From the Doubs to the Saône on the EuroVelo 6

95km between Dôle and Chalon-sur-Saône

Linking the Doubs and Saône Rivers, and the regions of Franche-Comté and Burgundy, this section is also on the EuroVelo 6 cycle route. It takes you through beautiful natural areas between Dole, historic capital of Franche-Comté, and Chalon, in Southern Burgundy. The track follows greenways by the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, then quiet roads by the Saône up to Chalon. This enjoyable waterside route is easy to do in 1 or 2 days.

Nicolas Gascard - BFC Tourisme

The historic town of Chalon-sur-Saône

Chalon-sur-Saône, with its vineyards, Romanesque churches and castles, will delight foodies and wine lovers as much as art enthusiasts and those with an interest in history. Don’t miss the annual ‘Châlon dans la Rue’ event in July, a street performance festival for young and old alike!

Complementing the famous greenway that winds down to Mâcon via the Côte Chalonnaise, the ‘Voie Bleue’ is a riverside greenway running alongside the Saône, planned to stretch from Mâcon to Talmay. Currently developed between the Mâcon exit and Fleurville, it is progressing towards Chalon. Although this route is not yet complete, it is already very pleasant, as it is supplemented by small country roads and rustic paths that ensure continuity for experienced cyclists. Less experienced families can make use of the numerous TER trains running between Mâcon, Fleurville and Chalon.

Confluence du Doubs et de la Saône à Verdun-sur-le-Doubs

Nicolas Gascard - BFC Tourisme

On the greenways, relax along the rivers...

There’s a holiday atmosphere in the air as you discover the small marinas along the Doubs, followed by those on the Saône. Between Verdun-sur-le-Doubs and Châlon-sur-Saône, enjoy your cycle ride in ‘laissez-faire’ mode.

Prépare ta Valise/Jura Tourisme

The town of Dole and its tanners’ quarter

Take a moment to stroll down Rue Pasteur, one of the oldest streets in the town. A number of old tanners’ houses line a wide canal here, recognisable by the large openings of their cellars, which sit at water level. You can also discover imposing mansions, built by prominent figures of the Renaissance period, including the Hôtel de Champaney. The area is particularly well-suited to boat trips.

Tailor-made itineraries

7 Dole / Losne

25 km

1 h 38 min

Enchanting little river ports, locks and barges are dotted along this, a stage on which time seems almost to stand still. Ride out of the attractive town of Dole via the Canal du Rhône au Rhin. On this lovely stretch of the EuroVelo 6 cycle route, you gradually leave the Doubs Valley behind. You’ll find plenty of shade and places to pause for a picnic, watching the barges to-ing and fro-ing between the Canal du Rhône au Rhin and the Saône River. All the way along, take in the green landscapes, the boating and the anglers. Epitomizing this stage is Saint-Jean-de-Losne, known as European capital of river boating, and boasting a dedicated museum, the Musée de la Batellerie.

8 Losne / Verdun-sur-le-Doubs

42 km

2 h 48 min

I begin

At St-Jean-de-Losne, in Burgundy, the Saône River looks broad and majestic, attracting enthusiastic anglers, its banks providing lovely views of the boating town. This EuroVelo 6 stage then guides you along a mix of greenways, gravel trails and country roads that are suitable for most cyclists. A wonderfully contemplative stop on this stage is the shaded river port of Seurre with its views of both the Saône River and the Canal de Dérivation de la Saône. After a stretch on roads leading you across the Saône Valley’s cereal plains, marked by the silhouettes of immense grain silos, you reach Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, with its timber-frame houses, its lively quays and its relaxing atmosphere.

9 Verdun-sur-le-Doubs / Chalon-sur-Saône

25 km

1 h 40 min

I begin

Verdun-sur-le-Doubs provides a perfect place for cyclists to rest, such an attaching village, at the confluence of the impetuous Doubs River and much calmer Saône. But, perhaps after tasting a pôchouse (a dish of river fish in a white wine sauce), it’s time to head on along the cycle route, or rather, twin cycle routes, as EuroVelo 6 and La Voie Bleue continue to share the same path towards Chalon-sur-Saône, following the broad Saône, its valley stretching across an alluvial plain. As well as all the farming here, angling and boating are on offer, but cycling is of course among the top pursuits in the Saône Valley! At Gergy, enjoy a stop to contemplate the meander in the Saône before continuing up to Chalon-sur-Saône, a dynamic Burgundian town.

From the Doubs to the Saône on the EuroVelo 6