Flez-Cuzy / Champlemy

Cycle out from the medieval town of Tannay heading alongside vines that recall the area’s long wine-making past. The vineyards of the département, or county, of Nièvre, reputed since the Middle Ages, were wiped out by a phylloxera epidemic at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, oenologists and wine-makers are reviving this once-renowned wine area. Carry on riding along shaded roads through state-owned forests. Many of Burgundy’s roads are much appreciated by cycling tourists, who can make the most of the many country roads little used by motorized vehicles. Between forests, the landscapes open up, with agricultural fields full of cereals and sunflowers all around. The last hills along this stage take on a lovely golden light in the summer sun.

Don't miss

• Tannay: the medieval town, with a traditional wine cellar to visit
• Varzy: Église Saint-Pierre, the Musée municipal Auguste Grasset, a cabinet of curiosities put together by an amateur collector, covering three levels and including Egyptian artefacts (including two sarcophagi), weapons and garments from South Pacific islands, not forgetting sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and pre-Impressionism.