Corbigny - Châtillon - Decize - Nevers - Sancerre - Dompierre and back

Destinations / France / Nivernais, Loire, Yonne / Corbigny - Châtillon - Decize - Nevers - Sancerre - Dompierre and back

• Cruise length: 310 km
• Trip duration: 14 days
• Type of cruise: one-way route
• Number of locks: 116

You are on the border between Nivernais and Burgundy. The proximity to Paris (about 2.5 hours) makes this location attractive. Numerous historic villages and towns, the coves of the 3 waterways, the rocks and the woods attract you to stop. Don't miss the beauty of ancient Auxerre or Mailly-le-Chateau with its interesting rock outcrop. There are opportunities for fishing and climbing on the walls of the Saussois.

Canal du Nivernais:

- Built between 1783 and 1842, the canal connects the Loire and Seine rivers and is often called the most beautiful of French river routes.

You can sail from Corbigny southwards, towards the Loire: through a peaceful region of pastures with herds of white Charolais cattle and alongside historic wine-growing villages (e.g. Irancy), visit the water sports centre of Etang de Baye, the chateau of Chatillon-en-Bazois and medieval Decize surrounded by the Loire.

At Decize, you sail a short distance on the Loire through the lush landscape of the Morvan massif from/to the southern Nivernais Canal.

The landscape and architecture of the Nivernais region are as inviting as the bottle of Chablis served with quail.

The port of Dompierre-sur-Besbre opens the gateway from the canal bridge at Digoin to the Canal du Centre, dug in the 18th century after Roanne and Châlon/Saône.

This quiet canal, which even briefly flirts with the Loire, cuts through a beautiful region. Charolais, famous for its steak cattle, is also a land of monasteries, churches and medieval villages. But neither the Cistercian monastery of Sept-Fonts in Dompierre, nor the Romanesque churches of Semur-en-Brionnais or the basilica of Paray-le-Monial will make you forget all the vibrant gastronomic delights of the region.

The Saussois area beckons with its quiet, steep rocky hills where climbing enthusiasts try their luck. Old towns such as Clamecy and Châtel-Censoir, the treasures of Vézelay Cathedral and the restaurants of Joigny and Auxerre are among the top highlights of the programme.

The landscape and architecture of the Nivernais region are as inviting as the bottle of Chablis served with the quail.

The Canal de Bourgogne, built from 1775 to 1834, which connects the Yonne and Saône rivers, invites you to experience the Renaissance on one of the most beautiful and secretive waterways.

Along the banks lined with poplar trees, you can see some of the most important châteaux in Burgundy: Tanley or Ancy-le-Franc, with their magnificent interiors, will surely captivate you.

In Saint Florentin, stick close to the canal bridge and stop by the local church with its pretty multicoloured windows.

Fosse Dionne , situated near the old town of Tonnerre, has supplied the town with water since ancient times.

The magnificent and charming abbey of Fontenay is situated in a small valley and is easily accessible by bicycle. In Alise-Sainte-Reine you can admire the excavations of Alesia , the place where the famous Gallic leader Vercingétorix surrendered to the Roman army of Caesar after a two-month siege.