The best traffic-free bike rides around Charbonnat

Nice climb, tough from Mesvres

This section is a beautiful rolling dirt track along the Arroux River. If you take the time to stop and observe, you can spot many species of birds that live here.

The lordship of Uchon developed from the 11th century onwards thanks to the lords of Chateauvillain, notably with the construction of the Church of Saint Sebastian in the 12th century (now dedicated to Saint Roch), in which Jean de Chateauvillain placed the relics of Saint Sebastian upon his return from the Crusades. He is also responsible for the Calvary of the Cross of Messire Jean, located at the summit of the mountain and restored in 2021 (funded by the BROC and TRAD UCHON associations). Suffering heavy destruction during the Hundred Years' War, the village began a long decline, accentuated by the fragmentation of the barony of Uchon and the dismantling of the castle in the 16th century. However, at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the site of Uchon experienced significant growth linked to the pilgrimage centered around the relics of Saint Sebastian, invoked to protect against the plague that was raging at the time. Faced with the influx of pilgrims from Autun, the church proved too small to accommodate crowds of up to 5,000 people. It was decided to build an oratory outside the church, housing an altar, to bring the faithful together for celebrations. The pilgrimage continued until the 18th century before disappearing at the turn of the French Revolution. The altar was then replaced by a Calvary, surmounted by a Virgin Mary, in the first half of the 20th century. Since December 9, 1929, the Oratory of Belle-Croix has been listed as a historic monument. The oratory, built on a granite mound like the nave of the neighboring church, is oriented (facing east). Raised in a cantilever on corbels, this monument surprises with its singular silhouette which is not without evoking the unstable balance of the "Pierre-qui-croule" not far from there. In addition, the spire of the oratory, surmounted by a metal cross, gives a beautiful dynamic to the whole. Square in plan, the oratory receives an octagonal base cap resting on squinches. The masonry is made of cut granite blocks, perhaps from the castle which was dismantled at the same time. The masonry details (moldings, chamfers, niches, squinches) demonstrate the care taken in the implementation. Inside, a finely sculpted sandstone Calvary, surmounted by a Virgin and Child, contrasts with the rusticity of the granite. The interior masonry of the oratory does not display any particular decoration apart from a stone running through it, on the west facade, forming a sculpted capital on the interior side and a cross in bas-relief on the exterior, probably a reused stone.

A beautiful place as a base for cycling tours in the Morvan.

Very beautiful St Lazare Cathedral

This Himalayan-style Buddhist temple is splendid. It was founded by a Tibetan lama in 1974 and worship is still held there. The first floor gallery can be explored on a self-guided or guided tour, to be done without doubt.

The herds are often permanently outdoors and appear large and powerful.

A small village in the Morvan region. The village center is built in the traditional stone style. In the narrow streets of the village you will find one or two small local restaurants, as well as a pretty church right in the center of the old village.