Circuit de Trail: Boucle n°3 de Chateau-Chinon

A circuit of almost 30 kilometres, approaching 900 m of D+ with various
landscape openings on 3 almost parallel valleys: the best known Yonne, the wilder and steeper Tou-
ron, which is wilder and steeper, before returning to the Yonne valley, preceding the climb to the
the climb to the Calvary of Château-Chinon.
We advise you to take a good look at the weather conditions before setting off, and to have a reserve.
We advise you to check the weather conditions before setting off, and to have a food reserve due to the isolation of the territories crossed.
Water in the Morvan is less of a problem because the Morvan, like all granite land, is a real water tower.
water tower (provide sterilisation tablets as a precaution).
It is necessary to start (unfortunately) with 1500 metres on tarmac or main roads
It is necessary to start (unfortunately) with 1500 metres on tarmac or main roads which allow a gradual warming up. It is also impossible
not to cross the road leading to Autun (KM 1), a place where we urge you to be
to be very careful. Before this crossing, you will have walked on a road
which was until the 1930s the old tacot, the name given to the Morandiau railway.
vandiau railway.
The first embankment is (unfortunately still) on a road: the buildings on your left are a reminder of the industrial past.
buildings on your left are a reminder of the industrial past of the Morvan capital: the
closed at the end of the 2000s are now converted into a local sales site for hams and
of Morvan hams and terrines. We advise you to taste them a little later
as we fear that the long descent to the top of the hill will cause vibrations that will be detrimental to your digestion.
down to the bottom of the Yonne valley.
After KM 3, you will find again one of the axes of the old jalopy before definitely
before plunging into the valley floor. The river will be crossed at a restored mill (KM 5)
(KM 5): this marks the beginning of the ascent of the valley on its right-hand side
It marks the beginning of the ascent of the valley on its right-hand side over six kilometres with alternating sections of varying steepness.
The first part illustrates perfectly the "classic" Morvan landscape with the
the bottom of the valley and the first parts of the slope, with a grouped habitat
and the "hauts", the ridges returned to the forest. The place names are there to remind you that
that you are evolving here too on ancient Celtic and then Roman routes (toponym "le
(toponym "le carrouge" = the crossroads), this emphasis being reinforced by the ancient rural theatre of Bardiaux
(built in the 2nd century AD - seating 700-800).
However, be careful not to go as far as the village of Les Bardiaux and turn left
left before (KM 10-11). Rest a little as you are about to enter a technically
technically more difficult area with a very steep descent to the bottom of the wild
the very wild river "Touron" (KM 11.5) and an equally steep ascent to the top of the "Brenons".
to the top of the "Brenots" (slope more than 22%).
The gentler descent to Les Brenets (KM 14) and the pleasant flat kilometre on the small road
on the small road allows you to recuperate, especially as the landscape openings
are among the most beautiful in the Morvan: the high hills around the Haut Folin
Haut Folin, Preneley, Château Chinon on its promontory and the openings on the
the Bazois beyond.
The path on the left will take you back to the bottom of the Touron valley after
Vouchot (KM 17.5). The climb ahead of you on a wide forest track is one of the last before the
is one of the last before the descent into the Yonne valley (through the villages of
of Chagnon and Rhonon). The bottom of the Yonne valley is wider here: once
crossed in the middle of the pastures, the last real difficulty is offered to you: 250
meters of D+ in 3km.
This climb will be done in two stages: a first slope of about 150m of D+ will bring you
the suburbs of Château-Chinon (KM 25).
The final climb to the ruins of the old castle is quite steep (up to 23%)
but the reward is beautiful at the top. In front of you, the low plateaus of the Bazois
to the West. To the south, towards the old Château-Chinon, the highest peaks of the
Morvan (with the Haut-Folin recognizable by its red and white antenna).
A new downward track allows you to reach the town, which you have to pass in front of the septic museum.
passing in front of the museum of the septennate then by discrete lanes, zones of staircases
staircases, and some narrow passages to the town hall. It is impossible to miss
to miss the animated fountain created between 1987 and 1988 by Niki de Saint Phalle and
Jean Tinguely, commissioned by French President François Mitterrand,
for His town. The steeply sloping Rue du Terreau leads to the D978, which you will have to cross with care and then
you will have to cross it with care and then walk along it for a short time before you reach a road on your left
You will have to cross it with care and then walk along it for a short time before returning to a road on your left, which runs through the middle of the pastures. Near the equestrian centre, there are only
500 metres to go, first on the road and then on a forest track to reach the nature
to reach the nature base.

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