Around the Combe à la Serpent, off the beaten track

The start and finish are in the same place, at a small car park at the start of Chemin de la Rente de la Cras, in the Fontaine d’Ouche district of Dijon, right next to the secondary school’s football ground.

(S/E) From the car park between the football ground and the Jean Claude Melinaud hall, cross a grassy area, a gentle climb between the school hedge and a small wood. You’ll reach a fork in the path near another car park.

(1) Take the path that climbs to the right; at the top of the hill, continue along the left-hand side, then take the first path that climbs to the right. A short climb leads to a track.

(2) Cross it to enter the woods (red markings). Follow this path until it joins a track which, on the right, leads to the Chemin de la Rente de la Cras.

(3) Turn left onto it and follow it until it descends onto the flat area of an old quarry. Continue straight on until you reach a fork.

(4) Turn right, taking the first path that climbs to the top of the quarry, even though it is blocked by a Yellow Cross.
It leads to the edge of some fields. Turn left and follow the path, through woodland or open ground, which winds along the contour line for about 700 m.
Then take the first path that climbs up, then turn left. You will find yourself in vineyards; cross through them.

(5) Then head left to descend to the edge of the field, following the path to the right for about 1 km.
Depending on the season and the crops, it is possible to go straight on, on level ground, as you leave the vineyards, to avoid the edge of the field and the gentle slopes.
You will then reach a junction with a path coming from the right.

(6) Turn left and head down to the signs for Combe de Bessey. Ignore the signs and head straight up, between the enclosed fields (dirt track suitable for vehicles). At the top, turn right and then, further on, left. The track leads to the edge of the woods.
(Straight ahead, 100 m further on is the deer park).**
The route turns left and follows the edge of the forest in a wide arc; in the morning, it is always in the sun. Follow this path between the forest edge on the right and the fields sloping down to the left. The path descends and enters the forest. A short climb leads to a track.

(7) At this point, turn immediately left and head down the path. At the end of the descent, you’ll reach a flat area; follow it to the end, keeping left. You’ll arrive at the apiary, which is open to visitors.
After going down some steps, head to the main apiary (go up to the right).

(8) Turn left at the foot of the stairs onto a path through the trees that follows the valley (marked Coteau Bessey on the IGN map). This path runs along the side of the valley, on the edge of the forest; follow it. At one point, head up to the left, past a cadole*, and continue to an electricity pylon. Head down to the right, to another pylon, go past it and head down to the left into a valley (unnamed on the map). At the bottom, take the path to the right.

(9) Then head left onto the path that climbs. It then follows the contour line, offering a fine view to the right and running almost alongside the vineyards, which are hidden by a small copse to the left.
Continue along the hillside, ignoring the path coming from the left. Keep to the right and, after a slight descent, turn left onto the path leading to the Combe de Bessey.

Turn left towards the top of this valley and then, immediately to the right, take a steep path. Follow it until it joins a flat, earthen path (usually marked in yellow). Follow this to the right until it leads back to the starting quarry.

(4) Now follow the track straight ahead, which offers a view to the right of the start of the Combe à la Serpent. (Do not take the path on the left that you took on the way out).
After about 250 metres, you’ll reach the fork you passed on the way out.

(2) Turn right. Retrace your steps along the path you took on the way there, which leads back down to the car park at the Salle Melinaud (S/E).

The app says 3 hours 30 minutes, but I did it in 2 hours 20 minutes at a steady pace.
Easy route. A good pair of trainers is enough. However, walking shoes are better suited, especially on wet ground.
The advantage is that you don’t come across too many people. On that day (25/05/2021), there was just a guy out trail running and a woman walking her dog near the apiary.

Beautiful views of Dijon and the surrounding valleys.

** You can veer slightly off the route to see the deer park. You can walk in a semi-circle around the park or, using the map, reach the point (7) by crossing the woods.
Visit to the apiary on the route. Shelter from the rain in some of the cadoles.

• Cadole is the name given to the old huts, often built of dry stone, found in the vineyards of Aube and southern Burgundy, and more particularly in the Beaujolais region. (source: Wikipedia)