Tour of the Avallonnais (Yonne, Nièvre)

Starting from the timeless hill of Vézelay, whose basilica overlooks the Avallon region, the trail descends towards Asnières-sous-Bois and reaches the banks of the Yonne River at Châtel-Censoir, where the landscape is defined by the limestone cliffs of Merry-sur-Yonne. The prehistoric caves of Saint-Moré are explored before entering the Serein Valley at L'Isle-sur-Serein. The path passes through Montréal, a fortified village overlooking the plain, then Guillon-Terre-Plaine, where the rural architecture retains all its authenticity. The route then follows the foothills of the Morvan Regional Natural Park via Saint-Léger-Vauban, the birthplace of Louis XIV's famous engineer. It then leads to Quarré-les-Tombes and its mysterious stone sarcophagi, nestled in a forest of beech and conifers. After passing along the lake of Marigny-l'Église and the gorges of the Cure, the route finally begins the return towards Saint-Père and Vézelay.

The Avallon region, on the border of the Yonne and Nièvre departments, is a land of transition where the limestone plateaus of Burgundy meet the first granite foothills of the Morvan. Its capital, Avallon, perched on a rocky spur, overlooks the Cousin Valley and offers terraced gardens of absolute serenity. The historical heritage is monumental, embodied by the timeless hill of Vézelay and its Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, a masterpiece of Romanesque art. Nature expresses itself powerfully here through steep-sided valleys and rushing rivers, ideal for hiking and contemplation. Between the dense forests of the Morvan Regional Natural Park and charming villages like Montréal and Noyers-sur-Serein, history is etched in every stone. It is a territory where the silence of wide-open spaces blends perfectly with the richness of a prestigious medieval past.

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