Santenay: Santenay-Nolay Voie Verte/Cycle Path

If you are cruising along the Canal du Centre you could easily miss Santenay - I'm sure that many people do as there is nothing much more than a picnic area, like many other picnic areas along the canal, to signify that anything lies beyond.  What lies beyond is one of the most picturesque and beautifully located wine villages in Burgundy, bustling in late July, spraying vines and clipping any stray shoots to ensure all the energy goes into the growing fruit.

It lies between the Cote d'or (Cote de Beaune?) and the Cote Challonaise, and I'm not sure to which it belongs.  I think it may be the southern most tip of the Cote D'or, anyhow, it marks the end of the line of hills from Dijon to the North and Santenay in the South and there are some interesting limestone crags visible from the mooring on the canal.  Unfortunately we are moored just a few metres before this lovely gap in the trees, that gives onto the viewpoint.  A cruiser with New Zealand owners having pipped us to the post.  They are moving on tomorrow - we think (depending on how pressing their need to do a clothes wash in Chalon sur Saone).  So we may well be able to take their place.  For those on boats, head for the flower tubs and glass recycling bin, about 50 metres from the bridge towards Chagney.  Chagney, (pronounced Shany) 6km East, has a rather soulless new marina, and none of the charm of Santenay. It does have a Michellin starred Restaurant - but being vegetarian, that holds no attraction for Julian.

View South from cycle path

View South from cycle path showing rows of vines in the distance

Yet another cycle path, constructed on the bed of a disused railway line - we chose the 9km route to Nolay.  (We could have headed North through the vines to all the famous wine villages of the Cote d'or)

Nolay is another wine village much frequented by holidaymakers, although this has not prevented many shops to close.  It is a centre for antiques/brocante, and there were more of these shops than anything else.

XIV covered market in Nolay 

If you are considering cycling this route then do not start at Nolay!  From Santenay it is a steady gentle climb up the entire 9km to Nolay and the only thing that keeps you going is the thought of freewheeling all 9km back down again.

There is a lot more to this area than wine tasting.  Although there are wine tasting cellars at every turn, the old wine villages are beautiful and the wine making culture is interesting to see, even if you don't taste a drop!

Working Barges, Cycle Paths, Chateau Couches, Floating Bollards and Locks on the Canal du Centre

Here are a few snapshots of places we have been and things we have seen over the past few days whilst based at St Leger sur Dheune at the end of July 2016.

Working Barge passing us at St Leger sur Dhuene port. 

Map of cycle path from Givry to Cluny

Burgundy is very well served by cycle paths, and there are also plenty of little camp sites and picnic areas, there is a wonderful route following an old railway line which includes the worlds longest cycle path tunnel.

Chateau Couches looks to be a very interesting Chateau. As we have visited quite a few recently we decided to take a walk around the perimeter through the woods and into the old part of the village which was very picturesque and we did not see a single modern building, just beautifully restored old village houses and larger properties surrounded by gardens and veg plots.  Campsis is just beautiful at the moment.  Also Wisteria in bloom.

Chateau Couches

Walk below Couches Chateau

Couches gateway

Couches lower village

Lock on Canal du Centre.  Floating bollards (first we've seen on Burgundy system) Plants left to grow in lock (another first). Eclusiers (lockkeepers) that run away rather than too you when you appear! (Not all of them, but we certainly had a lot of problems with these automatic locks, and this made us value the Eclusiers on the Canal Bourgogne and Nivernais)

Wildflower meadow near Blanzy

St Leger sur Dhuene. end July 2016

One of the very few places on the Canal du Centre that can be described as a 'destination', - very pleasant. 

Other 'destinations' Paray le Monial, and Santenay (next stop) 

The fantastically picturesque Valley de la Vaux lies to the south and is where the Challonaise wines are produced, centred round the town of Mercury.  We did not visit Mercury, but we toured the villages to the west near St Jean de Vaux. This is the area to the South of the Cote d'or starting to the South of the River Dheune. (This river follows the line of the canal for some way)

We had our car.  This was over the hill to the south of the Canal du Centre 16km from the canal

Picnic spot near Chateau Germolles - the French are good at picnic spots

As well as picnic spots and wine, the French are also good at pastries, growing geraniums and building log piles.  Unfortunately they no longer build castles and chateaux, just log piles, bungalows and out of town shopping centres.