Roman Gates Route - Les Chaumottes - Temple de Janus

Short historical route north of Autun, taking in the Porte Saint-André, the Temple de Janus, the Porte d'Arroux, the military college and the Église Saint-Jean. A magnificent walk through meadows, with small footbridges crossing the rivers, allowing you to stroll along the banks of the Arroux.

Details

123694
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.70 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 17 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 17 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 311 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 288 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Morvan
  • ⚐ District: Autun (71400)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.957144° / E 4.306591°
  • Accessible from the train station Gare d'Autun.
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2824OT, 2924SB, 2925SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Porte Saint-André.

(S/E) Take the Route d'Arnay north towards Dijon (D681). 150 m after the crossroads, turn left onto Rue de Charolles (to avoid the main road).

(1) Cross the level crossing and, 150 m after, turn left onto Chemin de la Passerelle.
Cross the river via the footbridge.

(2) Join Route de Saulieu (D980). Turn left, pass in front of the municipal campsite and continue to the Arroux bridge.

(3) Just before the bridge, turn right and pass in front of the Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin. Cross the river again via two footbridges and continue to the Temple de Janus via Chemin Jeanne Barret.
After the Temple, turn left onto Route de la Genetoye and join the D681.
Cross the Arroux via the bridge.

(4) Immediately turn left onto Promenade Montmerot (signposted before the café). Walk along the banks of the Arroux before reaching the gate of the same name. Go under the gate and immediately turn left onto Rue du Parc Saint-Jean, which runs alongside the military college.

(5) Pass the entrance to the college and continue straight on until you reach the D980 (Rue du Faubourg d'Arroux). Turn left onto the railway bridge and then left again onto Rue Naudin.
At the Church of Saint-Jean, turn left onto Avenue de la République, then right onto Rue de Gaillon.
Finally, reach the Porte Saint-André (Reformed church just before) (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 305 m - Porte Saint-André
  2. 1 : km 0.5 - alt. 295 m - Rue de Charolles
  3. 2 : km 1.62 - alt. 288 m - Footbridge - Ternin (rivière) - Affluent de l'Arroux
  4. 3 : km 2.41 - alt. 292 m - Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin
  5. 4 : km 3.63 - alt. 289 m - Montmerot walk - Arroux (rivière)
  6. 5 : km 4.6 - alt. 306 m - Military college
  7. 6 : km 5.33 - alt. 306 m - Rue de Gaillon
  8. S/E : km 5.7 - alt. 305 m - Porte Saint-André

Notes

You can also start from the municipal campsite at Les Chaumottes (D980) or from the Temple de Janus car park.
Picnic tables near the Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin (Chemin Jeanne Barret).
Public toilets at landmark (4) (Boulevard de l'Industrie) - Bakery and café nearby.

Worth a visit

View of the slag heaps (former bituminous shale dumps) from the footbridge path, landmark (2).
Admire the gates and the Roman temple of Janus (information panels). In summer, take a good look around these monuments, as artists regularly exhibit original works here.
Water point at the campsite (food available in summer).
Lovely views of the military college and the Arroux river.
Gallo-Roman rampart 200 m on your left after the starting point of the walk (work by a local artist exhibited in summer), as well as along the Montmerot promenade.
Temple of Janus.
Fountain at the foot of the Saint-André gate.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 26844221

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

end of the circuit not as good

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User 25704113

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Too much road travel for our liking, about two-thirds of the route, including one-third on very busy and noisy roads.
On the other hand, we enjoyed discovering the two gates and the Temple of Janus.

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PITAUD Françoise
PITAUD Françoise

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short, well-explained walk that allows visitors to see some of our beautiful Gallo-Roman ruins.
Highly recommended for tourists.

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Laire Marie Jo
Laire Marie Jo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice hike, just the problem of having to follow country roads at times.

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FKNECHT
FKNECHT

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We completed this route with two children aged 9 and 4 without any difficulty, either in terms of the terrain or the route itself. Avoid in hot weather as there is little or no shade. The section along the main road is the least pleasant, but you have to take it to reach the Temple of Janus.
Thank you for sharing.

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pBRET
pBRET

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this post.
I rediscovered the slag heaps of Autun, several Roman gates, and discovered the VERY BEAUTIFUL temple of Janus.
Nice.

However, I would change the description as follows:
Not "Cross the Arroux via the bridge and take..." but rather "Turn left to cross the Arroux bridge and take...
Not "Follow the banks of the Arroux before reaching the gate of the same name," but rather "Follow the banks of the Arroux to the first house (the one before the Arroux bridge); then leave the banks by going up the path on the right (along the houses) before reaching the gate of the same name."

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rochelauga
rochelauga

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Avoid days that are too hot, as there is no shade along the route. Otherwise, it is a lovely, easy route for enthusiasts of Gallo-Roman archaeology.

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gens62
gens62

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very interesting hike, although I should point out that it is mostly on tarmac (but I don't think there was any other choice).

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lionvs
lionvs

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant walk, but best done when it is not too sunny or too hot, as there is little shade.

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marcus2117
marcus2117

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant walk with lots to discover, plus a visit to Autun town centre and the cathedral.

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onmapadi
onmapadi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike, which we rounded off with a climb up to Autun Cathedral.

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