A short tour of Saint-Brisson

Park in the large car park at the Morvan Regional Nature Park Centre, near the monumental statue of the horse. This statue was created by students at the Château-Chinon vocational college.

(S/E) Head towards the Maison du Parc and, just before you reach it, turn right onto the path that runs alongside the enclosure housing the Highland cattle. Walk down to the Étang Taureau, which was once used for timber floating, creating the ‘grand flot’ that pushed the logs along the water: a lovely view of the village.

(1) Turn right and walk along the edge of the pond.

(2) Go through a gate opposite the municipal campsite. On the small road, turn left towards the village and cross the embankment. Take the first small street on the right, called Chemin du Theurais, and follow it past Saint-Brice Church.

(3) Take the path that crosses the meadows on the right. Cross the Vignan, a pretty little river teeming with trout, and then take the lovely track on the right for about 1 km. Cross the Vignan again and you’ll immediately come out onto a departmental road.

(4) Turn right with care, then immediately left to follow a path that climbs up to La Bertoux: in the Morvan, hamlets are named after family surnames. In the hamlet, go straight on, following the red and yellow markings of^{the GR®} de Pays.

(5) When you reach Les Grandes Fourches, turn right onto the Chemin du Château d’eau, then, 500 metres further on, take a track on the left. Follow this for about 1 km until you reach a small road near a telecoms mast, then follow it to the right until you reach the junction with the D20.

(6) Cross the departmental road with care, then head straight ahead onto the lovely track. Continue straight on across the fields for 1 km until you reach Les Petites Fourches.

(7) Turn right for about 50 metres, keep left and then stay on the left at the next junction. Then leave the road and take a path on the right; turn left at the junction to join the Route de Saulieu (D6).

(8) Cross carefully, then turn left to enter the Maison du Parc through an iron gate. Turn left, then right, passing the Morvan Resistance Museums and the Maison des Hommes et des Paysages. Then walk through the herbarium (this large house was once a castle) and turn left twice in succession towards a small pond, walking alongside it.

(9) Turn right to complete the circuit. Walk past the wood chip storage area and turn right towards the orchard. Then head down to the left towards Étang Taureau.

(10) Turn left onto the nature trail and follow it to the end. Turn left at the birdwatching huts and the ‘barefoot’ trail.

(11) Retrace your steps and rejoin the route on the left.

(1) Head back up towards the large car park by turning right and make your way to it (S/E).

Bistrot du Parc within the Maison du Parc grounds: 03 86 76 03 25.
Inn in the village and ‘L’escale Morvandelle’ accommodation: 07 66 94 26 89. Off the route, 100 metres past the church on the way up to the war memorial.
Very basic municipal campsite, open during the summer season: 07 88 95 34 41.
Morvan Resistance Museum: 1 hour.
Maison des Hommes et des Paysages: 30 mins.
Picnic tables at the Maison du Parc and in the village near the town hall (very peaceful, a former playground that is now fenced off but freely accessible).
Playground equipment for children at the Maison du Parc and in the village near the town hall.
Morvan Sommets et Grands Lacs Tourist Office: 03 45 23 00 00.
Morvan Tourist Office: 03 86 78 79 57.

Morvan Regional Nature Park Centre.
Chevresse Dolmen: a fake dolmen but a very pretty rocky outcrop.
Saut de Gouloux Waterfall.