The valleys between La Cure and the Via Agrippa

Over 100 million years of history beneath your feet!
This hike passes over the coral limestone plateau formed at the end of the Mesozoic era. The water that flows here is responsible for the decorations in many of the caves beneath your feet.
This route overlooks the valleys and allows you to discover the built and natural heritage of this mountain range.

Details

1057089
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 22.92 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 320 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 317 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 236 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 117 m

Description of the walk

The starting point is the square in front of the town hall, where there are several parking spaces available.

(S/E) Head towards the river and, facing it, take the path on the right. Pass the wash house and you will come to a tarmac road. Take it on the right.
When you reach Grande Rue, turn left. Turn right onto the street leading to the church. Leave this monument and the cemetery on your right.

Red-white (GR®13) + yellow-blue markings.
(1) Leave the first road to the right and take the path shortly afterwards on the right. The climb is tough for a start! At the first crossroads (red and white cross opposite), turn left. After a break on a fairly flat section, the descent is very fast. It is better to take the left-hand side (along the trees) as the descent is very slippery and difficult.

(2) Cross the path and go through the gate (usually open). Continue along this path with a fence on your right. It overlooks the Cure Valley. You will come to the D227 road. Turn right. Just before the cemetery (on either side of the street), go up to the right and take the gravel path.

(3) At the stone hut, turn left. Continue along this main road. When you reach the crossroads of Rue du Château and Rue Cottin, go straight ahead. Continue for about 100 metres and then take a path on the right. Walk along the buttress walls of the castle, leaving the ruins on your right, and you will arrive at the Chapel of Val-Sainte-Marie.

(4) Take a hairpin bend to return to Grande Rue. Leave Manoir de Chastenay on your right. Turn right onto Rue des Monts d'Arcy and, when you reach the crossroads, turn right.

End of the red and white markings (GR®13).
(5) Continue straight ahead on the path, leaving theGR®13on your left. Continue on this fairly wide path until you see a road on your right and a coniferous forest on your left.

(6) Cross the road (D237) and take the path on the left that runs parallel to it. After about 200 metres, the path turns 90° to the right.

(7) Continue straight ahead on this old Roman road called Agrippa. The first 300 metres are along the edge of the forest, then continue through the undergrowth. Cross a road, then a cross-path to reach a tarmac road (D69).

(8) Descend to the right to the hamlet of Sery. Cross it in a south-east/north-west direction. Stay on Grande Rue, crossing Rue de Bessy. After the group of houses, ignore the dead-end road on the left, then a road leading to a property on the right.

(9) At the Y-junction, turn right. Walk along a wooded strip on the right. Stay on this main path until the next junction with a road.

(10) Make a right-left turn across the road. Take the path towards the woods to find a small road that leads to the Ferme du Fays. Continue straight ahead for about 400 metres.

(11) At the bend in the road, leave it and head into the undergrowth (old wagon converted into a hut on the right). At the first crossroads, turn left. Descend into the undergrowth, then reach a cultivated area. Reach the first houses of Accolay. Facing the railway line, turn right.

Red and white markings (GR®13).
(12) Turn right onto this wide path, leaving the level crossing on your left. Stay on this main path, passing a calvary on your right. Enter the woods. Overlook the Cure and then the site of Reigny Abbey. You will reach the first houses of Bessy-sur-Cure with the Cure river on your left.

(13) Turn left. Cross the road, then immediately take the small path on the left that descends to the river (GR®13markings). Continue along the Cure to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 120 m - Parking in front of the town hall. - Cure (la)
  2. 1 : km 0.86 - alt. 128 m - Crossroads and paths
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 153 m - Crossing path at the bottom of the descent
  4. 3 : km 2.91 - alt. 137 m - Stone hut
  5. 4 : km 3.83 - alt. 137 m - Chapel of Val-Sainte-Marie
  6. 5 : km 5.04 - alt. 192 m - Leave the GR13
  7. 6 : km 5.68 - alt. 232 m - Road and farm slightly to the right
  8. 7 : km 7.42 - alt. 220 m - Roman road named Agrippa on the edge of the woods
  9. 8 : km 11.48 - alt. 125 m - D39 on the right. Near the - Canal du Nivarnais
  10. 9 : km 12.42 - alt. 188 m - Y-shaped crossroads. Near the - Yonne (l')
  11. 10 : km 14.02 - alt. 200 m - Transverse tarmac road
  12. 11 : km 15.44 - alt. 217 m - Cabin on the right
  13. 12 : km 17.59 - alt. 124 m - GR13 trail
  14. 13 : km 22.57 - alt. 123 m - Cross street
  15. S/E : km 22.92 - alt. 120 m - Parking in front of the town hall. - Cure (la)

Notes

This route becomes very slippery in places in wet weather. Very good footwear is essential. The difficult rating applies in dry weather, but in rainy conditions, this route becomes very difficult.
On the other hand, in sunny weather, water and sun protection are necessary for this hike.

