The Burgundy Canal is the most prestigious of the region's canals! Over a length of 242 km, this emblematic canal links the Yonne Valley to the Saône Valley in a rich and contrasting itinerary crossing the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. A small waterway (Freycinet), it starts at Migennes, on the Yonne, a tributary of the Seine to reach Saint-Jean-de-Losne on the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône with a total of 189 locks and including a 3.3 km long tunnel passage at Pouilly-en-Auxois. A dream spot for a family river trip. Especially since the navigable canal is combined with a popular bicycle route.
A little history...
Construction of the Burgundy Canal began in 1775 on the Yonne side between Migennes and Tonnerre, but it was not until 1781 that work began on the Saône side between Dijon and Saint-Jean-de-Losne, and on 28 December 1832 for its complete opening to navigation. It reached its peak in the middle of the 19th century, when it was the main axis of communication between the North and South of France. At that time, many of the goods that supplied Paris were processed in the factories built along the canal, then marketed in the ports: wood, coal, rolled iron, iron ore, cement, plaster, lime, Burgundy stone, wine, sugar beet, cereals, etc. Quickly competing with the railway's PLM line, Paris-Lyon-Marseille, the Burgundy Canal ceased its freight transport activity at the end of the 1960s. But since the 1980s, it has successfully converted to river tourism. Open from April to the end of October, it now represents a significant tourist asset for Burgundy. His rural background particularly appeals to foreign customers. The French, for their part, will certainly have a moving thought as they pass the so-called "Baugey" lock, between Pont-d'Ouche and Veuvey-sur-Ouche. The site was used as a backdrop for the famous scene of Les Valseuses (Bertrand Tavernier) where Gérard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere throw Miou-Miou into the water...
... and some unmissable
On the Yonne side, you will discover a hilly rural landscape and come across exceptional sites: the Renaissance château of Tanlay and that of Ancy-le-Franc, the Cistercian abbey of Fontenay, the Muséoparc Alésia and the medieval city of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. Halfway through its route, Pouilly-en-Auxois, on the watershed, is a choice stopover, with its vault.
On the Saône side, you cross the preserved and wooded valley of the Ouche, then cross Dijon, capital of the Dukes of Burgundy with glazed roofs, and finally Saint-Jean-de-Losne, the capital of the Mariners previously discussed in the chapter devoted to the Saône-Rhône basin.
From Migennes to Pouilly-en-Auxois
"End of the line, everyone off! "If you are travelling on foot or by bike, there is nothing like taking the train to Migennes! As a rail yard, the train at Migennes is an institution. Small town in Yonne where the word "popular" finds its nobility, to be discovered on Thursday mornings, market day.
Migennes is also his boats and his cabaret L'Escale, which marked the debut of the most Belgian of French singers: Johnny Hallyday. It is the starting point of the Burgundy Canal.
About twenty kilometres later, Saint-Florentin is on the horizon. A Gallo-Roman military post, the city was built around the tomb of Saint Florentine, martyred in the 3rd century. Dominating the confluence of Armançon and Armance, it was renamed during the Revolution to take the name of Mont-Armance. But quickly, she recovered the name of the saint who has since been attributed to a famous local cheese. Picturesque streets, monuments and gastronomy, the small town deserves a stopover, especially since Saint-Florentin has just acquired a new marina.
Then you can moor in Tonnerre, a pleasant and important river stopover for tourists and canal boaters also known for its vineyards and historical monuments. Here, for centuries, people have lived near the very deep Dionne pit, now a magnificent circular stone basin converted into a fountain and washhouse. Overhung by the church of Saint Peter from the top of the hill, Tonnerre stands in a landscape of vines - planted by the monks in the Middle Ages - and greenery. Ravaged by a fire in 1556, the city nevertheless preserves beautiful old monuments and a remarkable hotel-God
We then quickly reach Tanlay, atown of a thousand inhabitants best known for its Renaissance castle, one of the jewels of Burgundy, which belonged to the family of Admiral de Coligny and then to a relative of Mazarin, the Superintendent of Finance Michel Particelli d'Émery, before becoming the property of the Marquis de Tanlay at the end of the 18th century. A must visit during a cruise on the canal. On the other side, there is an area for cyclists and motorhomes. If you want to change from the Crêperie du Port, go 4 km to Argentenay, on the banks of the Armançon, by the towpath, where you will find a small modest but friendly restaurant run by English people in love with Burgundy: the Auberge du Bord de l'Eau which serves a fried tablets and very nice frogs' legs.
About forty kilometres later, the banks of Montbard (6,000 inhabitants) appear. A charming village that has preserved its historic centre with its interlocking roofs, alleys and bridges that open onto the Pays de l'Auxois. A few kilometres away, you can visit Fontenay Abbey (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Forges de Buffon, the site of the Battle of Alesia, the Château de Bussy-Rabutin (17th century) and the Auxois vineyard
From Pouilly-en-Auxois to Saint-Jean-de-Losne
Halfway, Pouilly-en-Auxois is on the horizon, which has more than one tourist attraction: rich heritage (dovecotes, castles, fortified villages in the surroundings...), walks in nature or on the towpaths, by boat or bicycle, gastronomic discoveries... The tourists are not mistaken, they come in large numbers here with the arrival of the sunny days. In particular via the Burgundy Canal. Cruises of 2 hours (or more) are possible aboard the Billebaude, which passes under a 3.3 km underground vault: very impressive! Don't miss the Hall of the Toueur, entirely glazed, built by the famous Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and which houses a former electric toueur, which was used to tow boats. Built in 1893, it was used until 1987.
The river activity is coupled with a nautical capital with the presence of the reservoir dam lakes of Cercey, Panthiers (sailing club), Grobois, Le Tillot and Chazilly.
We then arrive in Dijon, the capital of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region and the Côte-d'Or department. Dijon is a tourist and historical city with a remarkable heritage. Part of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as are the famous "climates" of Burgundy. Dijon la gourmande is, of course, famous for its mustard, but also for its gingerbread and blackcurrant cream. It is to crown this land of good food that the major project currently occupying the city of Dijon is the construction of the Cité internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin, which should open its doors in 2021! On 22,000 m2, at the gates of the canal port, you will discover restaurants, wine bars, a four-star hotel, a film complex but also 1700 m2 of exhibition on French gourmet meals and food and wine pairings as well as 750 m2 dedicated to training professionals in gastronomy or good food lovers! In short, a beautiful project that aims to welcome 1 million visitors per year. Dijon is also a university, sports, industrial and business city with many infrastructures and of course a river city bathed by the Ouche river, the canal and water bodies, which has the particularity of housing a lock in the city centre.
Finally, a trip on the Burgundy Canal ends inSaint-Jean-de-Losne, a major inland navigation centre until the early 20th century. Today, the city of bargemen is doing well with the dynamism of river tourism. Its port is frequented by more than 5,000 boats every year and thanks to the Blue Way, the city sees more and more cyclists passing through
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When? When? As soon as the sun comes out.
Getting there. To reach the various ports of the Burgundy Canal.
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Useful. To prepare your escapade as well as possible.
BOURGOGNE TOURISM - More information on the website
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