Île de la Motte in Saint-Bénigne

de fr

On this route, you’ll discover the vast floodplain of the Saône, stretching as far as the eye can see. Once you reach the banks of the Saône, you can see Île de la Motte, which has been designated a Sensitive Natural Area.

Île de la Motte is home to colonies of herons: the little bittern, the little egret and the cattle egret, which can sometimes be sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season. The island’s presence on the river also helps to maintain fish diversity. Sediments carried by the Saône have been deposited and accumulated at La Motte, gradually creating small islets and secondary channels. Together, these form a mosaic of natural habitats that is home to an exceptional diversity of species.
Beavers are present on the site and, indeed, contribute to its management by cutting branches from willows and poplars to eat their bark.

Details

n°45303883
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
–
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.23 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 112 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 112 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 676 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 564 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

The walk starts at the car park in front of Saint-Bénigne Town Hall.

(S/E) With your back to the town hall, turn left. Walk past the school and ignore a path on the left to reach the junction with the Route des Rippettes. Follow it to the right. Ignore a Fork in the road to leave the village.

(1) Continue left along the track. At the Fork in the road, turn left until you reach the road.

(2) Turn left, then right at the junction. Carry on straight ahead. Pass through Les Vernettes, ignore the tarmac path on the left and then another on the right to reach the departmental road.

(3) Cross with care, turn left and then keep right three times to pass through a hamlet. Ignore a track on the right to reach a Fork in the road.

(4) Keep right and follow the road until it turns into a track. Carry on straight ahead along this track before crossing a stream on the right. Follow the stream until you have crossed a second one. Carry on until you reach a bend.

(5) Turn left towards the river. Once on the banks of the Saône, follow the riverbank southwards along a slope. Pass in front of the Île de la Motte.

(6) Carry on straight ahead. Cross the Leat de Longely and keep going until you reach the building on the left.

(7) Leave the path along the Saône and take the track. At the end of the track, follow the tarmac road opposite until you reach the small wood.

(8) Take the track on the left. At the end of the track, turn right and head back to the junction you passed on the way out.

(4) Return to the starting point by following the route in reverse. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 676 ft - Saint-Bénigne Town Hall
  2. 1 : mi 0.3 - alt. 663 ft - Leaving the village
  3. 2 : mi 0.74 - alt. 640 ft - Route
  4. 3 : mi 1.49 - alt. 646 ft - D933
  5. 4 : mi 2.17 - alt. 571 ft - Junction of the circular loop
  6. 5 : mi 4.02 - alt. 564 ft - Bend
  7. 6 : mi 4.66 - alt. 564 ft - Île de la Motte - Ile de la Motte
  8. 7 : mi 5.26 - alt. 568 ft - Building
  9. 8 : mi 6.51 - alt. 568 ft - Wood
  10. S/E : mi 9.23 - alt. 676 ft - Saint-Bénigne Town Hall

Worth a visit

Other walks in the area

Walking The Three Mills Route, starting from the church at Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze

Visorando Member
↔8.82 mi ↗+190 ft ↘-190 ft ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze (Ain)
A route with little elevation gain, offering the chance to explore part of the Reyssouze Valley near Chavannes. A lush cattle-rearing region in the heart of the Bresse.

Walking La Truchère-Ratenelle Nature Reserve and Site des Charmes

Visorando Member
Réserve Naturelle de la Truchère-Ratenelle et Site des Charmes
↔7.26 mi ↗+69 ft ↘-66 ft ◔3h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sermoyer (Ain)
It is undoubtedly the sand dunes that represent the most striking feature of the Nature Reserve. Shaped 5,000 years ago by the wind, these shifting sands are partially covered in mosses and lichens. Only species adapted to arid environments manage to colonise them. Just a few metres from this desert-like environment lies a waterlogged area stretching over 5 to 6 hectares: a wooded peat bog, the presence of which at an altitude of just 200 metres is surprising. A third, very different environment can be seen not far from there: Étang Fouget, whose surrounding marsh takes the form of a vegetative labyrinth and attracts numerous birds.

Walking Romenay's ponds

Visorando Member
↔6.30 mi ↗+102 ft ↘-118 ft ◔3h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Romenay (Saône-et-Loire)
A route along easy paths in the Bresse region, starting from the traditional village of Romenay.

Walking The Pérouse route in Bâgé-Dommartin

Local authority
↔4.13 mi ↗+66 ft ↘-72 ft ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Dommartin (Ain)
The Pérouse route will allow you to discover an authentic manor house (de la Pérouse) and an old mill alongside which flows the Pérouse leat. Built in half-timbered style, the manor house dates from the16th century. The church at Dommartin is notable for having its chancel facing west. The niche above the doorway houses a 15th-century statue of the Virgin and Child.

Walking From Cuisery to Loisy along the banks of the Seille

Visorando Member
↔5.38 mi ↗+13 ft ↘-13 ft ◔2h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Cuisery (Saône-et-Loire)
A path linking the Cuisery Water Sports Centre to the Loisy Water Sports Centre along the banks of the Seille. It’s a very pleasant round trip through the countryside and along the riverbank.

Walking Around Saint-Maurice-de-Sathonay

Visorando Member
Autour de Saint-Maurice-de-Sathonay
↔5.37 mi ↗+295 ft ↘-295 ft ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Saint-Maurice-de-Satonnay (Saône-et-Loire)
This walk, with its slight incline, is ideal for stretching your legs if you've got a couple of hours to spare.

Walking Circular route from Azé via Charcuble

Visorando Member
↔9.62 mi ↗+1,125 ft ↘-1,099 ft ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Azé (Saône-et-Loire) (Saône-et-Loire)
A lovely walk, mostly in the shade, which will take you to the foot of Mont-Saint-Romain, the highest peak in the Clunisois region, passing through the village of Charcuble, which still bears the mark of our recent history with its chapel. You can visit the Blanot and Azé Caves, or enjoy a swim at the Azé municipal swimming pool, which is open from1 June until the end of August.

Walking Mont Saint-Romain - Blanot - Étang de Crue starting from Azé

Visorando Member
↔11.54 mi ↗+1,850 ft ↘-1,854 ft ◔6h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Azé (Saône-et-Loire) (Saône-et-Loire)
From the Azé Caves car park, climb up to Mont Saint-Romain, then take a circular route around Blanot and return via the Étang de Crue. Enjoy a 360° panorama from the roof of the Mont Saint-Romain inn and a beautiful view from the orientation table above the Azé caves.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.