The Celts at Mont Beuvray

This hike offers an escape to the time of the Eduens in the Morvan Forest. There are many explanatory panels and beautiful views. As it is not very long, it can be complemented by a visit to the Bibracte Museum, known as the "Museum of Celtic Civilisation", in the car park.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.71 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 319 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 312 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 813 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 550 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Bibracte Museum car park.

(S/E) Head south, leaving the museum on your right, and take the road that climbs to the top.

(1) At a hairpin bend to the left, leave the road and continue straight ahead on a path leading downhill towards Glux-en-Glenne. Shortly afterwards, ignore the path on the right that leads back to the museum.

(2) At an intersection at the edge of the woods, turn right towards the village of L'Échenault until you reach a cross by the side of the road (panoramic view of the Morvan countryside and Mont Beuvray behind you). Retrace your steps.

(2) Go straight ahead uphill (ignore theGR®13which branches off to the left). Then take thefirst path on the left, the Rinjart trail. Go straight ahead (east then east-south-east) uphill.

(3) At a fork, take the path on the right and continue uphill. You will come out onto the D274 road. Follow it to the right until you reach the Porte du Rebout.

(4) Continue along the road.

(5) Turn left to see the archaeological remains. Head south on a path parallel to the road and pass by the ancient oppidum. At the end of the road, turn left and head for the orientation table. Turn right and reach the Chapelle Saint-Martin. Turn right again to complete a circular route.

(6) Shortly before reaching the road again, turn left, slightly downhill, towards the Saint Pierre Fountain. There is no real path to get there, contrary to what is shown on the map, but the fountain is located slightly below. From there, climb slightly (north-northeast) to reach a new archaeological site after the horse park. Go around the site on the left to reach the yellow PR® signs.

(7) Turn left towards La Roche Salvée. Ignore the sign for "Theurot de la Roche" on the right. Walk along a meadow at the edge of the hill, then descend slightly to the left for a few metres. When you reach a path, turn right. It goes around the hill but remains at a high altitude. On the path, there is an information board about plants and, further on, a chair. Follow the path to La Roche Salvée (a picturesque rock in front of a beautiful viewpoint).

(8) Continue along the path uphill to the right (east-north-east). This will take you to the road, which you should follow downhill to the left. Shortly before a fork in the road that you took on the way there, leave the road and take a path on the left towards Theurot de la Wivre. Follow the north-north-west path, almost along the hillside, to get there.

(9) Continue east along the path that leads back to the road.

(4) Follow the road to the left, going downhill.

(1) Go back up the hairpin bend and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 608 m - Bibracte Museum car park
  2. 1 : km 0.45 - alt. 654 m - Hairpin bend in the road
  3. 2 : km 1.55 - alt. 571 m - Intersection
  4. 3 : km 3.21 - alt. 689 m - Fourche
  5. 4 : km 3.54 - alt. 709 m - Porte du Rebout
  6. 5 : km 3.91 - alt. 748 m - Crossroads - Site archéologique de Bibracte
  7. 6 : km 5.08 - alt. 809 m - Fork in the road
  8. 7 : km 5.65 - alt. 789 m - Crossroads
  9. 8 : km 6.22 - alt. 778 m - La Roche Salvée: beautiful view
  10. 9 : km 7.27 - alt. 735 m - Le Theurot de la Wivre: beautiful rock
  11. S/E : km 8.71 - alt. 608 m - Bibracte Museum car park

Practical information

Public toilets are located in the Bibracte museum car park to the right of the Chaudron bar and restaurant.

For those who have difficulty climbing, access to the summit is permitted by car, except in summer when shuttle buses run regularly from the car park below.

The small museum house, known as the "Hôtel des Gaules de Jacques Gabriel Bulliot, le découvreur de Bibracte" (House of Gaul by Jacques Gabriel Bulliot, the discoverer of Bibracte), recounts the entire history of the excavations. It is always open and free to visit, and can be used as a shelter to stop or eat in case of rain

The length of the hike depends on how much time you spend reading the information boards and looking at the various excavation sites. You can easily spend more than three hours there.

