Auxois and Morvan in 4 days:châteaux, lakes and forests

In short: west of the Côte-d’Or, away from the vineyards and the tourist routes, lie two territories with a radically different mood. The Auxois, a land of gentle hills and perched villages, gives way to the Morvan, a dark forest massif dotted with artificial lakes. This 4-day itinerary combines the best of both: medieval castles, a UNESCO-listed abbey, forest hiking and starry nights.

Unlike the wine Côte, the Auxois and the Morvan cannot be crossed in a few hours. They need time, walking and a fair amount of planning. Distances look short on the map (Semur-en-Auxois is only 50 km from Dijon), but winding roads and Morvan relief stretch journey times considerably. This 4-day itinerary is designed for a pace that lets you enjoy each stop without spending your days behind the wheel.

Day 1: Semur-en-Auxois and Flavigny-sur-Ozerain

Morning: setting off for Semur-en-Auxois

setting off for Semur-en-Auxois, details

From Dijon, allow 1 hour by road (80 km) via the A38 and D980 to reach Semur-en-Auxois. The medieval town, perched on a rocky spur encircled by the River Armançon, is one of Burgundy’s finest. Its 13th-century ramparts, the Tour de l’Orle d’Or and the cylindrical keep overlooking the Pont des Minimes make a postcard-perfect backdrop.

Start with a circuit of the ramparts: allow 1 hour for the full loop, with plunging views over the Armançon valley and the town’s glazed-tile roofs. The Collégiale Notre-Dame (13th century) is worth a visit for its contemporary stained glass (works by artist Gérard Garouste, 1994) and its listed organ.

Afternoon: Flavigny-sur-Ozerain

10 km south of Semur (15 minutes by road), Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. Perched at 400 metres, the village is famous for its Anis de Flavigny, the little aniseed sweets whose recipe, invented by the abbey’s Benedictine monks, has been kept alive since 1591 by the Troubat family. The factory, housed in the former abbey, can be visited and offers a tasting at the end of the tour.

The village is also a filming landmark: the cobbled lanes and Place de l’Église provided the setting for Lasse Hallström’s film Chocolat (2000), with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. A walk through the village takes 1.5 hours if you linger among the half-timbered houses, the church of Saint-Genest (13th-15th centuries) and the terraced gardens overlooking the Ozerain valley. For walkers, a waymarked path links Flavigny to the Ozerain valley (3 km, 1 hour return, little elevation).

Overnight in Semur-en-Auxois or nearby: several B&Bs are available in the historic centre and surrounding villages. Distance covered on day 1: about 100 km (Dijon journey + local travel).

Day 2: Châteauneuf-en-Auxois and Fontenay Abbey

Morning: Châteauneuf-en-Auxois

25 km west of Semur (30 minutes via the D977 and D980), Châteauneuf-en-Auxois overlooks the Vandenesse valley from its rocky promontory at 500 metres. The village, listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France, is dominated by the Château de Châteauneuf, a 13th- and 14th-century fortress owned by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region and open to visitors. A visit to the castle (about 1 hour) takes in the chapel with its medieval paintings, the 17th-century tapestries and the belvedere offering a panoramic view over the Auxois, from the hill of Alésia to the Morvan at sunset.

The village itself, with its steep lanes and pale stone houses, can be walked in 30 minutes but rewards a longer stroll around the church of Saint-Philippe-et-Saint-Jacques (16th century) and its fountains.

Afternoon: Abbaye de Fontenay

10 km from Châteauneuf (15 minutes by road), Fontenay Abbey is one of the Côte-d’Or’s major sites, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, one of the very first French inscriptions on the list. Founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, it is the oldest Cistercian abbey preserved in its original state.

The guided tour (allow 1.5 to 2 hours) covers the abbey church, Romanesque cloister, chapter house, monks’ dormitory and the hydraulic forge, one of the oldest in Europe still in working order. The herb garden and wooded park complete the visit. The abbey sits at the bottom of a wooded valley, giving it an isolated, silent atmosphere close to what monastic life must have felt like in the 12th century. The site closes at 6 pm in summer and 5 pm in winter (in winter, it closes between noon and 2 pm).

