In Burgundy along the canals / 8 days

Day 1 Arrival
Montbard can be reached by TGV. This pretty town on the banks of the Canal de Bourgogne is the home of Buffon, the 18th century naturalist and mathematician. If you are arriving by car, be sure to visit the Abbaye de Fontenay, a Cistercian abbey located 6 km from Montbard and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 2 Montbard - Tonnerre 60 km
This first stage takes you along the romantic Canal de Bourgogne and takes in two superb Renaissance châteaux: first the Château d'Ancy le Franc, built by the architect Seclio in the 17th century, then the Château de Tanlay. Arrival at Tonnerre.

Day 3 Tonnerre - Joigny 55 km
Don't leave Tonnerre, home of the Chevalier d'Eon, without visiting the Hôtel-Dieu, a former hospital dating from the 13th century, as well as the wash-house and the famous Fosse Dionne. Back on the towpath, the river alternates between vineyards and pastures as far as Joigny. Your day's journey ends in Joigny, a Town of Art and History that has preserved its many timber-framed houses and superb churches.

Day 4 Joigny - Auxerre 35 km
This short stage takes you to Auxerre, a magnificent town with a rich historic quarter classified as a "protected site". Auxerre, a Town of Art and History, has preserved an exceptional architectural heritage through the ages: St Etienne's Cathedral, a model of Gothic elegance, St Germain's Abbey, a virtually intact monastic complex with its 9th-century crypts, one of which contains one of the oldest wall paintings discovered in France.

Day 5 Auxerre - Clamecy 64 km
Continue your journey along the banks of the Canal du Nivernais, stopping off at the Caves de Bailly, where the famous Crémant de Bourgogne is made and which you are sure to taste. Along the Canal du Nivernais, you will follow the route of the "Bois de Flottage": in the Middle Ages, the Morvan forest produced wood for the inhabitants of Paris. This wood was floated to the capital. Enjoy this charming, multi-faceted itinerary, passing through Mailly-le-Château, the Rochers du Saussois rock-climbing mecca, and on to Clamecy.

Day 6 Clamecy - Vézelay 31 km
You leave the banks of the canal to follow a pleasant route through small villages to Vézelay, whose Romanesque basilica of Sainte Madeleine stands majestically on the Colline Eternelle, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since the Middle Ages, Vézelay has been a major pilgrimage site and a stop-off point on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela.

Day 7 Vézelay - Avallon 27 km
You leave the Colline Eternelle, pass through St Père sous Vézelay and join the peaceful Vallée du Cousin to reach Avallon, perched on its rocky outcrop.

Day 8 Departure
Transfer back to Montbard.