Saint-Mard-de-Vaux walks

Montabon overlooks the Vallée des Vaux – famous, at least to the people of Chalon – and, much to the delight of walkers, is accessible only on foot. This route, which mainly follows forest tracks, remains pleasant in fine weather. The walk is peaceful throughout. Please note there is a steep climb of around 800 m to reach Montabon, but the rest of the route presents no difficulty.

For this hike, I had fun making this trail around the crosses and other statues in the Vallée des Vaux. Useful for discovering the beauty of the landscape.

This is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Vallée des Vaux, just a stone's throw from Chalon. The Falaises de Château Beau and the Croix de Theu are the highlights of the walk, offering sweeping views from their summits and forming part of the scenery throughout the route.

This is a hilly hike offering some clear views from one side of the Orbize to the other in the heart of the Châtel-Moron forest. The route sometimes climbs a little to vary the landscape, but it is not particularly difficult and remains sufficiently shaded to be enjoyable in the summer months.

Discover the surroundings of Mercurey, between vineyards and woods with superb autumn landscapes. 20/07/2023 Moderator's message: The route is currently being modified because the passage to (8) in the Bois de l'Hallier is private.

Discover Mercurey's surroundings: the vineyards, of course, but also the different viewpoints over the village and the beautiful 12th-century churches.

Continuing to discover the Saône-et-Loire region through this wine-growing village and its many small wash-houses. The trail ends at Mont Avril, with its panoramic view over the whole valley. I advise you to do this trail in autumn to get the most out of it.

Discover a small area of Burgundy nestled between the Vallée des Vaux and the Vallée de la Dheune. A succession of narrow paths connect these remote and charming hamlets, which seem to be "supplied by crows".

This route will take you to the top of the Givry hill, the forest planted with Austrian pines, cedars and deciduous trees, and the limestone grassland classified as a Natura 2000 site. Along the way, you will discover the charming hamlet of Russilly, nestled in a valley overlooking the vineyards. This walk offers multiple views of the Côte Chalonnaise and the Saône plain.

A beautiful circular through the woods, well shaded in summer. Pass near Saint-Denis de Vaux, at the top of the cliffs. Beautiful views over the Chalon-sur-Saône plain, then over the Vaux valley. Return near the stubble fields in the woods. Possible extension to Russilly.

A stroll along old stones, vineyards and footpaths. The journey is much like a pilgrimage in this part of the Saône-et-Loire region, with many religious ornaments.

A peaceful crossing of the Plateau de Saint-Désert in the vicinity of Mont Avril and Mont Brogny. In the distance, the perched hamlet of Cruchaud stands guard to the South, before the route offers an escape to the Plaine de Saône.

Coming from Fontaine or Chagny, enter Rully, follow the signs to Agneux, go through the hamlet and up the narrow road to the pass; you're on the site of the caves, park at the pass exit near the lagoon. This is where the hike begins.

Discover the Agneux caves, the medieval castle of Rully and the surroundings of Mercurey.

On this hike, let yourself be guided between cliffs and caves, an ancient Neolithic site and beautiful vineyards.

This undulating route around Mont Brogny is not difficult and offers unobstructed views throughout. The hamlet of Le Lys, nestled beneath a small rocky outcrop, seems to be there just to surprise hikers at the edge of the woods.

Surrounded by nature yet just a stone’s throw from the town, the Ferme d’Aubigny has long been a favourite spot for the people of Chalon-sur-Saône for their Sunday strolls. The suggested route is well shaded and requires just a little care to ensure you don’t get lost on the many side paths in the area.

A beautiful walk above the village of Rully in Burgundy, through vineyards, oak and boxwoods.

A family-friendly, educational route that takes you to superb panoramic views on both sides of the ridge.

Discover Rully and its surroundings. Beautiful landscapes to explore. Moderator's note added on 07/08/2021: since this page was created, some of the trails seem difficult to follow. See reviews.

An undulating route in the heart of a landscape typical of the Côte Chalonnaise. Enjoy discovering a few sheltered passages off the beaten track and treating yourself to a succession of pretty views, including a perspective of the old town of Buxy.

A peaceful walk where Mont Rome seems to play hide and seek with hikers. The paths run alongside small streams and the few tarmac sections do not spoil the enjoyment. There is only one small climb, just to keep you in shape.

Tucked away at the top of a “mountainous” slope of the Canal du Centre, the Crête de Nantoux is the highlight of a short ride that feels like a long one, offering, along the way, some superb views of the Mont de Sène and its Dôme des Trois Croix.

A pleasant walk with a very varied landscape (meadows, streams, limestone plateaus, vineyards). You’ll follow the Guye river towards Cersot, with a short climb towards Montagny-lès-Buxy and a return via Mont Brogny after passing through the village of Bissey-sous-Cruchaud. Best done between September and May to avoid the intense heat, as there is very little shade. It’s possible to do it with a head torch in summer, which is very pleasant.

Couches, a town situated along the Roman road from Lyon to Paris, is steeped in history. This walk will allow you to discover Couches’s castle, Saint Martin’s Church, the Guérin and Pajole Towers and the priory. The Couches region also has a wealth of wash houses, several of which are located along the route.

Steep-sided valleys dominated by Mont de Rome to the north and the Couchois Plateau to the south. The landscape is by no means flat, but the climbs, which are never very long, should not deter the leisurely walker with an afternoon to spare.

This is a whole end-to-end 8-day dog-friendly 80 Km trip along the Route des Grands Crus (RDGC) from Santenay up to the edge of Dijon. On the way, you walk through great countryside, vineyards, and villages, covering the whole of the Côte d’Or which consists of two halves, the Côte de Beaune in the South end and the Côte de Nuits at the north end. We've divided the route into eight comfortable walks designed to provide a linear end-to-end route, each starting and finishing in accessible towns or villages. The wines and associated villages and vineyards are some of the most famous in the world with an unprecedented number of Grand Cru and Premier Cru marques, such as Chassagne-Montrachet in the south and Gevrey-Chambertin in the North (even the names of the villages sound enticing!). You will see that some of the vineyards are tiny - hence the exclusivity! - and indeed often divided up historically between many owners.

This is stage 1 Santenay to Meursault of the Route des Grands Crus. This walk runs from Santenay through villages of Chassagne Montrachet and St Aubin to the charming small town of Meursault; moderate difficulty with a bit of climbing, dog friendly via countryside and vineyards. End to end, a train service enables return to start.

Dracy-lès-Couches is a rural village with vineyards, woods and meadows. The village is situated 3 km from Couches along the Chemin des Romains, which in ancient times linked the city of Marseille to Boulogne-sur-Mer. During the walk, you can catch a glimpse of Couches Castle.

An ascent of two mounts, Mont de Rome Château (514m) and Mont Rême (546m), giving you a good panoramic view of the Cossane valley, which joins the Dheune.