Splendours of the Burgundy Canal by bike

Day 1: Tonnerre - Ancy-le-Franc (35 km - level 1/4 - 2h30)
Meet in the morning at the Tonnerre Tourist Office. Welcome, check and adjust your bikes.
Your first pedal strokes will take you to two magnificent Renaissance châteaux, first Tanlay, then Ancy-le-Franc.
Dinner and overnight in Ancy-le-Franc.

Day 2: Ancy-le-Franc - Montbard (25 to 45 km - grad. 1/4 - 2 hrs)
After a hearty breakfast, head east towards Montbard. En route, you will discover Buffon's Grande Forge and other lesser-known but equally beautiful wonders of the Burgundy canal: mills, wash-houses, churches, châteaux, etc. in Aisy, Rougemont, Nuits, etc.
If you arrive early, you can visit the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (UNESCO World Heritage Site), a beautiful and peaceful place to end the day.
Dinner and overnight in Montbard, in a traditional hotel.

Day 2 Bis (optional extra day) : Loop around Montbard (levels 1 to 2/4)
A day off? No way!
There's far too much to discover within cycling distance: the fortified town, the abbey and anis factory of Flavigny-sur-ozerain, the Gallo-Roman site and museopark of Alesia, the splendid château of Bussy-Rabutin... Another rich stage!
For those who have already visited all these sites, or who don't like the coast, there's the Montbard aquatic centre! Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna, hammam and jaccuzzi... after the effort, the comfort!
Dinner and overnight at the same hotel in Montbard.

Day 3: Montbard - Semur-en-Auxois (35 to 57 km - grad. 2/4 - 2 to 4 hours)
At this point, the Canal de Bourgogne leaves the Brenne valley and rises gently towards its watershed. This is the Pouillenay ladder, 37 locks in 12 km: a real ordeal for bargemen! For cyclists, it's a chance to watch the captivating spectacle of lock manoeuvres in peace.
In the evening, you'll make your way to the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois. Here, you'll be able to take a stroll around the town's rich history, with its medieval bridges and stairways, fortifications, keeps, stone wells and other curiosities. Also worth a visit: the Museum of Art and History and the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, the town's jewel in the crown.
Dinner at the restaurant and overnight in Semur in a charming hotel in the medieval centre.

Day 4: Semur-en-Auxois - Chateauneuf (50 km - grad. 2/4 - 4 hrs)
You enter the Auxois and its hedged farmland; 1st stop at Lac de Pont: Discover this 6th reservoir feeding the canal, a fjord on the Armançon...
Back to the canal at Marigny-le-Cahouët (12th-century fortified castle), followed by a visit to the Collegiate Church of St Thibault, Château d'Eguilly, the Voûtes de Pouilly-en-Auxois (where the Burgundy Canal runs underground), and the châteaux of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois and Commarin.
Overnight half-board at Chateauneuf.

Day 5: Chateauneuf - Dijon (48 km - grad. 2/4 - 4 hrs)
You slip into the wildest part of the Burgundy canal: the Ouche valley. A beautiful, narrow and tortuous cut in the Burgundy limestone. Perpendicular valleys hide a number of jewels: the Château de Barbirey, the Abbaye de la Bussière...
Then it's back to civilisation and the arrival in Dijon via Lac Kir. Welcome to the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy and gastronomy.
Overnight stay with breakfast in Dijon


If you haven't planned to stroll around Dijon, return by train to Tonnerre
(6 trains between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. for a journey of around 1 hour).

If you've never been before, we recommend extending your stay to discover the charms of Dijon, "the city of 100 bell towers".
You'll discover the city's history through its built heritage: the Palais des Etats, the Chartreuse de Champmol, the Tour Philippe Le Bon... but also through its culinary delights, including the famous Dijon mustard, blackcurrant cream and gingerbread.
History and gastronomy are around every corner in the city.

Customise
This is a basic programme that can be adapted in length and theme to suit your requirements.

The richness of the region and our desire to satisfy you mean that we can
to build you a tailor-made programme, with, for example :
. Pick-up from the airport or station.
. Adaptability: shortened or extended routes on request.
. Possibility of connecting with regional trains.