Overnight possible in Montbard (15 minutes from Fontenay) or return to Semur-en-Auxois (25 minutes). Distance covered on day 2: about 60 km.

Day 3: Alésia and the northern Morvan

Morning: the MuséoParc Alésia

30 km north of Semur (30 minutes by road), the Alésia site is essential for anyone interested in the history of Gaul. This is where the decisive battle between Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix took place in 52 BC. The MuséoParc Alésia, opened in 2012, is an ultramodern interpretation centre designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, with a circular building 52 metres in diameter that evokes a Gallic shield.

The visit has three parts: the museum with its archaeological collections (weapons, jewellery, coins, 3D battle reconstructions), the statue of Vercingetorix (6.6 metres high, by Aimé Millet, 1865), and the outdoor archaeological trail on the presumed battlefield. Allow 2 hours for a full visit. The site is particularly family-friendly (see the Côte-d’Or with children itinerary). Admission is charged: about €13.50 for adults, free for under-7s.

Afternoon: entering the Morvan

Leave the Auxois for the Morvan via the D980 towards Ouroux-en-Morvan. The landscape changes radically: the limestone hills of the Auxois give way to a darker granite massif covered in deciduous and coniferous forest. The contrast is striking, you enter a different territory, both wilder and cooler.

Arrival at Lac des Settons, the second-largest lake in the Morvan at 367 hectares, in the Nièvre a few kilometres from the Côte-d’Or. Created in the 19th century to regulate the Cure river and facilitate the floating of timber to Paris, the lake is now a major leisure site: supervised swimming in summer on the Presqu’île beach, canoe, kayak and paddle-board hire at the ACTIVITAL base, and a hiking trail around the lake (14 km, 3h30, no major difficulty). The watersports base offers activities for the whole family.

Overnight by Lac des Settons or in Ouroux-en-Morvan. Several campsites, gîtes and hotels are available: the Plage des Settons campsite, hotels and gîtes in Montsauche-les-Settons and the surrounding villages. Distance covered on day 3: about 90 km.

Day 4: Morvan lakes and return

Morning: hike at Lac de Pannecière

The largest lake in the Morvan, Lac de Pannecière (520 hectares), lies 20 km from Lac des Settons (25 minutes by road). It is the wildest of the Morvan lakes, ringed by beech and Scots pine forest. A short-walk (PR) trail of 8 km (2.5 hours, suitable for untrained walkers) circles the lake along the south shore, with views over the water and wooded hills.

For more experienced hikers, the GR de Pays Tour du Morvan des Sommets (137 km, 7 stages, created in 2023) passes nearby. A 15 km loop (4.5 hours, 450 m ascent) links Lac de Pannecière to Haut-Folin (901 metres), the highest point in the Morvan. The effort is rewarded with a panorama over the whole massif and, on very clear days, as far as Mont Blanc. Note: the path is not waymarked throughout; an FFRandonnée guidebook or IGN map is essential.

Afternoon: return to Dijon

Two options for the return. The most direct: take the D980 then the A38 towards Dijon, allow 1.5 hours (100 km). The scenic option: pass through Saulieu, the Morvan’s food capital, for a final Burgundian lunch (jambon persillé, œufs en meurette, Époisses cheese) at the table of the Relais Bernard Loiseau (restaurant La Côte d’Or, 2 Michelin stars). The Saulieu stop adds 30 minutes to the journey but gives this nature break a culinary finish.

Where to stay in the Auxois and Morvan

Rural accommodation is less standardised than in the vineyards, which means more character but also less predictability:

• Semur-en-Auxois: hotels and B&Bs in the historic centre; booking advised.
• Flavigny-sur-Ozerain: B&Bs in the hilltop village.
• Lac des Settons: Plage des Settons campsite, hotels and gîtes in Montsauche-les-Settons.
• Saulieu: Relais Bernard Loiseau (5-star hotel, 2-Michelin-star restaurant).

Booking is recommended in July–August, peak season for Morvan leisure areas.

Estimated budget

B&B or 2–3-star hotel: €70 to €120 per night (3 nights). Meals: €40 to €70 per day. Admissions and activities: €20 to €40 per day. Fuel: €30 for the 4 days. Total: between €500 and €850 per person.