The Burgundy Canal by Bike

215km between Dijon and Migennes

From lovely riverside Auxerre to Dijon, Burgundy’s splendid capital, the Canal de Bourgogne à Vélo sums up Burgundy’s spirit, with cultural and gastronomic stops aplenty. Remarkable sights include Alésia, where Caesar defeated the Gauls, the Voûte de Pouilly, an impressive canal tunnel, and hilltop Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. From Migennes to Tonnerre, follow the canal towpath; on to Dijon, the greenway is idyllic. Perfect to do in 4 to 5 days.

A. Doire - Bourgogne Tourisme

A journey along the Burgundy Canal

Follow the towpath and enjoy this leisurely cycle ride alongside the water. Your journey will take in several key sites of France’s historical and cultural heritage. Cycling along the Burgundy Canal is a wonderful way to discover the Burgundy region at its most beautiful.

A. Doire - Bourgogne Tourisme

A touch of spirituality at Fontenay Abbey

Nestled in a valley dotted with ponds, the Romanesque Abbey of Fontenay was founded in 1118, twenty years after Cîteaux, by the monk Bernard of Clairvaux. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, it is one of the oldest Cistercian abbeys and the best preserved. Apart from the refectory, which was demolished in 1745, the buildings (dormitory, cloister and abbey church) have suffered very little wear and tear over time. Their majestic architecture is set amidst remarkable gardens.

TheSupermat - Licence CC BY-SA 3.0

Alesia, a decisive battle

The image of Vercingetorix in Alesia, weapons at his feet, in front of a victorious Caesar, once appeared in all history books. Long forgotten, the Gallic chief became, from the 19th century, a symbol of Celtic resistance to the invader. After many expert battles, it is now established that the battle of Alesia which opposed him to Caesar in 52 BC and ratified the colonization of Gaul took place at Alise-Sainte-Reine.

Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, "Plus beaux villages de France"

Gilles Guillamot, CC BY-SA 3.0

Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, listed as "Plus beaux villages" in France.

Surrounded by reservoir lakes that provide water for the canal, the medieval town stands on a rock from which the Morvan can be seen. It is worth climbing to the castle of Sir Jean de Chaudenay, who once commanded the road from Dijon to Autun. We discover a beautiful village remarkably preserved, which proudly dominates the canal and the port of Vandenesse.

A. Doire - Bourgogne Tourisme

The Château de Commarin

Country of the regionalist writer Henri Vincenot, who magnificently celebrated this country in his novels, "La Billebaude" and "Le Pape des Escargots", wonderful introductions to this route of the Burgundy Canal, the small village of Commarin also houses a superb castle whose origins date back to the 14th century. It was restored at the beginning of the 18th century by the grandmother of the famous Prince-Bishop of Talleyrand, Napoleon's minister. The 18th century furnished apartments and stables are open to visitors, as is the park.

Tailor-made itineraries

1 Migennes / St-Florentin

18 km

1 h 11 min

I cycle often

The route is provisional on this stage of the Canal de Bourgogne à Vélo. It starts north of Auxerre at Vieux Migennes, where a church known as ‘the Railwaymen’s Lourdes’ watches over a major rail junction. The port at Migennes, where the Yonne River is joined by the Canal de Bourgogne, is the starting point into the Burgundian hills.

2 St-Florentin / Tonnerre

26 km

1 h 42 min

I cycle often

Keeping close to Burgundy’s border with the Champagne region, this stage of the Burgundy canal by bike runs between unspoilt hills and the little villages of the Florentinois and Tonnerrois areas. Finally, you’ll see the church steeple of Tonnerre ahead, marking the medieval town. Following the towpath on this stage, note that it hasn’t been done up yet.

3 Tonnerre / Ancy-le-Franc

30 km

1 h 59 min

I begin

This Burgundy Canal by Bike stage is along a greenway meandering around the limestone plateaux of the Tonnerrois area from which so much of Burgundy’s celebrated white stone was quarried. From Tanlay on, follow a wilder stretch of valley. From here, the route is dotted with abbeys, elegant villages and Renaissance castles, that at Ancy-le-Franc the finest.

4 Ancy-le-Franc / Montbard

29 km

1 h 54 min

I begin

This stage of the Burgundy Canal by Bike is on a greenway laid out along the towpath. After Ravières, the valley route is quite wild, set between wooded banks. Don’t miss the Grande Forge, one of the finest vestiges of France’s industrial past, at Buffon, where Armançon and Brenne Rivers merge. Go via the Brenne to see the interesting town of Montbard.

5 Montbard / Venarey-les-Laumes

13 km

53 min

I begin

This stage of the Burgundy Canal by Bike goes from the Montbardois to the Auxois area, through lands rich in history. The countryside is marked by wooded hills and plateaux where white cows graze. The greenway leads to Mont-Auxois, a hill dominated by a statue of Vercingétorix, leader of the Gaulish tribes beaten here by Caesar.

6 Venarey-les-Laumes / Pont Royal

22 km

1 h 27 min

I begin

The first part of this stage of the Burgundy Canal by Bike is dominated by the Mont-Auxois hill, where Caesar vanquished the Gauls at the Siege of Alésia of 52 BC. Tackle the slow ascent of the ‘Valley of 40 Locks’ to the impressive Voûte de Pouilly-en-Auxois, a canal tunnel under Pouilly-town. A memorable stage, with the striking old port at Pont-Royal to see too.

7 Pont Royal / Pouilly-en-Auxois

19 km

1 h 16 min

I begin

After a hemmed-in part at Pont-Royal, this stage of the Burgundy Canal by Bike leads you up onto the so-called ‘roof of Burgundy’. At 378m above sea-level you come to the highest point of the highest canal in France! Located at the foot of the Monts de Bourgogne (Burgundian Hills) Pouilly-en-Auxois is a green little town, a welcoming stop-over by the canal.

8 Pouilly-en-Auxois / la Bussière-sur-Ouche

25 km

1 h 40 min

I begin

This is surely one of the most beautiful stages on the Burgundy Canal by Bike. The route takes you down the Ouche Valley, beside a series of locks, to the little port of Vandenesse. Then head through wooded straits dotted with historic curiosities to uncover, hidden away in corners of the deep little valleys round and about. A memorable stage.

9 La Bussière-sur-Ouche / Dijon

34 km

2 h 13 min

I begin

Starting from Pont-de-Pany, this stage of the Canal de Bourgogne à Vélo links the Burgundy countryside to its capital. Lovely surprises lie tucked away in this stretch of the Ouche Valley, where wealthy Dijon families used to come to relax. You arrive in the city of Dijon via Lake Kir and its large park much appreciated by families and sporty types.