In the heart of the Dijon vineyards

Departure from the Vierge des Pins car park in Chenôve.

(S/E) Descend, then cross the Chemin des Carrières de la Combe de la Trouhaude. There is a path just on the other side which descends slightly to the left into the forest to reach the vineyards above Chenôve. Continuing to the left, you will reach Le Chapitre, which is a kind of small castle.

(1) Go around it on the right, taking the street through the vineyards, at the foot of which it opens onto a wide path, before turning left towards the Chenôve cemetery. Then continue until you reach a sharp bend at Combe Trouhaude.

(2) Take a small path that goes straight ahead. Staying roughly on the same contour line, cross a wood. The path is a little wild, but it's the right one. Shortly after a few newly built houses, you will find Rue du Docteur Calmette.

(3) Walk all the way up this street to Rue du Père Charles de Foucaud, turn right and then left. Walk around a pretty square located between Rue de la Fontaine Sainte-Anne and Chemin de la Combe Saint-Joseph.

(4) Turn right onto Rue de la Fontaine Sainte-Anne and, at the first bend, you will find a small steep slope and a staircase leading to a cul-de-sac just above. Turn right to reach Rue Raoul de Saint-Seine, which you should follow to the left. Cross the road (M108G) at the Esplanade de la Route de Corcelles.

(5) Cross the esplanade at the bottom of the road and take the path along the wall. Turn left. At the end of this cul-de-sac, you will find a somewhat overgrown path on the left that leads to the bottom of Combe Persil. Continue straight ahead.

(6) Walk up the bottom of the valley to discover the Jardin des Poètes shortly afterwards. Continue, then after a slightly steeper section, you will come to a more open space, then the Chemin des Grands Crus.

(7) Take this path on the right before reaching a crossroads (elevation 353). Keep to the right, walking alongside an orchard, to climb up towards the "Pièce de la Croix" and find a wide path. Continue for a moment on the left towards the Giron farm.

(8) On the right, you will find a beautiful tree-lined avenue running alongside newly planted vineyards at the foot of Fort de la Motte-Giron. Continue straight ahead, then turn left onto a small, steep and barely marked path. This will take you to a larger path that goes around Motte Giron, offering beautiful views towards Mont-Afrique. Follow the path to the entrance of the fort (east side).

(9) Turn left onto Chemin du Fort de la Motte Giron, passing in front of a large pond. Leave Rue Maréchal de Saulx Tavannes on your left and take the cul-de-sac that follows it, also on the left. At the end of this lane, a path goes around a surrounding wall, which you should follow to the entrance of Le Chatenay (a large enclosed property).

(10) Take the fairly flat path on the left, which quickly leads to the old limestone quarries (elevation 314).

(11) Follow the path on the right, which descends rapidly towards Combe à la Serpent. You will soon arrive above the football pitch, which you should then go around on the left before taking the car park on the right. Shortly afterwards, on the left, there is a marked path that climbs up the hillside.

(12) Take this path, which quickly leads to a wide track that you must cross. Continue climbing through the scrub and wasteland to reach Chemin de la Rente de la Cras.

(13) Turn left onto the path that climbs towards the plateau. Further on are the first vineyards. Take the path that goes around them on the left. A little above is a small wood that closes off the horizon.

(14) When you reach the vineyard, take the path on the left that goes around it, then heads to the right. Stay on the main path, which is also the lowest, until you come to two other vineyards a little further on, which you must cross.

(15) Shortly afterwards, take the path on the right to climb slightly towards a place called "Au-dessus de Pierre Cuze", where you will find the main path that crosses the top of the plateau towards the Cras farm.

(16) Take this path on the left towards the west and the Cras farm. Pass under a small power line before continuing to a crossroads at Le Chaudois. On the left, you will see the clearly marked Combe Bessey below.

(17) Descend towards the valley, which you will reach after passing under a double power line.

(18) At the bottom of the valley, leave the^first clearly marked path on your left, indicated by signposts. Follow the^second path, which branches off to the left a little further on, at the edge of the scrub. On the right, you will see the fence protecting a plantation of young conifers. The path climbs gently towards the plateau, then after the power line, continue following the contour line and the vineyards to elevation 362.

(19) Turn sharply right to climb up the Bessey vineyard and pass under the power lines again. On your right, you will see the fir tree plantation and, further down, the Combe Bessey. Continue left after the power lines to find a larger path at a place called "Dessus de la Combe Bessey".

(20) Take the path on the left towards the Bois en Bessey and follow the edge of the wood on the left. Pass above the newly planted vineyards on the hillside sloping towards the east. The path forms a rough semicircle before returning to the wood and entering it. Further on, a good path appears on the left.

(21) Follow this wooded path to the apiary. This is an old stone apiary, undoubtedly one of the largest in the region. It is located on the right; take the time to explore it, as it is one of the curiosities of this route.

(22) Continue. Shortly after the apiary, the path turns left, following a contour line at the foot of Coteau Bessey. The forest is not very dense, the area is somewhat wild and gives the impression of being far away from a large city like Dijon. Enjoy this change of scenery, but be careful to stay on the paths on the right. You will soon come back to the main path at the bottom of Combe à la Serpent.

(23) Turn right onto this wide path. Leave the path that climbs up to Coteau Bessey, which can be seen further on, and stay on the left, following the main valley as it gently climbs. Shortly afterwards, you will come to a meadow which you must cross before climbing up a fairly steep path to reach the cultivated plateau at a place called "Pièce du Poirier". You will see the Giron farm again, which you will soon have to pass, and a little further to the left, the Fort de la Motte-Giron.

(24) Take the field path towards the farm and the power lines, which you will pass under after a left turn. You will arrive near the farm.

(25) Before reaching the farm, turn right onto a track heading south-east, which runs parallel to the power line. This will take you to the D108g road, which you must cross. The path cuts across a small meadow before joining the tarmac road, which you must take to the right to reach the Bergerie and its chapel.

(26) Leave La Bergerie on your left and continue along the path that goes around Combe Saint-Joseph. At the next crossroads, keep to the right and soon, beyond the copses and bushes, you will see the relay antenna to the east.

(27) Turn right and go around the equestrian centre on the left to reach a large white path in the forest: this is the CRAPA (Circuit Rustique d'Activité Physique Adapté - Rustic Adapted Physical Activity Route).

(28) Turn left onto the path, which is quite popular with runners and walkers, and which takes you on a pleasant stroll to the (S/E).

You can reach this route by taking the Divia bus, which will require you to start either from Combe à la Serpent or, for example, Boulevard Eiffel or Motte Giron.

The terrain is very varied, and sometimes rocky with difficult and tricky sections. It is therefore advisable to wear suitable footwear whatever the season. In bad weather, some sections can be tricky.

There are not many places to find water along the way. It is therefore advisable to bring enough for the day.

You will cross the Combe à la Serpent, pass the Fort de la Motte Giron (which is not open to visitors) and discover the Chenôve Plateau at the Bergerie.

Throughout the route, you will enjoy beautiful views of either Dijon or, further away, Talant.

The areas you cross are very varied, ranging from north-facing slopes to south-facing slopes and sometimes limestone grasslands. As the seasons change, you can discover a rich and diverse flora.

It is also fairly easy to reach Lac Kir, Plombières-les-Dijon or the grasslands of the Chenôve Plateau.