In the woods, following in the footsteps of Henri Vincenot

Park in the small car park at Auvillard (Auvillars) on the D33.

(S) Walk northwards for about 150m and turn left onto the path that runs alongside the meadow. Follow this path until you reach the edge of the woods. There, cross the forest track and continue climbing until you reach some rocky outcrops on the left.
Turn left onto the track, then reach a junction after passing them (elevation 502).

(1) Leave the track and take a small path veering sharply to the left that runs along the edge of the plateau. Ignore all paths branching off to the right.

(2) Once you reach the edge of the plateau (elevation 501), enjoy the view over the Ouche valley. Take a path on the left which descends steeply (some tricky sections) towards the Grotte de Tebsima: a beautiful opening and a large chamber set in the middle of the cliff face. According to H. Vincenot, a princess from the Middle East named Tebsima is said to have lived here, having been brought back from the Crusades by a knight. Turn back to the junction with the track.

Turn left for about a hundred metres, then turn left again onto a path that descends gently into a small valley. Ignore all the side paths to the right and left and continue to a junction at the edge of the forest; the house known as ‘La Pourrie’ is on the right, on the edge of the fields.

(3) Turn right and walk along the upper edge of the woodland, skirting the property. The author of *Le Pape des escargots* is buried here, alongside his son and wife; the graves are adorned with Celtic crosses. Turn left at the next two junctions, climb a short slope, then arrive at a crossroads where four paths meet.

(4) Walk 10m, turn right then left to cross a wide forest track after about 50m. Continue straight on, heading north-west, ignoring all turnings to the right and left. The path climbs slightly (large clear-cut area to the left of the path) up to the edge of the plateau, reaching the start of a forest road

(5) elevation 537 (clearing with a gamekeeper’s cottage). Continue straight ahead along this forest road, then turn right, descending along a track suitable for vehicles towards the hamlet of Saunière at the next Fork in the road and pass between the first houses.

(6) Turn left onto a west-facing track that passes under high-voltage power lines. Follow this track to the D33b road, which you’ll follow for 300m, heading uphill to the right.

(7) At the crossroads, turn left onto the old Roman road. Continue straight on at every junction you come to, heading south-west, until you reach a Fork in the road (Saint-Julien on the IGN map).

(8) Turn slightly left and head for the medieval village of Châteauneuf. Car park at the entrance near the water tower. At the village entrance, after passing under the archway, turn left into Place aux Moutons, then right into Rue du Centre, which leads to the castle (E).

You’ll need to leave a car at both the start and finish points

Tebsima Cave: ideal shelter for a campsite.
La Saunière hamlet: production of “Le Saunière” organic cheese
Châteauneuf: 4 bar-restaurants, car park

Paid tour of the Castle of the Dukes of Burgundy in Châteauneuf.