY 4:
… BURGUNDY CANAL
A vélo,
le long du canal de Bourgogne
Detailed description of the
MigennesTo n n e r r e MontbardPouillyen-AuxoisDijon cycling
itinerary with
useful information (board and lodging, tourist
information, bike hire, shops, etc.)
Co-published by VNF
(Voies Navigables de France),
Côte-d’Or Tourisme and the Yonne
Tourist Development Agency.
32 pages, free brochure.
This publication may be downloaded on:
www.cotedor-tourisme.com
section: “Télécharger nos brochures“,
“A vélo le long du canal de Bourgogne“.
section: “Yonne“,
then “documentation“
Côte-d’Or Tourisme
Tel. : +33 (0)3 80 63 69 49
[email protected]
www.cotedor-tourisme.com
Yonne Tourist
Development Agency
Tel. : +33 (0)3 86 72 92 00
[email protected]
VNF - Local delegation
for the Burgundy Canal
Tel. : +33 (0)3 80 29 44 44
www.vnf.fr
30
ITINERARY 5:
THE VINEYARD WAY
La Voie des Vignes :
la véloroute Beaune-Santenay
Map describing
the Beaune-Santenay itinerary with
details of tourist
offices along the
way.
Published by the
Syndicat Touristique Intercommunal du Pays Beaunois.
Free document.
downloadable on
www.ot-beaune.fr
section: “Dépliants“.
Beaune Tourist Office
Tel. +33 (0)3 80 26 21 30
[email protected]
www.ot-beaune.fr
http://ot-beaune.for-system.com
Meursault Tourist Office
Tel. +33 (0)3 80 21 25 90
[email protected]
www.ot-meursault.fr
Nolay Tourist Office
Tel. +33 (0)3 80 21 80 73
[email protected]
www.nolay.com
Santenay Tourist Office
Tel. +33 (0)3 80 20 63 15
[email protected]
www.ville-de-santenay.fr
Savigny-les-Beaune Tourist Office
Tel. +33 (0)3 80 26 12 56
[email protected]
www.mairie-savigny-les-beaune.fr
Various modes of
transportations - directions
Some of the itineraries of the Tour de
Bourgogne à vélo® have already regular
bus services. We suggest you to use them
to join the departure of your trip. Don’t
forget to reserve your places the day
before (by phone), these buses are
equipped with bicycles racks.
Further information on the website
Let a professional organise your trip
Getting your trip
planned by a professional
Feel like a cycling holiday but too busy to plan your trip? No problem! There is a large selection of agencies specialising
in cycling holidays and ready to draw up programmes tailored to your budget, abilities and wishes. Don't hesitate to
contact them directly or consult their websites for full details.
AGENCE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
TOURISTIQUE DE LA NIÈVRE
1, avenue Saint-Just
58003 NEVERS Cedex
Tél. : 03 86 59 14 22
[email protected]
AU 058 97 0001
AGENCE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
TOURISTIQUE DE L’YONNE
1-2, quai de la République
89000 AUXERRE
Tél. : 03 86 72 92 10
[email protected]
AU 089 96 0001
BOURGOGNE ESCAPADES
Le Château 71570 CHAINTRÉ
Tél. : 03 85 37 14 60
[email protected]
www.bourgogne-escapades.com
LI 071 05 0001
BOURGOGNE LATITUDE
Rue de la Glacière 71640 MELLECEY
Tél. : 03 85 45 17 04 et 06 81 49 87 35
Fax : 03 85 45 17 04
[email protected]
www.bourgogne-latitude.com
LI 071 06 0001
CÔTE-D’OR AVENTURES
3, rue Rameau 21160 COUCHEY
Tél . : 06 07 17 25 57
Tél./fax : 03 80 52 71 65
[email protected]
www.cotedor-aventures.com
LI 021 04 0004
FRANCE À VÉLO
19, rue des Fossés 89460 CRAVANT
Tél. : 03 86 42 35 96
Fax : 03 86 42 55 65
[email protected]
www.franceavelo.com
LI 089 06 0001
PROMENADES EN FRANCE
14, rue Poterne
21200 BEAUNE
Tél. : 03 80 26 22 12
Fax : 03 80 26 22 13
[email protected]
www.promenades-en-france.com
LI 021 05 0002
BOURGOGNE RANDONNÉES
7, av. du 8 Septembre 21200 BEAUNE
Tél. : 03 80 22 06 03
Fax : 03 80 22 15 58
[email protected]
www.bourgogne-randonnees.com
HA 021 02 0001
DÉTOURS IN FRANCE
8, rue Chaumergy 21200 BEAUNE
Tél. : 03 80 22 06 03
Fax : 03 80 22 15 58
[email protected]
www.detours-in-france.com
LI 021 05 0004
FRANCE RANDONNÉE
9, rue des Portes-Mordelaises
35000 RENNES
Tél. : 02 99 67 42 21
[email protected]
www.france-randonnee.fr
LI 035 97 0005
RANDONNÉE & ASTRONOMIE
73110 LA ROCHETTE
Tél. : 06 32 18 54 53
[email protected]
www.randonnees-astronomie.com
HA 073 07 0011
CLAUDE LAHOUSSINE
ORGANISATION
Le Village 21160 FLAVIGNEROT
Tél./fax : 03 80 42 94 17
[email protected]
www.clor.fr
HA 021 99 00011
DILIVOYAGE
10, avenue de la République
21200 BEAUNE
Tél : 03 80 24 24 82
Fax : 03 80 24 24 94
[email protected]
www.dilivoyage.com
LI 021 95 0001
HAMILTON FITZJAMES
36 rue Ste Marguerite
21200 BEAUNE
Tél. : 03 80 22 02 62
Fax : 03 80 22 04 67
[email protected]
www.halmiltonfitzjames.com
LI 021 05 0003
SANDQUIST
Chemin des Carrières
La Montagne
21200 BEAUNE
Tél./Fax : 03 80 24 61 10
[email protected]
www.sandquisteurope.com
LI 021 05 0001
Find practical information about cycling in Burgundy on the website
Published by the Burgundy Regional Tourist Board (CRT Bourgogne)
Creation/Design: FTM.Presse (Fontaine-lès-Dijon) - tempsRéel, Dijon
Photographic credits: Alain Doire (CRT Bourgogne)
except pages 04 et 05 Michel Joly.
Illustrations: Bernard Deubelbeiss.
Printed by: Desmet-Laire (Belgium).
June 2007 - ISSN pending
31
Bourgogne-Tourisme
Comité Régional du Tourisme de Bourgogne
B.P. 20623 - 21006 DIJON Cedex - FRANCE
www.bourgogne-tourisme.com

Cycling Tour of Burgundy

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