Around Abbaye de Cîteaux

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This gentle trail takes in one of the major structures built in the 13th century by the monks of Cîteaux to ensure their water supply: the Canal de la Cent Fonts.

Details

n°365830
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 42 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 40 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 227 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 201 m
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Description of the walk

Start: Car park at Abbaye de Cîteaux.
(S/E) Cross the D996 and turn left along a wooded path that runs alongside the Canal de la Cent Fonds (heading North).

(1) Arrive opposite the Forgeotte farm, where the Cîteaux monks first settled in 1098. The present castle dates from the 19th century. A deer park is visible.
Follow the path to the junction with the D25. Here you'll find a picnic area, as well as a fresco and a sculpture made from a tree that fell during the 1999 storm.

(2) Turn left and follow the D25 for about 1km to the village of Corcelles-lés-Cîteaux, where there is a picnic area in the undergrowth on the right at the village entrance.

(3) Continue for about 100m on the D25, then turn left onto Rue des Chênes, until you reach the D996.
(4) Follow it to the left, towards Seurre, until you leave the village.

(5) Turn right onto a small local road towards Villebichot. Leave the water treatment plant on your left.

(6) Shortly after entering a wood, turn right at a fork in the road.

(7) Take the second path on the left, and at the end, take the path on the left. Cross the small road from Corcelles-lès-Cîteaux to Villebichot, then take the first path on the right to the Grange Neuve forest road.

(8) Follow this forest road on the left to the D116, which joins the GR® de Pays "Sur les traces des Moines de Cîteaux".

(9) Then follow the D116 left to the Abbaye de Cîteaux (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 203 m - Abbaye de Cîteaux
  2. 1 : km 1.9 - alt. 204 m - Ferme de la Forgeotte
  3. 2 : km 4.76 - alt. 205 m - Intersection D25
  4. 3 : km 5.89 - alt. 227 m - Picnic area Corcelles-les-Cîteaux
  5. 4 : km 6.37 - alt. 224 m - Junction D996
  6. 5 : km 6.8 - alt. 216 m - Route de Villebichot
  7. 6 : km 7.95 - alt. 205 m - At the fork, turn right
  8. 7 : km 8.38 - alt. 208 m - Path on the left
  9. 8 : km 9.68 - alt. 221 m - Forest road
  10. 9 : km 12.71 - alt. 201 m - Intersection D 116
  11. S/E : km 13.46 - alt. 203 m - Abbaye de Cîteaux

Notes

A picnic area at (2), with tables, but no benches and little shade.
A picnic area at (3), well shaded in undergrowth.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
User 9556885

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It is difficult to know where to start crossing the road.
Several wooden footbridges require maintenance, as accidents could easily occur given the somewhat dilapidated state of the logs. Several trees are blocking the path.
It appears that maintenance work on the path is scheduled for the coming weeks.
To be continued..

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Mélanie521
Mélanie521

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A flat walk.
The route follows the IGN tracks, but the pity is that the tracks are not marked (no yellow or red markings).
Especially at the start, which is quite hidden, and unless I knew there was a hiking trail, I would never have ventured there.

The paths are pleasant and easy, along the stream on the way in and along the monks' path on the way back.

There are a few stretches on the roads though.

Cîteaux Abbey is magnificent, and I think I'll be back when it's reopened to visitors.

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BROCKMANN
BROCKMANN

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Quiet route after passing the section along the road at the start. Watch out for very hungry mosquitoes!!!!

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jorou
jorou

Crossing the road is very dangerous.lack of visibility on the bend

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tatouille76
tatouille76

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The start, near the Abbey was very grassy, not clear, we collected a few ticks ..., along the bottomless is quite nice, but the forest path back (especially from 8 to 9) is very monotonous.....We have not had the chance to steph, the abbey shop was closed (Tuesday)

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steph-71
steph-71

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

The first part through the forest and along the river is very pleasant.
The rest of the route, however, is a bore... From point 2 to point 3, there is more than a kilometre to cover in a straight line along a main road. You then pass through the village of Corcelles-les-Citeaux, which is of little interest.
Then, after skirting another main road, we head back towards the forest, taking a few detours along small paths in the woods until we reach point 8, where the ordeal begins!
You turn left onto a forest track and discover a huge, monotonous straight stretch that seems endless. And when you finally reach the end, a slight right turn and... Here we go again! A second straight just as long, endless and uninteresting! We couldn't see the end of it, and it really wasn't pleasant for us. And I think it's important to point out that if it's very hot, this whole section is in direct sunlight.
Fortunately, we found comfort on arrival at the Cîteaux Abbey shop with a good piece of cheese!

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BRUNO1
BRUNO1

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route through woodland, except for the section on tarmac roads around Corcelles-les-Citeaux.
The first section, along the river Cent-Fons, is the most interesting.

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Setra21
Setra21

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

First part very interesting
The road section is not very pleasant
The wide forest path leading to the abbey is pleasant
pleasant walk overall

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TOURIGNY Jean-Luc
TOURIGNY Jean-Luc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk to do in high season.

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chripch
chripch

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Google map can help you find your way through the forest to shorten the loop a little ...the loop. And the monks' syrup awaits the thirsty gourmand at the car park ..., ,

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Peter Pan 21
Peter Pan 21

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

pleasant walk, most of which is cool, accessible to the whole family, with a stop at Citeaux Abbey
do it again

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Her253
Her253

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The stretch along the canal is pleasant, except at the beginning because of the noise from the cars on the nearby departmental road.
At point 2 there are 2 picnic tables with benches.
Watch out for cars on the tarmac sections.
Nice return through the forest, although a little monotonous.

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ponsot
ponsot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

This is a fairly easy route, suitable for all walkers, even the less experienced, but take care along the D25.

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Didier boiteux
Didier boiteux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Nice walk in the first part, along the "Sans fond" river
After Corcelles les Cîteaux A stretch of road that requires you to watch out for cars: shame ........

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BOICHE-LOURENCO
BOICHE-LOURENCO

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

This is a very forested walk, so it all depends on what you're looking for when you do it. As photographers who like to see beautiful landscapes, we were a little disappointed by the monotonous scenery. To each his own.
A few corrections to be made to the description:
S/E: the Abbey car park is large. Return to the D996 road and follow the "chemin des randonneurs" sign. This will take you to the start of the track shown here.
6: It says to take the road on the right and then the second path on the left. We came up against a fence indicating private property and no entry. So we returned to point 6 and followed the road to the left. We then took the first path on the left, then the first on the right, and arrived at point 8.
S/E: We use "Décathlon Coach" for our walks... And then, surprise! Despite the shortcut between points 6 and 8, it turns out that we walked 14.9 kms (not 13.46 kms) and the difference in altitude recorded is +/- 161m (not 47-48).
So the 'average' level is justified.

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