The Moulin Rouge and the Château du Fort

Signposted route N°69.
In this village, known for bric-a-brac, the sunken paths are all the rage! A guaranteed immersion in nature.
Mézilles is one of the "Cités de caractères de Bourgogne - Franche-Comté" villages.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.77 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 94 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 91 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 261 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 199 m

Photos

Description of the walk

This walk starts from the village hall car park, along the D965.

(S/E) With your back to the village hall, go uphill to the left without crossing the road. Past the school, turn left into Chemin des Pimolles. Go past the sports field, then the cemetery and down to the left.

(1) The tarmac road ends and gives way to a cross-country track. Turn right at the next junction.

(2) The path divides, turn right and continue to the next junction, where you fork right to reach the first houses in Les Dalibeaux.

(3) At the road, turn left, continuing along this lane, leaving the paths leading off to the right and left. At the junction with another perpendicular road, turn left. Keep to this narrow lane as far as Les Soupirons, where it ends in a gravel path.

(4) At this crossroads, turn sharp left, keeping to the main path, and follow the property fence to the right. At the end, take the path to the left, then cross the Branlin stream on your right.

(5) When you reach the tarmac road (grassy strip in the middle in places), turn right downhill, cross the bridge over the Branlin and come to a crossroads. Take a slight right-left turn onto a new sunken path which leads to the Chapelle du Château du Fort.

(6) Pass the entrance to the château, continue on this path and, at the sharp bend, leave it to go straight ahead. Continue through the woods, then through a strip of hedges, until you come to a crossroads of small lanes. Go straight ahead on this narrow asphalt road.

When you reach the outskirts of Mézilles, take Rue des Ferriers, leaving Rue de la Barre on your right and Route de Fontaines on your left. Join the D965, cross it at the pedestrian crossing. Once on the sidewalk, turn left towards the bridge. Cross one of the branches of the Branlin and go straight down into the Ribaudin garden. Cross the garden along the reach and exit through the gate onto the street. Walk down towards the river, either over the ford or the bridge (depending on water level and your preference).

(8) Turn left onto the path alongside the Branlin. Pass under the porch housing the wash-house and exit at the corner of Rue du Moyen-Âge and Rue de l'Église. Walk up Rue l'Église, keeping the church on your left. Join the Grande Rue, turn left, cross the D965 at the pedestrian crossing and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 204 m - Salle des fêtes car park
  2. 1 : km 0.74 - alt. 202 m - At the end of the tarmac road, turn right
  3. 2 : km 1.34 - alt. 220 m - Right towards Les Dalibeaux
  4. 3 : km 2.53 - alt. 259 m - To the left, at the road
  5. 4 : km 4.49 - alt. 215 m - On the left, main path
  6. 5 : km 5.31 - alt. 220 m - To the right, towards the - Branlin (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 6.38 - alt. 250 m - Exit onto a gravel track - Château du Fort
  8. 7 : km 7.95 - alt. 204 m - Straight on towards D965
  9. 8 : km 8.35 - alt. 199 m - Follow the Branlin - Eglise Saint-Marien de Mézilles
  10. S/E : km 8.77 - alt. 204 m - Salle des fêtes car park

Practical information

This route is suitable for all seasons, although some parts are muddy during heavy rainfall.
A large part of the route is well shaded, as it passes through sunken lanes bordered by pollarded trees and large hedges.
This route signposting follows the Communauté de Communes de Puisaye-Forterre marking charter, and bears the N°69 number on a Yellow background.
The signposting was carried out by the association "À chacun son chemin en Puisaye-Forterre" ('To each their own path in Puisaye-Forterre') in October 2019.
If you have any problems, please fill in this questionnaire (1 to 2 minutes only, in French).
Be careful when crossing roads.
The fact that signposting is mentioned doesn't mean that you shouldn't have this description and the accompanying IGN map or the visorando application on your walk.

In the nearby area

Visit the village of Mézilles and the washhouse below Rue de l'Église.
(1) To the left, a return trip to the Moulin Rouge ford is possible (100m).
Mural paintings in the Église Saint-Marien in the heart of the village.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello julie dufau,

Thank you for your feedback.

Yours sincerely

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office.

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julie dufau
julie dufau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A walk worth doing. Very pleasant, as most of it is in the shade of trees. We were lucky enough to come across a roe deer in one of the meadows.

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OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello Fabienne CHATON,

Thank you for your comment.

It's true that the Puisaye paths are quite wet in winter. Other circuits in Forterre are more practicable in this season.

Best regards,

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office

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Fabienne CHATON
Fabienne CHATON

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The route was completed in dry, cold weather. Some sections were not very passable. There are springs that leave the paths wet and muddy. Despite this, the walk was very pleasant.

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scalp92
scalp92

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A few muddy stretches, but not enough to make a mountain out of it if well equipped.
A fine, varied route, with the castle and chapel at the end.

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Bois vert
Bois vert

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful walk, still quite muddy in this month of April. Waterproof shoes are a must!

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OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello Emmab92,

Thank you for your feedback.

Yours faithfully

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office.

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Emmab92
Emmab92

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Magnificent walk in the shade on small paths in the undergrowth with beautiful views. We really enjoyed it.

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OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello Feanturi,

Thank you for your feedback.

Best regards,

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office.

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Feanturi
Feanturi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A great route with plenty of shade thanks to its cool wooded paths, which are very pleasant in summer despite a very muddy section. But this is the Puisaye! Great way to discover Mézilles and the surrounding area, with a bit of local history thrown in for good measure.
Worth doing again.

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Lncd
Lncd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant walk with beautiful views. The only downside was that the path was flooded and impassable due to the rain that had fallen in the previous few days, but we were able to turn it around easily and return without difficulty.

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OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello Eric 89,

Thank you for your feedback.

Best regards,

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office

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Eric89
Eric89

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A varied circuit alternating between woods and meadows

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OT Puisaye-Forterre
OT Puisaye-Forterre

Hello Ametjm,

Thank you for your feedback.

Best regards,

The team at the Puisaye-Forterre Tourist Office.

Automatically translated

Ametjm
Ametjm

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A charming walk sheltered by hedges and sunken lanes, with a picnic break in the shade of the trees. We were alone in the world! The magic is still working 24 hours later. Technically easy, no nasty surprises. Prefer a day of good weather to avoid the slush in the ruts of the paths.

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