Between castles and mills in the upper Armançon valley

This half-day hike will take you from the valleys to the plateaus of the Auxois in a bucolic setting.

Details

192020
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.06 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 160 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 154 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 525 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 379 m

Photos

Description of the walk

How to get to Chailly-sur-Armançon: From Pouilly-en-Auxois, take the road towards Saulieu. After 6km, enter Chailly-sur-Armançon and follow the signs for Saulieu as far as the town hall, where you'll find a few parking spaces and where the hike begins.

(S/E) With the town hall on your left, follow the Saulieu road to the end of the village.

Yellow markings

After leaving the village, take the first track on the left, past the livestock buildings. Head south down the valley to the village of Dionne.

(1) Don't forget to visit the wash-house and spring at the entrance to the village on your right.
Continue uphill for a few metres and take the first tarmac road, which turns left in a hairpin. After 500 metres, at the start of the descent, turn right to follow the gravel path which lies slightly below the edge of the plateau. Follow this signposted path for about 2km.

(2) On your left, you'll have a fine view of the Armançon valley. When you reach the tarmac road, turn right onto it for about 200m and take the first path that turns to the left.

Green and yellow markings

(3) On your right you'll see an old windmill, and behind you the windmills of the 21st century.

Follow the path slightly downhill into Châtellenot. Keeping to the signposts, pass the village wash-house, then under the castle, to reach a path heading east-north-east down to the valley through meadows. In the forest, keep to the right. After a kilometer of descent and at the end of the wood, at the signpost, turn left (towards Bellenot). Cross the bridge and follow the left-hand path along the edge of the gully. When you reach the lake, follow the signs to Bellenot.

(4) Cross the bridge at the end of the lake. Skirt around the Cercey reservoir, admiring its diverse flora and fauna as you go. When you reach the start of the dike, turn left before the small cabin, cross the small road and follow the reservoir's feed channel on its right for about 1km. Continuing to follow the signs, turn right onto the path that leads into the forest opposite a footbridge.

Off marked path

(5) When you reach the tarmac track, turn left and follow it all the way back to Chailly-sur-Armançon.

(6) On the way, take time to admire the castle and its golf course. In the village, take the 3rd street on the right just after the Grande Maison to return to the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 387 m - Chailly-sur-Armançon town hall car park
  2. 1 : km 2.29 - alt. 497 m - Dionne spring and washhouse
  3. 2 : km 3.8 - alt. 504 m - View of the valley
  4. 3 : km 5.43 - alt. 524 m - Windmills
  5. 4 : km 9.21 - alt. 383 m - Carefour, Cercey reservoir
  6. 5 : km 11.75 - alt. 379 m - Tarmac road
  7. 6 : km 12.35 - alt. 393 m - View of Chailly Castle
  8. S/E : km 13.06 - alt. 387 m - Chailly-sur-Armançon town hall car park

Notes

Look up what you need to know and take extra care during hunting season, as you'll be passing through wooded areas where big game is frequent.
Make sure you wear hiking boots with good ankle support.
There are no water refills on this route.
This route can also be done by mountain bike.
For information on accommodation in the area:
La Capitainerie - marina - 1 rue de la coopérative - 21320 Pouilly-en-Auxois
Tel: 03 80 90 77 36 / Fax: 03 80 90 81 66
info@pouilly-auxois.com
www.pouilly-auxois.com

Worth a visit

Things to see on the way:
(1) Dionne wash house and spring.
(2) View of the Amançon valley and Pouilly-en-Auxois.
(3) Windmill on the plateau above Châtellenot, then the washhouse and Châtellenot castle (not open to visitors).
(4) The Cercey reservoir with its flora and fauna. One of five reservoirs feeding the Burgundy canal.
(6) Chailly castle and golf course.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Marie Lau
Marie Lau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

With the autumn colours, it was magnificent.

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Orchie
Orchie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with a variety of landscapes and pretty views, over the Armançon valley, Cercey lake and the Château de Chailly from Cercey.

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Miss2roub
Miss2roub

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant and easy
We went round the reservoir in reverse.
It was perfect!

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User 16955432

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk with lovely views, the only problem is that in the wood after the little village of Dionne there are 2 trees that have collapsed right in the middle of the path.
A very pleasant walk to the edge of Lake Cercey.
Very pretty wash-house at Dionne with a nice picnic area.

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Beuret André
Beuret André

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk for the whole family, 15 km in length.

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ombrageux
ombrageux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

Nice hike with a 7 year old.

Just watch out for the small path at the end of the lake which is not easy to find, you could take the wrong path a little further on.

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colboi1817
colboi1817

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The problem with the route is that it's thick and hides the path, so you don't know whether you're on a road or a track.but the description is good and I'm delighted with my discovery.I'm going to take a group with me in the last week of August.thanks to the author.

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paspatrand
paspatrand

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

An easy, pleasant walk with lots of paths through undergrowth, ideal for hot weather. On the downside, the walk ends with a walk along the road to Chailly, so be careful of the traffic.

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poucito
poucito

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Pretty village of Dione with its beautiful wash-house.
Beautiful views over the Armançon valley and Cercey lake.
Easy and pleasant walk.
Good for an afternoon

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phiphinot27
phiphinot27

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

rolling green countryside. A pleasant walk. Good signposting.

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okfriend
okfriend

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pretty walk to be avoided in hot weather

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mmjl
mmjl

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very pleasant tour, ideal in cool weather, with superb views

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Amubayette
Amubayette

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The walk is well described and easy to follow thanks to the yellow and green markings. Pretty village of Dione with its beautiful washhouse. The descent to the reservoir is very pleasant, with a beautiful forest. Beautiful views over the Armançon valley.

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saint-apollinaire
saint-apollinaire

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An easy route with fine views over the Armançon valley and Lac de Cercey.
At the end of the circuit, when you reach the godronnée road, you can take the little path that runs alongside the golf course, a small section of which was not yet mown.
The village has some beautiful Burgundian village houses.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thanks allons'y
You can retrieve the track on any GPS using the "export gps" tab under the map of the route.

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