In the nearby area

The Morvan forest has seen its area vary according to human activity over the ages. One example is the village of Argentolle (east of Échanault and below Beuvray), which is not visible but very close by, with its fluorite and silver mines.

A short hike (2.5 km round trip and marked) called "Les sources de l'Yonne" (The Sources of the Yonne) starts north of Glux-en-Glennne, at Port-des-Lamberts. It is unique because it takes place in a peat bog.

On Mont Beuvray and at the sources of the Yonne, you can see queules or pleated hedges, trees typical of the Morvan, "laid down" by man.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 21 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
carinec21
carinec21

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very pleasant walk (a little longer than usual, at 10.20 km with a 350 m elevation gain). The excavations scattered throughout the site are really interesting to see, with lots of informative signs, superb views and pleasant stretches through the woods. I thoroughly enjoyed myself throughout. On the downside, it was quite busy, even on a weekday.

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ECh
ECh

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Clarity of route map : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : Yes

In fact, we decided not to do this hike and do the one on the maraude instead. Stages 1 to 4 are uninteresting and only serve to increase the mileage. On the contrary, it is important to spend time visiting the archaeological site and reading the numerous explanatory panels.

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Utrillo
Utrillo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

This walk must have been much more beautiful before! Lots of logging here and there!

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Utrillo
Utrillo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Unfortunately, this walk must have been much nicer before! Lots of logging

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cece.b
cece.b

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful hike under the sun and frosty trees... magnificent!
easy to follow with the app.
To start with, there's a bit of a climb in the forest, but then the hike becomes more interesting as you discover the Porte du Rebout, the archaeological excavations, Saint Martin's Chapel..
Well worth discovering

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O'Neill
O'Neill

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

okay

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rpg
rpg

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

practical and provides ideas for walks

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SR71
SR71

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful route combining nature and culture, as much of it takes place on the archaeological site, but also passes through magnificent beech forests. Most of the route is in the shade. Quite a few people on the site, but no one outside it.

The walk can be tracked using GPS.

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Sprinbox
Sprinbox

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

It's very beautiful (the view from Mont Beuvray is superb) and informative, with the discovery of Bibracte and its Gallic ruins. While the wooded part of the route is peaceful, as others have noted in their comments, the heritage part is very busy. I also agree that the route is poorly marked and very intertwined. We ended up skipping part of the route because we couldn't find the path to take. It's a shame. (But it's still worth it.)

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JPM2539
JPM2539

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A truly wonderful walk, a superb forest, varied trails, and you even get to walk through the excavation site. I highly recommend it

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ecapekip
ecapekip

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful route enjoyed under glorious sunshine. Much of the route is shaded.

Followed the route with GPS, which made it easier to navigate the numerous paths.

Thank you for this route
Anne and Pascal

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JOURNET
JOURNET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

it's magnificent!
Share it!

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Marianne et Heidi
Marianne et Heidi
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

There weren't many people on the trail, but the Oppidum site was very busy. That's normal, because it's very interesting. The walk is beautiful and varied, a little longer than advertised (because you have to take the time to visit the site). We really liked the site, but also the return leg: even though we didn't find the yellow PR signs at 6, or the ones about plants at 7, we enjoyed the detours via La Roche Salvée and Le Theurot de la Wivre. After 9, you can avoid following the road: just retrace your steps towards 4, then 3, then 1, following the signs for "Musée de Bibracte".

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JM SIMOENS
JM SIMOENS
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A journey into the world of the Gauls awaits you.
The route is very busy, so I did it backwards (starting at point 4) to enjoy the scenery and beautiful views before arriving at the archaeological site. The site covers almost the entire climb (from points 4 to 7).
Take the time to stop at each excavation site, it's magnificent.
As for the viewpoint from the orientation table, I'll let you judge for yourself when you get there.
There is a shuttle bus from the museum, which is a great idea!

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Clic
Clic

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : May 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

An excellent educational and exotic hike.

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