The Rochers du Saussois circular via the terrace of Mailly-le-Château

For this outing, the car park at the foot of the Rochers du Saussois in the commune of Merry-sur-Yonne will serve as the starting point. Depending on the weather and the season, it will be possible to have a picnic on the terrace at Mailly-le-Château or at the village bistro before completing the last part of the walk.

(S/E) From the car park, head to the edge of the canal (which, here, merges with the Yonne). Turn right towards the bridge. When you reach it, continue straight ahead without crossing it. Walk 80 metres, cross the road carefully and turn left, passing between the two hedges. At the tarmac road, take the path on the right. Take your time on this uphill section. It joins a tarmac road.

(1) Continue for 150 metres and cross the wooden railing on your right to continue along the path. It runs along the edge of the cliff and offers a beautiful view of the village of Merry, the Yonne and the Nivernais Canal. Return to the road via the picnic area and continue on the right.
At the entrance to the bend in the road, turn right onto a dirt track. Continue between the hedge separating the field and the woods.

(2) At the junction with the cross-country path, part of which enters the woods, turn left and then right at the next crossroads. Continue alternately between fields and undergrowth.

(3) At the edge of the woods, turn right and follow the edge. When you reach a field, turn left and ignore the next path on the left. Continue until you reach a wider track. At this junction, turn left. The climb is steep. Go straight ahead at the first and second junctions. You will reach the D130 road.

(4) Turn right and then left onto the path just before the sign for Croix Ramonet. A chalet enclosed by a large white wall serves as a landmark on the right. Then turn onto the first path on the left towards a small wood (the path that continues from where you came from is of no interest). When you reach the street, cross the service road for the houses and then turn right.
At the watering hole, continue to the right to enter a path. Follow it, walking along the woods on your left.

(5) At the hunter's perch, turn right (the paths shown on the map no longer exist).
When you reach the next crossroads, take the left-hand branch.

(6) At this crossroads, turn right once and continue on the second path on your right. Walk between the fields to reach the road leading to Bouchet Goudard, ignoring the side roads.
Turn left onto this road, leaving the access road to Bouchet Lazare on your left, then the start of the first path. At the next turn-off on the left, take this path for about 500 metres, then leave it by turning right. Enter the woods and continue straight ahead on this main path.

(7) At the road, turn left, keeping to the left-hand side, then, after about 100 metres, cross at the sign indicating a series of bends. The entrance to this path into the woods is quite discreet. It allows you to cross the Bois du Parc Nature Reserve in a pretty shrubbery setting.

(8) When the view opens up slightly, just before a fairly steep descent leading to the road, climb up to the right along the track through the rocks. This entire section is on the discovery trail, which is signposted and overlooks the valley.

(9) Turn onto the path on the right that leads away from the edge of the cliff. Continue through the undergrowth to reach a paved path. Cross the railway line via the bridge. The view of Mailly-le-Château and its beautiful limestone houses is superb, as is the climb that leads there...
Cross the bridges over the canal and the branches of the Yonne river to reach the crossroads in the lower town.

(10) Cross straight ahead, and you will see the Fontaine au Loup fountain on your left. Shortly after leaving this spot, on the right, a pedestrian street invites you to climb up to the terrace. With its steps and paved sections, this part of the route has a significant elevation gain over a short distance.
From the terrace, after admiring the view, head towards the centre of the village via Rue des Promenades. Cross Rue du Jeu de Paume to reach Rue Comtesse Mahaut. There, turn right, pass in front of the church and turn left into Grand Rue.
Walk along this street on the right-hand side, pass the war memorial and you will reach a main crossroads.

(11) Go down the road on the right, then along Rue du Pont.

(10) Cross the bridge on the left and go down on the right immediately after this first bridge. Follow one of the branches of the Yonne to the end of this path (in case of flooding, refer to the practical information). Go through the entrance in the hedge, reach the platform and cross the footbridge over two branches of the Yonne.
You will come out onto Rue de Coulanges. Turn left without crossing. Stay on the path closest to the river.

(12) At the sign marking the entrance to the hamlet of La Rippe, turn right at the corner of a drinking trough. When you reach the road, turn left. Just before the fire hydrant, turn right twice. The path passes between two fields, then runs alongside a wood and ends at a tarmac road.

(13) Cross a building on your left that serves as a pumping station and take the stony path. At the edge of the woods, turn left, then right, then left. Enter the undergrowth, turn left then right opposite the property with the mini wind turbine. Join the road.

(14) Go downhill to the right. In the first bend, go straight ahead and take the path that leads to a dry lawn. Immediately turn right. Go downhill, staying as close as possible to the track, and rejoin the road below. Please note that this descent can be slippery depending on weather conditions.
Once on the road, turn left and head towards the bridge supporting the railway line. After the bridge, turn right and continue along this road to reach the entrance to the village.

(15) Go up Chemin de la Tour on the right. At the top, leave the road and the bridge that crosses the railway line and go down Chemin des Chaumes on the left.
At the crossroads, cross the Route de Compostelle (D217) by going straight ahead and you will come to a second crossroads nearby. Turn into Rue de la Plage. At the end of the road, enter the grassy area on the left and head towards the wash house.
Pass an old pump and then the wash house, then turn right.

(16) Reach and cross the two bridges. Follow the path you took on the way there on the right to reach the car park (S/E).

Depending on the season and weather, you can picnic on the terrace at Mailly-le-Château. Otherwise, the village café welcomes hikers (please call ahead).

The elevation changes are often steep, so be careful to pace yourself.
Although the IGN map shows paths that may appear shorter, it is not advisable to take them. Some end in dead ends, others no longer exist, have been ploughed over or have become private.

Please note: despite the presence of streams and springs, only the Fontaine au Loup fountain at the entrance to Mailly-le-Château is drinkable.

The discovery trail is a protected area, so please respect it.
In the event of flooding of the Yonne, the passage from the (10) to the Rue de Coulanges may be impassable. Simply continue straight ahead from the crossroads (10) into the Rue de Coulanges.

This hike was undertaken in autumn with a group of a dozen hikers. The hike took 5 hours excluding meal breaks. Allow slightly longer in hot weather.

• The discovery trail: its biological richness makes it well worth a visit. In addition to its botanical and zoological interest, it offers a unique geological feature: a fossilised coral reef.

This protected area can be explored via a specially designed trail and organised tours.
This reserve is managed by the Burgundy Natural Sites Conservatory.

• The Fontaine au Loup:

The current appearance of this fountain is recent. It is the work of a local artist, Yves Varanguin. In the past, a bucket fountain supplied water to the inhabitants. It was replaced by a water wheel.
This work is characterised by its evocation of the main activities that animated the village (vineyards and timber floating) and by the legendary story of the wolf that surmounts it... Beginning in 1731, the story of the child-eating wolves (about thirty) lasted for three years. Louis XV even offered a reward of "200 livres to anyone who kills the beast". It is very likely that a rabies outbreak was at the origin of this phenomenon. The hydrophobic wolf bears witness to the animal's "rabid" symptoms.