Bouble Gorges in Chantelle

A short 8-shaped walk at the foot of Saint-Vincent de Chantelle Abbey.

Details

2203790
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.09 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 135 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 144 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 347 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 273 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at the town hall in Deneuille-lès-Chantelle.

(S/E) From the town hall car park, head south along Chemin de Champforêt for about 100 metres.

(1) Follow the path down to the right. After crossing a plateau with beautiful views of Chantelle, descend into the forest to reach the Bouble (some rocks are slippery when wet).

(2) Follow the path down the left bank of the Bouble to the Moulin des Pierres footbridge, without crossing it.

(3) Continue on the left bank of the Bouble via the small staircase to the north-east of the bridge. Keep following the left bank of the Bouble, passing at the foot of Chantelle Abbey, until you reach the Roc Cabri footbridge (there are a few steep steps to reach this footbridge).

(4) After crossing the footbridge, go down the stairs and walk back up along the right bank of the Bouble before climbing a steep hill towards Chantelle, arriving on the D987.

(5) Turn right towards the west to follow the D987 road to Chantelle (be careful of traffic, the pavements are narrow). Continue through Chantelle to reach the Abbaye crossroads.

(6) Turn right (north) onto Rue Anne de Beaujeu, towards the Abbey.

(7) Viewpoint on the left of the street and visit to Saint-Vincent Abbey if desired. Descend towards La Bouble from the abbey and arrive at Moulin des Pierres.

(8) Head towards the footbridge via Chemin du Moulin des Pierres. Then cross the Bouble again and turn left.

(3) Turn left towards the north for 40 m and turn right (northeast) onto Chemin de la Bouble to climb up to Deneuille-lès-Chantelle until you reach a triangular crossroads.

(9) Turn left (west) and follow the D282 road to a crossroads, before the war memorial. Turn left and head towards the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 347 m - Deneuille Lès Chantelles Town Hall
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 345 m - Champforêt Trail
  3. 2 : km 1.09 - alt. 298 m - Banks of the Boulbe - Bouble (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 2.01 - alt. 280 m - Moulin des Pierres footbridge. Loop junction - Abbaye Saint-Vincent de Chantelle
  5. 4 : km 3.31 - alt. 281 m - Roc Cabri footbridge
  6. 5 : km 3.73 - alt. 315 m - D987
  7. 6 : km 4.5 - alt. 330 m - Rue Anne de Beaujeu
  8. 7 : km 4.73 - alt. 316 m - Abbaye Saint-Vincent de Chantelle
  9. 8 : km 5.03 - alt. 277 m - Moulin des Pierres
  10. 9 : km 5.48 - alt. 329 m - Deneuille-lès-Chantelles
  11. S/E : km 6.09 - alt. 347 m - Deneuille lès Chantelle Town Hall

Notes

Short hike requiring no special equipment other than good shoes, given the presence of a few steep sections that can be slippery in wet weather.
There are a few narrow sections of the path overlooking the river where caution is required.
There are footbridges with metal steps that are not accessible to dogs.
The sections where the path had collapsed have been repaired.
The footbridges have been renovated since 2023.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 29 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 12323532

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Too bad... a recent storm meant that the access routes had to be cleaned up and some passages closed.

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Bricnet Yoann
Bricnet Yoann

However, it is marked as being from Deneuille-lès-Chantelle 03140

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magefeu
magefeu

hello
it's definitely a beautiful walk, but it appears in the Saône-et-Loire walks
so there's a sorting bug!

have a nice day

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Bricnet Yoann
Bricnet Yoann

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route but challenging

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Juleveric
Juleveric

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

There are a few errors or inaccuracies in the route description (Point 4), which cause confusion about the route to follow and can even lead to mistakes. We also met other hikers using Visorando who made the same mistakes as us and also complained about the inaccuracy of certain sections. Point 4 needs to be updated: where exactly do you go after the footbridge?
Otherwise, the walk is very pleasant and very pretty, combining landscapes (fields, forests, streams) and architecture (abbey, mills).
A bit crowded, as it was Sunday (dog walking day!)

Note: From the town hall car park, the path is not on the right, but opposite the town hall

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Cézal
Cézal
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Good evening,
Like Lenz, I would classify this hike as difficult.
Some sections are vertiginous and the path has collapsed in one place, so you need to be sure-footed.
Otherwise, Chantelle and the abbey are worth a look.
I'm very happy with this hike.

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Lenz
Lenz
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The gorges are indeed very picturesque and not very crowded.
But the route is far from easy: there are large steps on fairly steep ground, and especially at the bottom of the gorge at point 4, there is an iron bridge that medium-sized dogs cannot cross because the steps are very steep and the iron staircase hurts their paws. I had to turn back and wade across the Bouble, fortunately there was little water in August!
I would classify this hike as difficult. Some sections are vertiginous and the path has collapsed in one place, so you need to be sure-footed.
Otherwise, Chantelle and the abbey are worth a look.
Completed in 3 hours with a few short breaks.

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petiteglise@orange.fr
petiteglise@orange.fr
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Pleasant hike, very few people on the trail.

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Filcharp
Filcharp
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We thoroughly enjoyed this hike with our two children. The tranquillity of the river, the birdsong, the unusual bridges and arriving at the abbey. Really lovely. We'll definitely be back!

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EvA21
EvA21
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I loved this hike! Magnificent scenery throughout the walk, very rejuvenating.
However, it should be noted that some sections are quite steep, so it is best to wear suitable footwear and be in good physical condition.

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Ourson73
Ourson73
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

"Easy": this term needs to be very clearly defined!
"No equipment": indeed, ropes and harnesses are not required!

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GentilPapy
GentilPapy
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
First of all, the starting point doesn't seem right to me. We entered the village of Deneuille les Chantelles and headed straight for the town hall, where there is a small car park and other parking spaces. There is a small picnic table in the shade of a tree. There is a tap with fresh drinking water nearby. Great.
It might be a good idea to start from this spot.
When we wanted to start the hike after lunch, we weren't sure where it began. Heading west without a compass, it wasn't very easy to find.
After some hesitation, and with the map of the route I had printed out, we set off in the right direction.
We followed the map and the yellow markers (PR), which made it easier. We also used the Visorando map, but if we had followed it to the letter, we would certainly not have followed the meandering Bouble river so closely.
In fact, it was by pure chance that we met someone in charge of marking the route, who at one point showed us the right way. As a long-time hiker, I'll have to get used to your website. Perhaps. Best regards, and in a constructive spirit only. Otherwise, the hike was great!

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patval63
patval63
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Ceramic markers are very attractive, but not always easy to find.

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Frando
Frando
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

With the warm weather, it was a pleasant hike along the Bouble, but there were many mosquitoes near the water (in just one spot). The abbey was interesting.
Be sure to bring good walking shoes.

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bernie7745
bernie7745
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, but not as easy as we would have liked
Splendid and refreshing gorges

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