The Creux Bleu Spring, starting from Chaignay

This circular walk allows you to discover or revisit this magnificent resurgence with its bluish hue. This spring flows into the Ignon at the site, which has been developed into a small park with picnic tables, a children’s playground and a wash house.
Villecomte is also steeped in history, notably with the Surcouf group’s maquis. A commemorative plaque on the town hall, next to the resurgence, marks these historical events.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.70 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 925 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 896 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,503 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 961 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Chaignay (21120)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.477362° / E 5.072855°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3021SB, 3022ET, 3121SB, 3122SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park on Rue du Puits Chirot next to number 31 in the hikers’ car park.

(S/E) Turn left as you leave the car park, then right until you reach the small car park with the well.

(1) Head up to the right towards the town hall and school.

(2) Just after the town hall, turn left onto Rue Neuve, which has a well at the entrance. Follow this street, which turns into a partially tarmac-surfaced track leading towards a yellow control tower.

(3) After the sign indicating a barrier 150 m ahead, turn right onto the track. Immediately turn left twice. Follow the low wall covered in moss, turning right, and head up the valley. At the top, keep left, then turn right onto the track marked with plot boundary sign 123. When you reach the summit, turn right.

(4) Continue along this large Sommière des Gardes to the gate. Turn slightly left, then right to climb back up to the road (elevation 449). There, turn left, then quickly right onto the track that leads into the woods. At the end, turn right, then left (parcel boundary 25).

(5) Just before leaving the woods, turn left at the marker, then cross the track. At the end, turn left, then immediately take a sharp right-hand bend. The path gradually narrows until it is almost non-existent for a few metres before joining the track at Grande Combe Teuffey, which you should follow downhill.

(6) As you leave the woods, turn right onto the stony track, then follow the sign for Villecomte on the hiking signpost. Enter the village and take the Grande Rue.

(7) At the church, continue along the Grande Rue, turning first left, then right. Cross the Rue du Moulin to reach the Parc du Creux Bleu.

(8) Walk around this spring, then pass by the picnic tables and children’s play area. Head towards the car park, then turn right towards the wash house.

(9) Leave this developed area and turn left onto Rue du Moulin. Walk along the low wall where you can see the mill’s private grounds, then turn right onto Chemin du Bois la Dame. Continue straight along this path, which then leads into the woods, and head up this valley. At the first crossroads, continue straight ahead. At the second crossroads, go straight ahead, keeping to the right.

(10) At the boundary marker, continue straight on; the path becomes stony and descends. Follow this descent, then take the track to the left towards the gate.

(11) Just before the barrier, turn right onto the path that climbs and follow it to the plain. Continue straight ahead. When you reach the road, turn left towards the village of Chaignay. Walk past the cemetery and head towards the church.

(12) At the church, turn left towards Dijon to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,115 ft - Hikers’ car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 1,099 ft - Well
  3. 2 : mi 0.33 - alt. 1,129 ft - Town hall and school
  4. 3 : mi 1.39 - alt. 1,145 ft - Road sign – Barrier
  5. 4 : mi 2.36 - alt. 1,414 ft - Sommière des Gardes
  6. 5 : mi 4.14 - alt. 1,457 ft - Marker
  7. 6 : mi 5.33 - alt. 1,093 ft - Exit from the woods
  8. 7 : mi 6.17 - alt. 1,007 ft - Villecomte Church
  9. 8 : mi 6.39 - alt. 965 ft - Creux Bleu (Villecomte)
  10. 9 : mi 6.53 - alt. 968 ft - Villecomte wash house - Ignon (rivière)
  11. 10 : mi 7.86 - alt. 1,319 ft - Marker
  12. 11 : mi 8.05 - alt. 1,181 ft - Barrier
  13. 12 : mi 9.54 - alt. 1,171 ft - Église Saint-Pierre (Chaignay)
  14. S/E : mi 9.7 - alt. 1,115 ft - Hikers’ car park

Notes

Épagny Shooting Range: This site is no longer an aerial firing range. It is now used solely by the Longvic Gendarmerie School. Training exercises take place on Mondays and Tuesdays, possibly using blank ammunition and therefore posing no danger within marked-out areas.

This circular route passes through woodland: please check for hunting season restrictions.

Picnic tables at the Résurgence du Creux Bleu.

Worth a visit

Former Villecomte forge
Puy Chaugey in Chaignay

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Chabanis
Chabanis

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, much of which takes place in the forest. In previous years we used to start from Chaignay, as described in the guide, but as we prefer to tackle the uphill sections at the start of the walk rather than at the end, this year we set off from Villecomte and found it easier!

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DROUILLOT
DROUILLOT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

You can’t go wrong with such a perfect map and route description. Thank you, “MD1000pattes”.
This lovely walk, with its gentle gradients, takes us through two charming villages, along very pleasant valley paths and offers beautiful panoramic views.
Warning: this route includes several grassy paths teeming with ticks!!!

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titipop
titipop

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk through the woodland, which gave us the chance to explore Villecomte and its resurgence.

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TOURIGNY Jean-Luc
TOURIGNY Jean-Luc

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through two charming villages. I extended the route by going via the Chaigny well on the way out and the Médepain fountain on the way back.

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