Les Riceys walks

The Riceys vineyards cover the largest area of any in the whole of Champagne. They boast three appellations d’origine contrôlée. Located in the Côte des Bars, the vineyards are easily accessible to walkers, with access often made easier by roads maintained for vineyard operations.

This circular walk takes us into the vineyard area of Les Riceys and Balnot-sur-Laignes. Leaving the vineyards behind, the return journey follows the course of the Laignes river and takes the route of the old "tacot" railway line which, from 1901, linked Les Riceys-Polisot to Cunfin.

Une belle balade familiale à partir des Riceys, commune viticole au Sud de la Champagne dans la côte des Bars, à la croisée des chemins avec la Bourgogne toute proche. Cette commune est composée des trois villages, Ricey Bas, Haute Rive et Ricey Haut. La commune bénéficie de trois appellations et bénéficie du plus grand terroir classé champagne.

Discover some of the many Champenois cadoles, as well as the vineyards and forests of Les Riceys.

A walk through one of the most beautiful landscapes in Champagne, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vineyards, woodland paths and cadoles. Provisional route pending the opening of the official Cadoles de la Côte des Bar trail.

Discover the cadoles of Courteron, as well as the magnificent vineyard landscape from the ridge path.

The walk starts in the small village of Molesme, situated in the north of the Côte-d’Or, in the valley of the Laigne – a tributary of the Seine – in a region straddling Burgundy and Champagne. Life in this village was strongly influenced by the monastic life of the abbey, which over the centuries experienced the consequences of the Hundred Years’ War, the Wars of Religion and the Revolution… The abbey is open to the public during the summer months by appointment. A leisurely walk allows you to explore and visit the ruins of the Oppidum of Vertillum, which was a major city in Roman times.

A lovely walk through the Champagne vineyards.

You’ll discover the wonders of the built heritage in the Chaourçois region, such as the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Chaource, home to countless treasures including the magnificent Entombment dating from 1515.

Discover the village of Cussangy, situated near Chaource. The ‘Petits Gués’ trail offers a walk centred around the theme of water.

This flat walk, suitable for all ages, starts and ends at the foot of the village’s 16th-century church. A 15 km walk suitable for everyone; pushchairs with large wheels are welcome. Mostly shaded, it will nevertheless give you a glimpse of the village’s streetscape. The first half of this walk follows theGR®2

The route is fairly simple and allows you to walk along the paths around Prusy. It is mainly paths, but there are also a few sections on the road (essential for getting to the church). When you arrive at Saint-Edme Church, you can enjoy a pleasant view of the fields.

This circular route allows you to reach Coussegrey via the paths from Prusy. This route is fairly simple with a few climbs and stony paths. It is an easy route, but wear good, comfortable shoes to enjoy these beautiful trails.

Two villages notable for their heritage are linked by this route, which crosses the River Barse, winding through pastures and orchards – a landscape typical of the humid Champagne region. The path passes by the former abbey of Montiéramey and two manor houses in Montreuil-sur-Barse.

On the shores of Lake d’Orient, the traditional village of Mesnil-Saint-Père has retained its authentic Champagne charm. The interpretive trail winds its way between the houses and orchards, between the harbour and the church.

This route follows part of the L26 railway line, which has been disused since 1996, passing through the Fays-la-Chapelle tunnel. In 2018, an association called ASL26 was formed. Within three years, it had made the railway line between Jeugny and Auxon accessible to walkers. The walk also takes in meadows and woodland.

Between lake and forest, countryside and orchards, this route includes the Sentier du Lapin Blanc (White Rabbit Trail). Revealing a preserved village and its barns, crossing a wood, open countryside and green meadows, running along the beach and the dyke, this route sums up all the attractions of the Forêt d'Orient Regional Nature Park.

Starting from a family-friendly beach, this route showcases the best features of the lakes of the Forêt d’Orient: it offers a pleasant mix of walking through a diverse state-owned forest and along the shores of Lac d’Orient, with stunning views of the submerged forest at ‘high tide’.

Fairly simple walk, mainly on gravel paths. The third kilometre climbs reasonably, but it is in the forest in the shade. On the plateau the path undulates between the fields. After the Chapelle Sainte-Anne, you leave the plateau via a reasonably steep little asphalt road to reach Ravières again.

Bergères is a charming wine-growing commune in the Côte des Bar. This route offers picturesque landscapes of the Côte des Bar through valleys, hillsides, vineyards, fields, moors and forests. From April to June, magnificent orchids bloom on the calcareous soils of the Côte de l'Église and Côte Garnier. This route largely follows the Circuit de la Croix Bleue. It also follows the GR® de Pays des deux Bar and the GR® Gaston Bachelard.

Starting from Spoy, this route takes you to the Fravaux wash house, the Pelouse de la Côte de l’Étang Nature Reserve and the Roman bridge.

A 19 km circular route starting from the Maison du Parc de la Forêt d'Orient, with a well-signposted route at the start (Colosse aux Pieds d'Argile), followed by a mix of wide and narrow paths that are very pleasant in fine weather.

To go birdwatching in the National Nature Reserve at Lac du Temple, an observatory has been set up by the Park. Access is on foot or by bike via a straight, well-maintained forest track (white path).

This easy, mainly forest-based route takes you through the century-old trees of the Grand Orient Forest, crossing forest streams, with just a short detour to the village of La Loge-aux-Chèvres.

Almost exclusively in the forest, this route offers a wide variety of deciduous trees, forest environments, and path widths. These damp woods are home to the yellow-bellied toad, a protected and increasingly rare species.

The Colossus with Feet of Clay is a short hiking trail of about 7 km. It invites hikers to discover the remarkable character of this forest area of the Orient Forest, and also addresses more serious issues such as climate change and the impact of humans on the natural environment. The originality of the Colosse aux pieds d'argile trail lies in its seven stations, each featuring impressive works of art. For example, gates symbolise the entrance to a peaceful space and, with their imposing presence, invite visitors to be discreet. A little further on, ceramic sculptures evoke the cultural heritage of the site and spark the imagination with traces of human history.

Partly following the Templar interpretation trail, the Salamander Trail and theGR® de Pays, this forest route offers original views such as that from the Fontaine aux Oiseaux dyke.

In the heart of the Forêt d’Orient Nature Park, this discovery trail explores aquatic habitats home to numerous wild species, including the salamander. It was established by the ONF and the Park. This walk follows part of a route that explores the history of the Domaniale du Temple forest, the largest forest estate the Knights Templar ever owned in the West.

A lovely walk in the hills above Bar-sur-Aube, starting from the Sainte-Germaine Farm, where, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to watch paragliders. Make the most of the beautiful views from this vantage point.

A wine-growing region producing champagne, the Côte des Bars has a hilly landscape. This route crosses countryside, vineyards and forests on either side of the Aube valley, linking the villages of Bossancourt, Dolancourt, Jaucourt and Arsonval.

Far from busy roads, this is a small, hilly, shaded route full of running water, where it is not uncommon to see roe deer, does, birds of prey and herons. Discover hidden villages in northern Burgundy.