Bénisson-Dieu Abbey from Noailly

An easy walk from Noailly to Abbaye de la Bénisson-Dieu, passing Château de la Motte on the way back.

Details

228058
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 110 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 110 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 347 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 267 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the centre of Noailly, leave the church behind you and turn right onto the street after the bar. The street turns into a path that descends to a stream and climbs back up to a fork.

(1) Turn right towards Roberjot and pass two houses on your left. Continue to the Abbés farm.

(2) Go around it on the left, then cross the Abbés road and continue to the Joux road.

(3) Continue along Route de Joux on the left, passing Joux and entering Bois de Joux. Continue to the five-way intersection (you will see a pumping station with a pylon).

(4) Turn left onto path no. 8, which descends to the edge of the Bois Culé and joins La Bénisson-Dieu from the south.

(5) At the roundabout, turn right then left into the first street to reach the Abbey.

(6) Take the time to admire this abbey, a Cistercian monastery and historic monument.
Retrace your steps, take Rue des Convers, then Rue du Béal and then Impasse de Chassagne on your right. Cross the bridge and follow the road to the left to Montaudry, then turn left.

(7) Pass under the hamlets of La Chassagne and Chez Racot.

(8) Take the path overlooking the Teyssonne at the edge of the woods.
At the next crossroads, turn left and head for the Teysonne ford, which can be bypassed via a footbridge, before arriving at the Château de la Motte.

(9) Cross the D4, continue straight ahead and, after a slight climb at the edge of the woods, turn right towards the pond to join the Chemin de Roberjot.

(1) Turn left, then right and return to Noailly (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 312 m - Noailly
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 319 m - Right towards Roberjot
  3. 2 : km 1.21 - alt. 332 m - Abbots' Farm
  4. 3 : km 2 - alt. 338 m - Route de Joux on the left
  5. 4 : km 4.66 - alt. 337 m - On the left at the edge of Bois Culé
  6. 5 : km 5.82 - alt. 276 m - Entrance to the abbey
  7. 6 : km 6.09 - alt. 268 m - Abbaye de la Bénisson-Dieu
  8. 7 : km 6.69 - alt. 275 m - Montaudry
  9. 8 : km 7.62 - alt. 286 m - Below 'Chez Racot'. Overlooking the - Teyssonne (rivière) - Affluent de la Loire
  10. 9 : km 8.46 - alt. 281 m - Château de la Motte
  11. S/E : km 10.02 - alt. 312 m - Noailly

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 22940738

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A short, easy walk with a lovely visit to the abbey

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ALEX69
ALEX69

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike in early March in sunny weather. The path alternates between forests and valleys. The abbey is worth a visit. You can have a picnic near the abbey.

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User 3484143

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great walk, which took us two and a half hours at a leisurely pace. Between points 3 and 4, there is a long stretch along a road with very little traffic. The abbey is well worth a visit.

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DELARUE
DELARUE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk. Thank you.
At the 5-way intersection, we couldn't find No. 8, but it didn't matter because with the map, there was no hesitation.

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Pierre 42
Pierre 42

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant walk.

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bernardbertignat
bernardbertignat
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

thank you. A very beautiful route, easy and pleasant. Many admirable residences, castles, and "bourgeois" houses.
even in warm weather, this loop is often shaded, which is very pleasant.
-Visorandonneur auvergnat-

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anne ubrig
anne ubrig

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk that I started at La Benisson Dieu. The abbey church is a haven of peace. The hiking trail follows too many tarmac roads, and even though they are not very busy, it is not a particularly pleasant walk. I had to keep the app on to guide me. Why is there no mention of the signposting for this hike in the description? Along the route, I noticed four types of signposting: a GR, a yellow and blue one marked Charlieu-Belmont, a yellow and white one, and the Jacobean signposting. There are a few signposts along the route, but they are not mentioned in the description.
But the walk was nice.

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Brigittedn
Brigittedn

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant, varied route in the sunshine (hilly near a farm, then forest). The beautiful, peaceful Bénisson Dieu Abbey is well worth a visit. A great spot to stop and have lunch.

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teug153
teug153

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to the person who designed this route

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néné42
néné42

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Interesting hike. Countryside scenery. Beautiful building. One downside: a slightly high proportion of tarmac!

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bernard desvignes
bernard desvignes

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk in the countryside with no problems finding your way around, discovering a new area. A bit too much walking for my taste, but they are small country roads.

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néné42
néné42

Hike cancelled. Awful weather. Postponed until later...

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Brigodile
Brigodile

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely country walk with a beautiful discovery at the Abbey of Bénisson-Dieu

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MARATH42
MARATH42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

You can extend this route by starting from BRIENNON along the canal towards Roanne, then at the first lock, cross the D43 and continue straight ahead opposite LA FIONNE to LA BENISSON DIEU - Return trip - approximately 18 kilometres.

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Jean Mi 69
Jean Mi 69

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a bit too early in the season, with the vegetation still dormant... The abbey is closed.

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