Essoyes walks

A lovely walk through the Champagne vineyards.

Discover the cadoles of Courteron, as well as the magnificent vineyard landscape from the ridge path.

The Riceys vineyards cover the largest area of any in the whole of Champagne. They boast three appellations d’origine contrôlée. Located in the Côte des Bars, the vineyards are easily accessible to walkers, with access often made easier by roads maintained for vineyard operations.

This circular walk takes us into the vineyard area of Les Riceys and Balnot-sur-Laignes. Leaving the vineyards behind, the return journey follows the course of the Laignes river and takes the route of the old "tacot" railway line which, from 1901, linked Les Riceys-Polisot to Cunfin.

Discover some of the many Champenois cadoles, as well as the vineyards and forests of Les Riceys.

A walk through one of the most beautiful landscapes in Champagne, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vineyards, woodland paths and cadoles. Provisional route pending the opening of the official Cadoles de la Côte des Bar trail.

Une belle balade familiale à partir des Riceys, commune viticole au Sud de la Champagne dans la côte des Bars, à la croisée des chemins avec la Bourgogne toute proche. Cette commune est composée des trois villages, Ricey Bas, Haute Rive et Ricey Haut. La commune bénéficie de trois appellations et bénéficie du plus grand terroir classé champagne.

Bergères is a charming wine-growing commune in the Côte des Bar. This route offers picturesque landscapes of the Côte des Bar through valleys, hillsides, vineyards, fields, moors and forests. From April to June, magnificent orchids bloom on the calcareous soils of the Côte de l'Église and Côte Garnier. This route largely follows the Circuit de la Croix Bleue. It also follows the GR® de Pays des deux Bar and the GR® Gaston Bachelard.

The walk starts in the small village of Molesme, situated in the north of the Côte-d’Or, in the valley of the Laigne – a tributary of the Seine – in a region straddling Burgundy and Champagne. Life in this village was strongly influenced by the monastic life of the abbey, which over the centuries experienced the consequences of the Hundred Years’ War, the Wars of Religion and the Revolution… The abbey is open to the public during the summer months by appointment. A leisurely walk allows you to explore and visit the ruins of the Oppidum of Vertillum, which was a major city in Roman times.

Starting from Spoy, this route takes you to the Fravaux wash house, the Pelouse de la Côte de l’Étang Nature Reserve and the Roman bridge.

A lovely walk in the hills above Bar-sur-Aube, starting from the Sainte-Germaine Farm, where, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to watch paragliders. Make the most of the beautiful views from this vantage point.

Two villages notable for their heritage are linked by this route, which crosses the River Barse, winding through pastures and orchards – a landscape typical of the humid Champagne region. The path passes by the former abbey of Montiéramey and two manor houses in Montreuil-sur-Barse.

A wine-growing region producing champagne, the Côte des Bars has a hilly landscape. This route crosses countryside, vineyards and forests on either side of the Aube valley, linking the villages of Bossancourt, Dolancourt, Jaucourt and Arsonval.

On the shores of Lake d’Orient, the traditional village of Mesnil-Saint-Père has retained its authentic Champagne charm. The interpretive trail winds its way between the houses and orchards, between the harbour and the church.

Between lake and forest, countryside and orchards, this route includes the Sentier du Lapin Blanc (White Rabbit Trail). Revealing a preserved village and its barns, crossing a wood, open countryside and green meadows, running along the beach and the dyke, this route sums up all the attractions of the Forêt d'Orient Regional Nature Park.

Partly following the Templar interpretation trail, the Salamander Trail and theGR® de Pays, this forest route offers original views such as that from the Fontaine aux Oiseaux dyke.

In the heart of the Forêt d’Orient Nature Park, this discovery trail explores aquatic habitats home to numerous wild species, including the salamander. It was established by the ONF and the Park. This walk follows part of a route that explores the history of the Domaniale du Temple forest, the largest forest estate the Knights Templar ever owned in the West.

The Colossus with Feet of Clay is a short hiking trail of about 7 km. It invites hikers to discover the remarkable character of this forest area of the Orient Forest, and also addresses more serious issues such as climate change and the impact of humans on the natural environment. The originality of the Colosse aux pieds d'argile trail lies in its seven stations, each featuring impressive works of art. For example, gates symbolise the entrance to a peaceful space and, with their imposing presence, invite visitors to be discreet. A little further on, ceramic sculptures evoke the cultural heritage of the site and spark the imagination with traces of human history.

A 19 km circular route starting from the Maison du Parc de la Forêt d'Orient, with a well-signposted route at the start (Colosse aux Pieds d'Argile), followed by a mix of wide and narrow paths that are very pleasant in fine weather.

To go birdwatching in the National Nature Reserve at Lac du Temple, an observatory has been set up by the Park. Access is on foot or by bike via a straight, well-maintained forest track (white path).

This easy, mainly forest-based route takes you through the century-old trees of the Grand Orient Forest, crossing forest streams, with just a short detour to the village of La Loge-aux-Chèvres.

Almost exclusively in the forest, this route offers a wide variety of deciduous trees, forest environments, and path widths. These damp woods are home to the yellow-bellied toad, a protected and increasingly rare species.

Starting from a family-friendly beach, this route showcases the best features of the lakes of the Forêt d’Orient: it offers a pleasant mix of walking through a diverse state-owned forest and along the shores of Lac d’Orient, with stunning views of the submerged forest at ‘high tide’.

Connecting Géraudot Beach on Lac d'Orient and the golf course located in the forest area, this route passes through different environments: meadows bordered by hedges, open farmland, dense deciduous forests, and the charming village of Géraudot.

Half of this forest route follows the Vélovoie cycle path, revealing a wide variety of lakeside landscapes: the submerged forest of Lac d'Orient, the unobstructed view from the Lac du Temple dyke. This is in stark contrast to the dirt tracks of thesecond part of the route, which takes you through forests and countryside.