The Mont Preneley circular route between Glux-en-Glenne and Rangère

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk in the Morvan region of Nièvre, at the source of the Yonne and around Mont Preneley... the route description is detailed enough that no specific signposting is required... there are two sections of road which, whilst certainly quiet, add nothing to the route except to increase its length...On the other hand, the climb to the summit of Mont Preneley is of no interest... no path, no signposting, an ascent and descent through steep woodland and areas of clear-cut timber where it is dangerous to walk... the summit is not marked apart from a triangulation point and a marker probably left by hikers...The summit is entirely wooded with no views or clearings offering a panorama of the surrounding area... This section of the route is therefore of no interest, apart from reaching an altitude of 755 m, at the highest point in the Nièvre department... The hike would be just as lovely, just as interesting, shorter and easier without this forest section, which is difficult to navigate and adds no value to the walk...

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Most of the route was covered during circular laps in the area between late August 2024 and late October 2024.
As the car park at Port des Lamberts is “winding and rather cramped”, there is a real risk of your vehicle being blocked in by someone inconsiderate.
If I were to do the entire circular route in a single day, I would leave my car behind and set off directly from Glux en Glenne.
The restaurant in Glux en Glenne is in the process of closing down permanently.
There is the option of flat parking for several days next to the town hall, past the group lodge (avoid the car park by the church in this specific case, according to the town hall secretary I spoke to)
The waterfall walk at Port des Lamberts is a must-see!

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Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, very easy walk, except for the summit of Mont Preneley, which is off the beaten track but not impossible to reach.

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Oh, what a lovely hike!
Well, we dawdled at the start by the Lamberts waterfalls (very nice, and lovingly maintained by a poet who owns the land...)
So we avoided the climb up Mont Preneley by going round it to the right on a good path passing by the Rougers fountain.
At Vaillant we rejoined the route, and what a treat: panoramic views, a mixed forest of deciduous and coniferous trees, a gentle coolness... A real treat
Thank you to the creator.

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Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The section leading to the summit of Mont Preneley is of little interest. The path is no longer visible, and you find yourself walking through a pine forest where it is difficult to make progress and there are no views.

Apart from that, it’s a lovely walk with beautiful forests and lovely views

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Another communication issue:
When I wrote “track” in my reply, I meant a “track” (barely visible) on the ground
The "GPS track" is the actual route I took on the ground.
Apologies again for the confusion.

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Thanks, but the GPS track doesn’t stop. In snowy conditions, there’s no way to stop it without putting yourself in danger.

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Actually, the trail does stop at the summit. That’s what I meant in my description, but perhaps I wasn’t clear enough – sorry.
And from point 2 onwards, it is indeed an ‘off-trail’ descent, off the beaten track until you rejoin the marked path, but this off-trail section is on easy terrain... except perhaps in the snow when you can’t really see where you’re putting your feet.

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Date of your route : Jan 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike undertaken in heavy snow (15–20 cm).
The track leading to Mont Préneley is a dead end: there is no continuation up or down the steep slope.

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Date of your route : May 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through the forests of the Morvan, starting at the source of the Yonne. You reach Mont Preneley through the woods without any signposts or marked paths. The same applies on the way down, where you’ll find a good path to continue the rest of the walk without difficulty. There are lovely paths and trails through the woods. We came across a deer amongst the flowering broom. Lunch break by the pretty Rangère pond. Stunning panoramic views along the route. The walk ends at the archaeological site, and the route back to the car park continues along a superb path that winds its way alongside the Yonne (still in its infancy). You fords the river and then follow it to its waterfalls (small and large) and the end of the gorges in the peaceful meadows.
THE MORVAN IS WELL WORTH A VISIT.
PP and MM

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Thank you, Ph. Guilpain, for your feedback
It’s true that the section between (10) and (11) isn’t the most pleasant (but you must have done it in sweltering heat!)
But I don’t have the 2009 IGN map: could you describe the old GR13 route in more detail?
I’d thought of linking (8) directly to (11), but that doesn’t allow you to go via Glux...

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I walked part of this route on Wednesday 12 May in glorious weather and would like to add a few details:

1. I strongly recommend, even if it involves a slight detour, heading to the Sources de l’Yonne first thing in the morning from marker 1, as we are in the low mountains and the sky can quickly cloud over, or even become stormy.
2. Then head up to Le Préneley to elevation 818, then ideally through the woods between the dead trees until the terrain flattens out. Use the terrain + map + altimeter. No views.
3. Waypoints 8 and 9. The GR13 has been diverted via Glux, which means a 2 km stretch of difficult road (D300), from elevation 645 (picnic area with no water) to elevation 737, where you rejoin the old GR13, now blocked at waypoint 11. The old route is shown on IGN map 2825 OT, 2nd edition, 2009. Make the most of the shade between markers 9 and 10, because after that…
4. The café-restaurant in Glux is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Just above it, there is a fountain with water (officially not drinkable). I drank from it without any problems.

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