Asnois route

Starting point: Car park by the canal 47°23'48.9"N 3°36'04.9"E

(S/E) As you leave the car park, take the road on the left, which leads up to the village, and follow the red and white signposts. Continue through the village along the Grande Rue.

(1) Turn left, following the signs for the church. Keep right at the junction. From here, the markings are yellow.

(2) Walk past the church, keeping it on your right, then take the grassy path on the right. At the junction, take the path on the left leading to the Canal du Nivernais.

(3) When you reach the canal, take the towpath on the right towards Decize.

(4) At the double lock, carry on straight ahead along the towpath.

(5) At the junction with the D119, turn left. Cross the two bridges and you’ll arrive in the village of Cuzy. Cross the D985 carefully and turn left at the junction with the tower, then take the first path on the left. Pass under the power lines. When you reach the junction with the road, turn right onto the D165 and continue to Champagne.

(6) Walk through the village. After the last houses, leave the departmental road and turn left onto the road.

(7) After walking 1.2 km, turn left onto the path through the fields. It is marked in red and white. Cross the D985 carefully, then continue along the road opposite to reach the car park (S/E).

Saint-Loup Church and the bust of Rigollot: it is Asnois’s importance in the Middle Ages that explains the existence of such a large church. It was
built in the 13th century and features a roof structure shaped like an inverted boat hull. Important murals, notably of Saint Christopher, were discovered during the most recent renovation work. In the churchyard stand the bust and grave of Paul-Jean Rigollot, who in 1866 invented ‘Rigollot paper’, a poultice designed to ease breathing during respiratory ailments.

The Nivernais Canal: built between 1784 and 1841 to facilitate the transport of firewood from the Morvan to Paris, it stretches for 174 km. It is fed by three watercourses. This canal is also the only one in Burgundy to feature movable bridges. You’ll come across some along the way. After river transport ceased, it was not until the 1960s that the canal was converted for recreational boating.

The Coteaux de Tannay vineyard: the Tannay vineyard was established in 1207 to supply the king’s table. At that time, the wine known as ‘vin de Clamecy’ was shipped by river. Unfortunately, phylloxera attacked the vines as early as 1875. After the war, the vineyard was gradually rebuilt and now covers 26 hectares. It is run by six winegrowers producing Tannay wine, which has been recognised under the ‘Coteaux de Tannay’ Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 2011.
Domaine Jacky Gobillot: 03 86 24 22 87 / 06 82 53 35 04
Domaine Rousset: 03 86 29 31 36