The Nivernais Canal from Châtillon-en-Bazois to the Fleury lock

Heritage lovers will love the route between Châtillon-en-Bazois, with its unmistakeable medieval castle overlooking the Canal du Nivernais, and the Fleury à Biches lock with its needle dam. The route is 26 km round trip.
The castle stands on a rocky outcrop in the loop of the river that doubles as the Canal du Nivernais. Visitors to this castle discover a world that could be a museum were it not so lively and inhabited. The underground room shows the origins of the Middle Ages. The château overlooks the garden and its ponds, surrounded by hundred-year-old box trees that the owner has had pruned into sheaths. These water gardens are listed in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques and have been awarded the "Jardin Remarquable" label.
The stretch of canal you take to Fleury is special in that it winds through the countryside. There's no straight line here - you're in the heart of the "Nature stopover", close to an unspoilt environment where Charolais cows greet your arrival. You can also admire the flower-decorated lock houses or the passage of a boat through one of the many locks along the way.
When you reach Fleury, take a closer look at the needle dam. This is one of the 124 remaining needle dams in France. It was built on the River Aron to regulate the course of the Canal. It's a rarity not to be missed! With its picnic tables, Fleury is the ideal place for a picnic. Here, you're only a few pedal strokes away from the Fontaine de Chamont, an educational trail that you can reach via a footbridge across the Aron, then by turning left three times. An 800-metre walk awaits you, to discover a remarkable buxaie.
After all these adventures, all you have to do is retrace your steps in the other direction, back to your starting point, with Châtillon castle in your sights. 2-3h tour