The Morvan in Brief
The Morvan is a low granite massif in the middle of Burgundy, covered with forest, pasture and reservoirs. Since 1970 it has been protected as the Morvan Regional Natural Park, which covers around 285,000 hectares across four departments: Nièvre, Côte-d'Or, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne. It is wetter and greener than the vineyard country of the Côte d'Or, thinly populated, and much quieter than the better-known parts of Burgundy. Its villages are small, built of grey granite, and spread out among woods and fields.
Vézelay
On the northern edge of the park, Vézelay is the best-known village in the area. The Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, on top of its hill, is a major work of Romanesque architecture, famous for its carved tympanum and capitals. The basilica and the hill of Vézelay are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the village is a traditional starting point for one of the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela. Walk up the main street early or late in the day to avoid the crowds, and follow the path around the ramparts for views over the countryside.
Bibracte and Mont Beuvray
In the south of the park, Mont Beuvray was the site of Bibracte, the hilltop town of the Aedui, a Gallic people. Julius Caesar stayed there, and it was at Bibracte in 52 BC that Vercingetorix was confirmed as leader of the Gallic revolt. Archaeologists have excavated parts of the town, and a museum at the foot of the hill presents the Celtic world and the findings from the site. Walking trails cross the forested summit between excavated areas.
Towns and Villages Worth a Stop
- Château-Chinon: a small town in the centre of the Morvan, known for its long association with François Mitterrand, who was its mayor. The Musée du Septennat displays gifts he received as President of the Republic.
- Saulieu: a historic stop on the old road from Paris to Lyon, with a long gastronomic tradition, the Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Andoche and a museum dedicated to the animal sculptor François Pompon, who was born in the town.
- Quarré-les-Tombes: a village whose church is surrounded by dozens of medieval stone sarcophagi.
- Saint-Brisson: home to the Maison du Parc, the park's headquarters, with visitor information, an arboretum and the Musée de la Résistance en Morvan.
- Lormes and Anost: villages with viewpoints and walking trails, typical of the park's quieter inner villages.
Lakes
The Morvan has several reservoirs, created from the 19th century onwards. The Lac des Settons was built partly to regulate water for floating timber down the rivers to Paris, an important trade for the Morvan for centuries. Today it is the most developed lake for leisure, with beaches, boating and a path around the shore. The Lac de Pannecière and the Lac de Chaumeçon are quieter.
History: Wood, Wet Nurses and the Resistance
The Morvan's history is closely tied to Paris. For centuries, its forests supplied firewood to the capital, floated downstream on the Yonne. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many Morvan women worked as wet nurses for Parisian families, and the region also took in large numbers of foster children from Paris; a museum at Alligny-en-Morvan tells this story.
During the Second World War, the forests sheltered several Resistance groups. The village of Dun-les-Places was the scene of a German massacre of civilians in June 1944. The Musée de la Résistance en Morvan at Saint-Brisson explains this period.
Walking and Outdoor Activities
The park is crossed by long-distance footpaths, including the GR13, and has a dense network of shorter marked loops. Paths run through beech and oak forests, along rivers and past small lakes. The rivers also offer canoeing and kayaking in season. The park's website and the Maison du Parc publish route maps and information on accommodation.
Practical information. A car is almost essential, as public transport within the park is limited. The A6 motorway runs along the park's eastern side, and railway stations at Avallon and Autun on the park's edges provide access by train. Accommodation is mostly in small hotels, chambres d'hôtes, gîtes and campsites. Many businesses are seasonal, and restaurants in villages often keep short hours, so check ahead outside summer. Autumn brings colourful beech woods and quiet trails, and is a rewarding time to visit.
