Burgundy’s Signature Multi-Use Paths (Tour de Bourgogne à Vélo)

The Tour de Bourgogne à Vélo is a network of multi-use paths along Burgundy’s rivers and canals. We’ve mapped six of these long distance paths across the region which make for a great run of any length.

Veloroute La Voie des Vignes: One of the most popular recreation destinations in Burgundy, the cycle path “of the Vineyards” is a ~35 km route through the region’s winemaking history. The path follows back roads and vineyard paths over mostly dirt terrain from Beaune west to Nolay. Highlights along this former railway line include the chateaus, chapels, and cafes of quaint wine villages, cliffside vistas, and viaducts. At the medieval village of Nolay, runners and cyclists can connect to the Canal du Centre. From Beaune, it’s about 5.5 km to Volnay, 8.5 km to Meursault, 12.8 km to Puligny-Montrachet, 15 km to Chassagne-Montrachet, 21.6 km to Santenay, 27.2 km to Paris L’Hopital, 31.5 km to Nolay, and 36.2 km to the end of the path. ROUTE MAP.

Canal de Bourgogne: Connecting the rivers Yonne and Saone for a grand total of 242 km, the Canal de Bourgogne is lined by towpaths which link Migennes and Dijon. These dirt paths are well-groomed for running, and provide an important link for the Tour de Bourgogne à Vélo. As the most populous city along the route, Dijon is the obvious jumping off place for most runners. The “quais” of Dijon make up about 12 km of running, jumping from bank to bank. We’ve also mapped the entire 215 km route from Dijon, continuing through to the Tonnerre region, the Ouche valley, and the Auxois region. Highlights including Pontigny Abbey, Tanlay, Ancy-le-Franc, Fontenay Abbey, and some famous medieval villages and chateaus along the way. Use this canal as a resource to jump on for a run in this area!  ROUTE MAP.

Canal du Nivernais: The Canal du Nivernais towpath is one of the most rural sections of the Tour de Bourgogne à Vélo. It covers 183 km from Saint-Leger-des-Vignes to Auxerre in the north, skirting the edge of Morvan Regional Park. Favorite spots include the city of Auxerre, Decize island, Châtillon-en-Bazois, the “staircase” of Sardy-les-Epiry, and the hill village of Vézelay. ROUTE MAP. See also our guide to running in Morvan Regional Park.

Other Multi-Use Paths In the Area

Voie Verte: Totalling 70 km, the Voie Verte (Greenway) is one of the best choices for running between Chalon-sur-Saone and Macon. The route roughly follows La Grone and its tributaries, hitting the communities of Givry, Cormatin, and Cluny along the way. The northern section runs through idyllic vineyards, mainly paralleling the D891, while the trail south of Cluny’s Benedictine Abbey parallels the D17. The path is mainly flat, except for a hilly section for ~7 km, between kms 8 and 17, heading north from Macon.  ROUTE MAP.  Vois Verte Info.

Blue Route: The iconic “Blue Route” of Burgundy follows the River Saône from Lyon to Haute-Saône. The 180 km trail is a section of the EuroVelo 6 route. Four sections of the route are currently complete: the southernmost section is 32 km from Macon to Tournas; 21 km from Chalon-sur-Saone; 17 km section from Pagny-la-Ville to Saint-Symphorien-sur-Saône; and 37 km from Auxonne to Talmay. Most of the route is paved and sign-posted, making it easy to follow. This MAP provides good information on the completed sections.

Le Canal Entre Champagne: Le Canal Entre Champagne includes an extensive towpath along most of the canal from Dommarien to where it meets the Saone near Maxilly-sur-Saone. Most of the route is paved and signposted. In addition to the waterfront views, highlights include the drawbridge at Cheuge. We’ve mapped a 17 km route, from Beaumont-sur-Vingeanne south to Cheuge (11 km), then using the Route de Cheauge and the Route de Talmay for 6 km to access the center of Talmay. ROUTE MAP.