Way of St James: from Villeneuve-sur-Yonne to Joigny

(S) From Villeneuve-sur-Yonne station, turn right onto Rue de la Gare, then left onto Rue du Général Robillard, which continues as Rue du Bois until it reaches the River Yonne. Follow the riverbank to the right and head for the bridge: turn left onto it to cross the river and continue straight on to Villeneuve church.

(1) Then take the street running alongside the church on your right to the end of Rue Pierret, then Rue du Puits d’Amour. At the end, you’ll reach a promenade (with the old ramparts and a wash house below on the right), which you follow to the right. At the end, turn slightly diagonally left onto Faubourg de l’Espérance. Cross a street to reach Rue de Beaudémont, which you follow to the left. Go through the tunnel under the D606 and, at the exit, take the steps on the right. You’ll come out onto a path; follow it.

(2) At the second junction, take the path on the left (marked ‘La voie Creuse’ on the map), cross a road and continue up the slope, which leads into a wood. Carry on straight ahead, ignoring the paths to the right or left, until you reach a tarmac road.

(3) Follow the road to the left, skirting the village of Beaudémont. At the next two Forks in the road, carry on straight ahead (the right-hand path). The path continues along the hillside; you’ll leave the tarmac behind (lovely views of the Yonne valley to the right). Then descend quickly to a small tarmac road.

(4) Follow the road to the left and, after a few metres, cut across the bend in the road (in March 2017, the site was very muddy). Return to the road (Rue de Bellevue). After about a hundred metres, turn right onto a footpath between the gardens. Turn left at the bottom of the footpath, then right onto Rue d’en Haut. You’ll come out onto the D122: turn right onto it, cross the D606 and head towards the banks of the Yonne.

(5) Follow the towpath on the left along the banks of the Yonne (various names within the commune) as far as the Villevallier Bridge.

(6) Cross the Villevallier Bridge and continue along the riverbank. At the next Fork in the road, leave the towpath on your right and carry straight on across the fields (houses and then factories on your left). You’ll reach the Yonne on the edge of a small wood.

(7) Follow the River Yonne again, turning left, and, after about 300 metres, leave the riverbank once more by turning left at the Fork in the road along the edge of the woodland. You will see the Joigny bypass.

(8) Cross this road via a tunnel, continue along the banks of the Yonne and then the Joigny diversion canal, and reach the Saint-Aubin lock.

(9) Carry on along the canal until you reach the outskirts of Joigny.

(10) You’ll come to a tarmac quay and the banks of the Yonne.

(11) At the junction with the D959, turn left diagonally onto Rue Saint-Jacques. At a Fork in the road, turn right onto Rue Montant au Pays. At the next junction, turn left towards Joigny church.

(12) From the church, retrace your steps and turn left onto Rue Haute Saint-Jean, which leads back down towards the River Yonne. At the T-junction, turn right. Then turn left onto the bridge. Continue straight on along Avenue Gambetta, and at the roundabout, head towards Avenue Charles de Gaulle, which leads to the station (E).

Train stations at Villeneuve-sur-Yonne and Joigny; TER services run very frequently during the day.
Yellow-and-blue signposting is very consistent, but less common in Villeneuve or Joigny.
A few benches here and there along the River Yonne (at the Quai des Pêcheurs, for example).

Hôtel Le Saint-Julien in Saint-Julien-du-Sault (an 800m detour), offering overnight accommodation.

Possible detour to Saint-Julien-du-Sault.