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The trail described below is signposted, sometimes in red, sometimes in yellow, and often in both red and yellow. On some sections, the signposting is barely visible or non-existent. It is particularly useful for following the winding paths through the woods.
The Transco bus stop is in Vougeot along the D974
(S) Cross the D974 via an underpass situated near a wash house along the River Vouge. Follow the river for a few dozen metres, then turn left onto the Chemin du Closeau, which leads onto the Avenue de la Gare; turn right onto this road and continue until you reach Vougeot station
(1) Climb the stairs to cross the railway line, then go back down the stairs on the other side of the track. Walk alongside the railway line for a few dozen metres until you reach Avenue du Recteur Marcel Bouchard, lined with plane trees; turn left onto this avenue and follow it for about 200 m.
(2) Take a dirt track that runs alongside the Vouge. Following the signposts, follow Rue des Abreuvoirs.
You’ll arrive in front of the church at Gilly-lès-Cîteaux (14th century).
(3). Continue along the street that runs alongside the castle; at the end of it, you’ll see the castle entrance on your right.
(4). Carry on straight ahead along Rue Grangier until you reach the junction with the D109. On the right is a washhouse, inside which a 19th-century scene has been recreated featuring wax figures of washerwomen.
(5). Follow the D109 for a few metres, then take thefirst road on the right which runs alongside the Vouge. At the end of the road, follow a dirt track to the left which continues alongside the Vouge as far as the D25.
(6) Continue along a path which leads right up to the bridge, which you must cross to get over the A31 motorway.
(7) Continue along the D25 for about 200 m. Shortly after the edge of the woods, you will find a boundary stone on the right engraved with the crozier bearing the letter ‘C’ of the Abbots of Cîteaux. Follow the signposted path through the woodland alongside a stream, then cross the stream to the left and follow the signposted path leading to the D116b, an ancient Roman road. On your right, you will see the village of Saint-Bernard a few hundred metres away.
(8) Cross the D116b and take the path opposite, running alongside the woodland without ever entering it, until you come to a small picnic area on your left.
(9). Follow the signposted path through the woods, passing marshy ground and ponds on your right. You will then see the Étang de Brétigny.
(10). Leave the signposted path for a few dozen metres to walk along the eastern side of the pond and spot the swans that live there, then continue along the signposted path through the woods – which is sometimes a little winding – until you reach a tarmac road leading to the village of Villebichot, which you’ll see on your right. Follow the road towards Villebichot for about a hundred metres until you reach a bridge over a small stream.
(11). Walk along the stream to the left, making use of the 5-metre grassy strip separating the stream from the cultivated field. You will then reach the D118, which links Cîteaux Abbey to Villebichot. Take the path on the left to reach the Fontaine de Pierre, a drinking trough probably built by the monks of Cîteaux in the 13th century.
(12) Follow the signposted path through the woods – which is sometimes winding – until you come to a wide forest track.
(13) Follow it for about 2 km to rejoin the D118.
(14). Follow it for about 500 m to reach Cîteaux Abbey, where you’ll find the Transco bus stop from which you can catch a bus back (E)
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