In the footsteps of the Templars

This beautiful walk will not only take you through beautiful countryside, but will also take you on a journey through time, from the Order of Malta to the 2nd World War.
The highlight is the Templar church in Echarnant, built in the 12th century and located on the road to Compostela, which is why the Templars settled here.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.22 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 276 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 275 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 532 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 368 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) Start at le Petit Étang in Lusigny-sur- Ouche, take the small tarmac road following the signs for "Notre-Dame de Presles". Walk past the oratory to the Ermitage hiking sign.

(1) Do a quick round trip on your right to the Source de l'Ouche (150m).
Then turn right to follow the signs to the Grotte du Maquis.

(2) Above the grotto, turn left and then immediately right onto the forest path.

(3) On your left, take the forest path bordered by a low wall for about 100 metres, then turn right. At the end of this path, you'll come to a white track, then turn left to reach the tarmac road.

(4) Follow the asphalt road to the left, then turn right at the one-way sign to the Église des Templiers.

(5) Once you've visited the site, retrace your steps.

(4) Turn left into the Montceau-et-Écharnant forest. Turn right onto the second forest track (at the top of a small hill before a basin). Follow this to the end of the wood, where it becomes a white track and then a tarmac road.

(6) When you reach a telegraph line, take the white track on your left towards the wind farm, which will take you to the windmill.

(7) With your back to the windmill, take the path down to Montceau. Once in the village, take the street on your right, then cross Rue du Saut Chemin in the direction of the cross. Take the path to the left of the cross in the direction of the cheesemonger, pass in front of it and continue on this path for about 1km.

(8) Arrive at a white track on the edge of the wood, turn left and follow it to the D17.

(9) At the Chagnot hiking sign, ignore the Chemin des Sources and take the dirt track slightly to the left, which runs alongside a meadow.

(10) Cross the D17 to follow the white path to Chemin des Sources-Lusigny-sur-Ouche. Ignore all right- and left-hand paths until you reach the village, which you enter via Rue de La Gravie.

(11) At the junction with the Grande Rue, turn right, cross the Ouche bridge and follow this street back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 371 m - Car park at Le Petit Étang
  2. 1 : km 1.57 - alt. 390 m - L'Hermitage - Towards the source of the > river - Ouche (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 2.65 - alt. 439 m - Grotte du Maquis
  4. 3 : km 3.14 - alt. 457 m - Low wall
  5. 4 : km 4.48 - alt. 444 m - Tarmac road
  6. 5 : km 5.82 - alt. 468 m - Church of the Templars
  7. 6 : km 9.14 - alt. 498 m - Telegraph line
  8. 7 : km 9.99 - alt. 529 m - Windmill
  9. 8 : km 11.58 - alt. 483 m - White path
  10. 9 : km 12.24 - alt. 495 m - Chagnot hiking sign
  11. 10 : km 12.78 - alt. 474 m - D17
  12. 11 : km 14.89 - alt. 371 m - Grande Rue - turn right
  13. S/E : km 15.22 - alt. 371 m - Car park at Le Petit Étang

Practical information

Walking shoes and poles strongly recommended.
Sun protection is essential, as the paths are very exposed for almost half the walk.
No water points.
Picnic areas at the start and at the Église des Templiers.

In the nearby area

The Church of the Templars is free to enter and visit, and a coin-operated machine (€2) allows you to listen to a ten-minute musical commentary. You can also discover the adjacent priest's garden with its aromatic plants, the well, the vineyard and the old bread oven. An ideal place for meditation, far from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 32 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 23698266

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

….

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NanaDidi
NanaDidi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pretty and very pleasant walk, with a variety of landscapes and points of interest to punctuate and stimulate the walk.
It was a good idea to point out that you need a two-euro coin to listen to the commentary in the Templar church: this visit really enhances the walk, as does the picnic in the clos.
Thank you

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Cathy21200
Cathy21200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A nice, varied route with various points of interest.
I really enjoyed visiting the Templar church in Echarnant and the windmill in Montceau-et-Echarnant.
We parked in the square in Bligny sur Ouche, which made for a 20 km walk.
It's a shame the chocolate factory was closed that day.

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Serge71100
Serge71100

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant, easy walk. The route was enhanced by the beautiful autumn colours.
Picnic in the enclosed area near the Templar church. Shame we had to make a return trip by road.
Thank you for your help.

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Patrixdemex
Patrixdemex

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

An easy and generally pleasant route, with no technical difficulties. There are quite a few points of interest on this route (Église des Templiers, Moulin . . .).
A little too much tarmac for my liking, but still quite acceptable.
Worth noting: 1- Picnic table at Montceau. 2- It might be worth doing the loop in reverse to take advantage of the sun in the morning and the shade of the undergrowth in the afternoon.
Thanks for the track, great work by the author.

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Philippe 76
Philippe 76

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very varied walk (river, mill, valley, plateau, forest, etc.), very well signposted.

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GIFFARD Michel sosthene
GIFFARD Michel sosthene

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Not applicable

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SylLaVie
SylLaVie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice walk, as described and very easy to follow. The paths are perfectly passable, there is just the climb up to the Maquis cave which is a little more strenuous but nothing too complicated. The picnic break at Écharnant is ideal on the route and the place is charming! 😉🥾😊

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cardamome21
cardamome21

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lots to see, very interesting tour, one small downside was the return journey along the road to La Chapelle des Templiers, but it's a lovely place and not that long.
On the way back, we had to follow the hunt on the road to get to the Monceau-Echarnat mill, which was a shame.
A stroll through the few streets of Lusigny and the public park before setting off again!

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jacques reumaux
jacques reumaux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant, varied route that requires a bit of attention.

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ChristianNant70
ChristianNant70

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The route is dotted with monuments and historic sites. Well-marked forest passages. Wide lines.
All our little group enjoyed this tour.

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boubaoupss
boubaoupss

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A good walk, fairly easy, but a little difficult at high tide.

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wildisa
wildisa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

very nice walk
visorando's excellent description of the route
we are delighted

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personne
personne

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A lot of things to discover on the route: source, hermitage, maquis, monument, church, mill and the village of Lusigny/ouche.

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AlH
AlH
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

It's a beautiful route with no major difficulties and plenty of places to discover. The starting village of Lusigny/Ouche is magnificent.

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