Châtillon-en-Bazois and the Nivernais Canal: The Château Port and the Sardy Lock Staircase
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
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225
XP
+100 France
= 325 total
1 day
Châtillon-en-Bazois and the Nivernais Canal: The Château Port and the Sardy Lock Staircase
225 + 100 XP
Châtillon-en-Bazois sits in a loop of the Aron and the Nivernais canal on the edge of the Morvan, its château on a rock above the renovated port, where boats and bikes are hired. The canal, begun at La Collancelle in 1784, interrupted by the Revolution, finished between 1822 and 1824 and opened in 1841 under the engineer Aimable Hageau, climbs north from Châtillon on the Loire slope to its summit pound between the Baye and Port Brûlé locks, fed by the rigole d'Yonne from the lac de Pannecière and by the ponds of Vaux and Baye. Beyond the summit it dives into the 758 m tunnel at La Collancelle and drops to the Yonne down the sixteen-lock staircase of Sardy-lès-Épiry. A flat greenway follows the towpath, and because the locks from Sardy to Cercy-la-Tour are only 31 m by 5.20 m the canal now carries pleasure boats alone.
Required Activities
1
of 5
Visit the château on its rock above the port — lived in since the 900s — and find the 13th-century defence tower, the cellar and the underground rooms, then ask where the passage went that once led out to the crypt of the church at Alluy. Walk the park that comte Lavenne de Choulot laid out and see why the gardens carry the jardin remarquable label
2
of 5
Cycle the towpath from Châtillon to the Mingot lock and find the aqueduct bridge just above it, where the canal crosses the Aron on a bridge of its own — then stand on it and work out which water is which
3
of 5
Ride or walk the towpath north to the étangs de Vaux and de Baye and work out what they are for: everything in the canal from here down to Châtillon comes out of them and out of the rigole d'Yonne that brings water from the lac de Pannecière
4
of 5
In the neo-Romanesque church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, finished in 1868, find three things far older than the building: the 15th-century altar frontal of the Virgin and the Apostles, the 17th-century French Baptism of Christ, and the baptismal font made in faience by the Faïencerie Montagnon
5
of 5
Take a boat out from the port at Châtillon and pace out one of the locks: at 31 m by 5.20 m they are too small for a modern Freycinet barge, which is exactly why this canal was left to pleasure boats instead of being widened or filled in
Visit the château on its rock above the port — lived in since the 900s — and find the 13th-century defence tower, the cellar and the underground rooms, then ask where the passage went that once led out to the crypt of the church at Alluy. Walk the park that comte Lavenne de Choulot laid out and see why the gardens carry the jardin remarquable label
Cycle the towpath from Châtillon to the Mingot lock and find the aqueduct bridge just above it, where the canal crosses the Aron on a bridge of its own — then stand on it and work out which water is which
Ride or walk the towpath north to the étangs de Vaux and de Baye and work out what they are for: everything in the canal from here down to Châtillon comes out of them and out of the rigole d'Yonne that brings water from the lac de Pannecière
In the neo-Romanesque church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, finished in 1868, find three things far older than the building: the 15th-century altar frontal of the Virgin and the Apostles, the 17th-century French Baptism of Christ, and the baptismal font made in faience by the Faïencerie Montagnon
Take a boat out from the port at Châtillon and pace out one of the locks: at 31 m by 5.20 m they are too small for a modern Freycinet barge, which is exactly why this canal was left to pleasure boats instead of being widened or filled in
Before you go
Boat and bike hire at Châtillon runs in the boating season and should be booked; the canal's locks are worked to set hours and are closed out of season, so check with Voies navigables de France before planning a passage. The three tunnels — La Collancelle at 758 m, Mouas at 268 m and Breuilles at 212 m — are one-way and unlit. The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste is open every day except Sunday afternoon. Sardy-lès-Épiry and its sixteen-lock staircase are 16 km north, beyond the summit, if you want to add them by road.
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Challenge Location
XP Breakdown
Challenge XP
225 XP
France country bonus
+100 XP
Potential total
325 XP
Country bonus earned on completion of your first challenge in France.
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