The best traffic-free bike rides around Saint-Martin-De-Salencey

A route through a green corridor, that brings joy.

Cortevaix is located in a very green and hilly landscape. The village is very close to the Grosne river. The area is perfect for people who love nature, tranquility, and leisurely walks.

The Château de Cormatin is a magnificent moated castle from the early 17th century. The castle was built between 1606 and 1625 by the Marquises d'Huxelles. It houses the best-preserved state rooms from the Louis XIII era in all of France. Famous are the "Gilded Rooms" (Salles Dorées) with lavish paintings, sculptures, and gilded ceilings. The extensive grounds, covering around 12 hectares, are among the most beautiful gardens in France. Highlights in the outdoor area include a large boxwood labyrinth, an open-air Baroque theatre, water features, and a historic vegetable garden. This spot only offers a brief glimpse of the rear grounds.

La Butte de Suin is a 593-meter-high viewpoint hill in the Saône-et-Loire department, near the small French municipality of Suin. From the summit, there is an impressive 360-degree panoramic view. In clear weather, you can look far over the hilly landscapes of Southern Burgundy (including the Charolais and Clunysois regions, and as far as Beaujolais). At the summit, there is a striking statue of the Virgin Mary, an orientation table for hikers, and the remains of an old fortress that was used from the Celtic period until the 16th century.

Great route through picturesque hilly cultural landscape.

The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the small French municipality of Cortevaix in the Saône-et-Loire department: The construction of the church was decided by decree in 1810 to move the religious center from the neighboring municipality of Confrançon, as the church there was in poor condition. The building was erected on the ruins of an old feudal castle. The inhabitants used the stones of the former fortress directly for its construction. The solemn consecration of the house of worship, built in the Neo-Romanesque style, took place on January 3, 1811.

Founded in 910, the Benedictine abbey developed into the starting point of the Cluniac reform movement. In the High Middle Ages, it was one of the most influential religious and political centers in Western Europe. At its peak, the Cluny congregation comprised around 1,200 monasteries with over 20,000 monks across the continent. Cluny was independent of secular rulers and local bishops. It was directly subordinate to the Pope in Rome.

The imposing church was originally built in the 12th century by the monks of the Abbey of Cluny. It officially belongs to the Cluniac sites and is on the candidate list for UNESCO World Heritage. The building combines different architectural eras. While the striking transept and the octagonal bell tower date from the Romanesque era, the three-aisled choir visible in the background shows Gothic features. A central eye-catcher in the sanctuary is the large, colorful neo-Gothic church window, which casts a soft light into the elongated interior. Along the mighty pillars of the nave, detailed sculptures and reliefs on the capitals can be seen in the foreground.