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Burgundy is riddled with cycle paths, the best known of which is the Voir Verte. It passes through Fontaines, alongside the Canal du Centre. The CduC was once a heavily used commercial canal that joins the River Sâone to the Loire. In one direction, initially traveling to the north, it goes through Chagny, Santenay, and southward to St-Léger-sur-Dheune, where it joins another pathway before rejoining the Voir Verte and thence Digoin and Bourbon-Lancy. The other direction from Fontaines is to Chalon-sur-Sâone, and on to Macon.
Mel and Nick spent three of their days with us at la Petite Maison cycling on the Voir Verte. They said:
We had three easy days of cycling, doing about 45km each day.
The first two
days were a mixture of rural roads (some of the other routes marked off the Voie
Verte) - these allowed us to do a loop without having to backtrack.
Day 1. Rural roads from Fontaines - Mercurey - Aluze - Dennevey and back to
Fontaines along the canal.
Day 2. Down the old railway line from Givry - Buxy - St Gengoux le National.
Back along bike routes 4 and 3 to Givry
Day 3. St Gengoux le National - Macon TGV railway station along the old railway
line.
We came back on Bus number 7(timetables available from the tourist office
in Chalon). The buses have extra- large luggage racks into which you can put
bikes - probably have room for about 6 bikes in total.
Most scenic and enjoyable part - Buxy - Cluny.
Most interesting - the tunnel; but the cycle path up from Cluny was squeezed between the main road and the TGV line.
Best value -
the bus fare (with bike) 1.5 euros each.
One hint - look at the weather forecast, and cycle with the prevailing wind if
possible. Made it much easier.
A brochure about the Voir Verte and other cycle paths is available from the tourist office, and in order to do the side routes you also need a local 1:100,000 IGN map.
Commercial barge based at Digoin on the Canal du Centre passing through Fontaines
Map of the cycle paths in Burgundy
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