Joinville / Chaumont

From Joinville, you ride southwards along the towpath beside the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne for Chaumont, an historic little town known as the Cité des Contes de Champagne. There are some particularly beautiful meandering stretches between Donjeux and Vouécourt. As to the construction solutions on display at Condes, they demonstrate the skills of 19th-century canal engineers, what with a Freycinet-gauge lock, a two-way tunnel, a navigational aqueduct and a swing-footbridge. Learning about all this engineering brilliance, you’ll feel quite knowledgeable on the subject too!

The Route

This stage is exclusively along a section of towpath that has been entirely renovated by the Conseil Départemental (or County Council) of Haute-Marne. The tarmacked surface is in a fine state of repair along the whole stage, making it one of the most delightful for families to tackle, although note that there is a steep slope at the end, to reach Chaumont town centre. Covering almost 50km, this is one of the two longest stages of the V53 cycle route crossing Haute-Marne, but the good surface makes you forget that minor detail! 

Don't miss

• Joinville: the Château du Grand Jardin, the castle itself a listed historic monument, the garden designated a Jardin Remarquable, reflecting so well the art of living of the French Renaissance. Petite Cité de Caractère du Grand-Est ®, a designation recognizing the little town of Joinville’s historical and cultural heritage – founded in the 11th century on the frontier between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire, Joinville’s history was largely influenced by the powerful courtly Catholic family of the de Guises (which famously married into the Scottish royal family, Marie de Guise being the mother of Mary Queen of Scots). Take it all in by wandering through the old town and along Quai des Peceaux, where the timber-frame houses and other fine homes boast ornate Renaissance details.
• Donjeux: the château and grounds, with ornate gates opening up to the rare French-style sunken garden, running perpendicular to the castle itself.
• Vouécourt: the Pont de la Marne, a 50m-long stone bridge, built for the commune (or parish) in 1835.
• Rouvroy: the navigable aqueduct beside Écluse (lock) N°40, passing over the Marne.
• Vignory: designated a Petite Cité de Caractère du Grand-Est ® for its historic attractions
• Près de Viéville: with La Roche Bernard, a major rocky promontory dominating the Marne Valley, with views and rock-climbing trails.
• Chaumont: known as the Cité des Comtes de Champagne, given the regional counts’ links, history written on many buildings and façades in the town centre. The little town is now French capital of graphic design and has, over the last two decades, drawn together graphic designers from around the world. You can see some of their work on the walls of Le Signe, Centre National du Graphisme.