Église de l'Exaltation-de-la-Sainte-Croix, Bailly-le-Franc walks

The eighteenth stage of the Jura to Hauts-de-France route via the Francigena. During this stage, the route invites you to stop off at Rosnay-l’Hôpital, where the church features – exceptionally – a crypt. A little further on, the route allows you to admire two of the finest half-timbered churches. Whilst half-timbered architecture is common, its use in religious architecture remains unusual. Along the way, you’ll discover the church at Bailly-le-Franc, one of the most charming due to its size and the variety of its decorations, followed by the church at Outines, the most monumental and largest of all the half-timbered sanctuaries in Champagne. The stage ends near Lake Der, surrounded by lush countryside; this lake features quiet areas reserved for the 300 species of birds recorded to date. It’s an opportunity to join the photographers hidden away in the birdwatching hides as they keep an eye on the birds.