Sermentole and Asnois circular

The starting point is at Saint-Loup Church, which is located on the southern edge of the village of Asnois. Park in the church car park.

(S/E) Take the small tarmac road that goes uphill (^GR® signposting). At the cross (painted red), leave the^GR® and take the path to the left of the cross and continue straight on to the village street (Grande Rue P.J Rigollot). Turn left towards the war memorial (Chemin de Compostelle signposting).

(1) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead along the road (D185) and leave Asnois. At the stop sign, cross the D34 with caution and take the path opposite, which climbs slightly alongside the vineyards (orange and white markings), leaving the Compostela path. Do not take the first path on the left that you come to, but continue climbing.

(2) At the next crossroads (signposted Le Tour de Sermentole - orange and white markings), turn left and continue for about 200 m. Take a small path that climbs to the right (signposted Sentier du Haut - orange and white markings). At the top of the steep slope, once you reach the Tour de Sermentole signpost, turn left and continue along this path through the forest. The lower path joins our path (at the corner of a vineyard), but you must continue straight ahead, descending towards other vineyards to reach a wider path.

(3) Turn right onto a slight incline (orange and white markings). When you reach a fork, turn left along the vineyard and leave the Autun-Orléans Roman road on your right. At the end of the vineyard, enter the woods and continue to follow the orange and white markings of the Tour de Sermentole. When you reach the edge of the woods, you will come to a path that runs alongside the fields. Turn right.

(4) Continue along this path, which runs alongside the forest on one side and the vineyard on the other.
An electric fence with a handle may block this private path; do not forget to put it back in place after you pass through.
At the next crossroads, turn right (white and orange markings: Le Tour de Sermentol). You will reach the Roman road from Autun to Orléans.
After about 100 m, turn left onto the small path that leads into the woods (orange and white markings).
This path is slightly sloping.

(5) Continue along this path until you reach a track and turn right downhill (orange and white markings).
The descent becomes steeper and at the end of the path, you will leave the forest and arrive at a field. Turn right (orange and white markings: Le Tour de Sermentole). Do not take the path coming from Villiers-sur-Yonne and continue straight ahead along the forest. Leave the path on the right (with beehives) and continue to follow the orange and white markings, walk along a vineyard, then look for a kind of iron container on the right.

(6) Shortly after this container, leave the path and take a small trail that climbs to the right (orange and white markings). Walk alongside the vineyards with a small concrete cube on your right, which is the Asnois water tower, and rejoin the path you took on the way there.

(2) Turn left to descend towards Asnois, leaving the orange and white markings behind. Cross the D34 again and take the D185 opposite towards Asnois.

(1) When you reach the war memorial, take the road on the left that descends towards the village and runs alongside the fields. Continue straight on this road until you reach the old castle gate.

(7) Turn right towards the town hall, following Rue du Château. This road runs alongside the castle, but there will be a better view later on at the bottom of the village. Pass the town hall on your right, with the winegrower's house in the courtyard.
At the end of Rue du Château, turn left onto Rue de la Maison Dieu, then take the first street on the right, Rue du Lavoir (a tiny street with just one house number, No. 1). At the crossroads, go straight ahead to the wash house.

(8) After visiting the wash house, head downhill to the right towards the Yonne river, enjoying the view of the castle on your left. Cross the bridge over the Nivernais canal and head towards the bridge over the Yonne river. Before reaching it, turn left to relax on the cool grass and even enjoy a swim in the Yonne.

(9) Turn back, cross the bridge over the canal again and immediately turn left to follow it. Continue along the Voie Verte to the Pont de l'Âne, a drawbridge that allows both agricultural machinery and barges to pass.

(10) Take the path on the right towards Asnois (green and^GR® markings). Continue straight ahead and do not turn left (^GR®, green, orange and white markings). You will reach the Church of Saint-Loup (S/E).

• Please note: there are no water sources on the route, but you can ask the locals in Asnois, who are very welcoming and some may even show you around their cellars!
• There are no food shops in Asnois (but there is one 4 km away in Tannay).
• On the route, you will pass by the Asnois winegrower (excellent value for money, but make an appointment in advance to visit the cellar).
• Lodge and rooms for pilgrims in Asnois
• Markings:^GR®, Way of St James, Tour de Sermentole (orange and white).

Thanks to Bernard C., who volunteers his time to maintain and mark all the paths in Asnois.

(S/E) Saint-Loup Church (closed) from the 13th century.

(7) Château de Blanchefort: private castle dating from the 16th to 19th centuries. This bourgeois house is all that remains of the former feudal castle, which was once surrounded by walls. After being burned down, the castle underwent major alterations in the 16th century.
- 16th-century town hall.
- Asnois winegrower in the town hall courtyard.

(8) Wash house and drinking trough built after 1835. The wash stones are cut stone and the floor is cemented.
Next to the wash house is a series of drinking troughs for animals.

(9)
- Bridge dating from 1754 with round arches
- Swimming area
- Wash house