Tour of the Vézelien vineyards on the left bank of the Cure river

Park in Saint-Père, Rue du Gravier on the right bank of the Cure river, on the right after the last houses when coming from the town centre.

(S/E) Go towards the town centre and take the bridge over the Cure river on the left.

(1) Immediately turn left into Rue de la Mairie. Continue along Rue de l'Abbé Pissier. Take time to visit the Church of Notre-Dame. Pass the former Église Saint-Pierre on the left.

(2) Turn right onto Chemin de la Fontaine. Drive alongside the Val en Sel gîte, past the wash-house and continue on the main path (on the map, the path that is supposed to go right around a bend seems to have been abandoned).

(3) At the fork, turn right. Note on your right a fine view of the Vézelay hill.

(4) At the crossroads, continue straight on at the foot of Mont Liboeuf to a vineyard on your left. Ignore a start on the right, and continue along the path with a vineyard on your left.

(5) About 50m after leaving the vineyard on your left, turn left, heading North-East, and follow the vineyards again. At a T-junction, turn right.

(6) At the next junction, turn left. Ignore a footpath on your left and head gradually North.

(7) Fork at a hairpin bend to take the first track on the left, heading West. The path climbs along an overhanging vineyard on the left, before entering the forest.

(8) At the crossroads, follow the GR^®°13 (Red and White markings) to the right. On the left is an old winegrower's hut hidden amidst the trees.

(4) At the bottom, continue almost straight ahead between two fields, heading North-North-West. Entering a wood, the path descends between remnants of drystone walls. After crossing the Ru du Val de Poirier, reach Vaufron. A freshwater spring emerges at the foot of the walls. Take the uphill path opposite. At a track coming from the right, turn left, then immediately right to continue uphill.

(9) When you reach the middle of the vineyards (with a view of the Colline Éternelle (eternal hill) on the right), turn left, heading South-West. At a crossroads, turn right. Ignore a path coming from the left, and go as far as the Vézelay campsite.

(10) At the T-junction, turn right, heading North-North-East. Ignore the track on the left and climb up. Turn right onto the Route de l'Étang between the houses, until you reach the D957. Follow this road to the left for about 50m.

(11) Turn right onto Chemin de la Corderie (Vézelay ramparts on the left).

(12) At a fork in the road above the basilica, turn right onto a small path that descends through a tunnel of vegetation. At the bottom, carefully cross the D951 and follow it to the left for about 20 metres. Turn right down a path through vineyards. At the bottom, reach the Fontaine Madeleine and its wash-house. Turn right and continue along the D958. At the crossroads with the D957, after leaving a cross on your left, turn left into Rue du Colombier.

(1) At the junction with the D957, turn left over the bridge over the Cure. Immediately turn right onto Rue du Gravier and return to the starting point (S/E).

A compass can be useful.

On the way:
Notre Dame de Saint-Père church, Vaufron fountain, Vézelay ramparts, Madeleine fountain.

Nearby:
The Salt Fountains site and museum.
Vézelay basilica and medieval village.
The two Pierre-Perthuis bridges and the pierced rock.
Vauban's castle at Bazoches.
In Avallon, the historic town centre, the Saint-Lazare collegiate church, the clock tower, the house of the Sires de Domecy, the fortifications, the terraced gardens, and the museums (Avallonnais and costume).