From (5), theGR®13markings disappear (it branches off to the left), but other markings appear from time to time; ignore these.

Worth a visit

Between (6) and (8): the ancient Roman road known as the Via Agrippa, which linked Lyon to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Between (11) and (13): vast panorama over the Yonne valleys and the Chablis hillsides, then beautiful views over La Cure and the Abbey (however, when the trees are in leaf, the view is more discreet).

Places to visit:
The caves of Arcy-sur-Cure.
Reigny Abbey.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
FREDERICDAVID
FREDERICDAVID

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

There's always the problem at the Fays farm... which means it takes longer and we lose time...
Between the hunters and the dogs, it's tough for hikers...

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Isabelle et Michel
Isabelle et Michel

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk

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Annick RABARTIN
Annick RABARTIN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you, Gérard,
VERY BEAUTIFUL HIKE Especially on the GR 13

We were lucky that the Beaucerons didn't see our whippet... they kept their distance.

See you soon on the trails

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

Hello David,
Thank you for your feedback on the hike. I will try to contact the farm owners and let them know about this mishap. Sorry for the detour.

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David Delille
David Delille

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A lovely walk with no particular difficulties (but the ground was dry), except for its length. Some nice climbs, but nothing insurmountable.
I had a minor mishap just before arriving at the Fays farm, where two unfriendly Beauceron dogs wouldn't let me pass.
As it was impossible to get around them, the woods being impenetrable at that point, I decided to retrace my steps and take the first path on my right (Vallée du Renard). This path is not marked on IGN topographical maps, but it does exist and is in very good condition. I thus reached the railway line and then Accolay.
This little detour of 1.2 km did not detract from this beautiful hike in any way.

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canto89
canto89

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Made under the sun. 32°C. Quite a lot of undergrowth. Pleasant.
Beautiful landscapes, castles. Beautiful villages.
A refreshing dip in the Cure river on the way back to Bessy.

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jacques SATRE
jacques SATRE

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely training hike for summer treks. Beautiful scenery.

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PIERRE MONNIER
PIERRE MONNIER

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A beautiful, easy hike (only the distance qualifies it as "moderate", given that the elevation gain is low).
Allow 6 hours. Pleasant trails, particularly along the Cure. Easy paths through farmland. Encounter with a deer and two beautiful hares. The short steep descent presents no difficulty. The trail that follows is full of flowering lily of the valley. Best done in dry weather to avoid muddy paths.
Papypierre and Mamiecheline.

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marmo89
marmo89

FOR 2020

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

Hello and thank you for your comment.
This shortcut is indeed a possibility, but it deprives you of the view in front of the Manoir de Chastenay over the circular Cure loops. In addition, this shortcut is steeper.

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Ph.Guilpain
Ph.Guilpain

I didn't do the entire hike as described, but I did certain sections, notably the GR13 from Accolay to Arcy, which is the greenest part!
By the way, I would like to remind you about the 49° Auxerre-Vézelay on 29 April: 6 departures; and the woods are full of lily of the valley, as I noticed on 19 April.
In Arcy, at marker 4, instead of following the GR 13 which climbs up to the plateau - a white, dusty, stony road that is difficult in the heat - go straight up the tarmac road to leave the village, and at the cross, go straight on along the pleasant path that climbs up the valley. You will arrive at elevation 193 (cross) where you leave the GR13 as indicated at marker 5. I was there on 19 April.
The entire area between Cure and Yonne is covered with various ancient markings! Be very careful (a map and compass are useful in the forest).
Take plenty of water, especially at this time of year!
In Bessy, take the time to look for the flood markers on the building in the town hall square (former St-Jacques chapel). A lovely place for a picnic.
Flood markers in Bessy-sur-Cure on the building in the town hall square (former St-Jacques chapel)
May 1850 at 0.60 m above ground level.
25 September 1860 at 0.85 m
21 January 1910 at 1 m
17 October 1890 at 1.05 m
4 May 1836 at 1.25 m
Height between the river and the base of the building wall: approximately 2 m
Flood indicators at the wash house further away
21 September 1866 at 1.10 m above ground level.

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