Arcenant: Heritage and Hiking Trails

Arcenant brings together the classified Trou du Duc rock site, ecclesiastical heritage, monastic history, and hiking trails. When planning your trip, you can focus on exploring historic sites or going for a hike. If you’re looking for a hotel for your trip to Arcenant, this overview can help you plan your stay around your interests.

Rocky Landscape and Archaeology

The Trou du Duc is a classified site featuring a small cave measuring 8 m × 40 m at the top of a limestone cliff. The site can be reached via a short path from the D25 departmental road. Safety restrictions apply to entering the cave. The Trou du Duc offers a beautiful view over the valley.

Near Arcenant, the Site gallo-romain de l'Écartelot adds an archaeological site, including a sanctuary, to the rocky landscape. A 3 km heritage trail leads from Arcenant to the site. From the car park on the D18, a 400 m marked footpath leads there. The distances refer to different starting points: 3 km is the route from Arcenant, while 400 m is the section from the car park.

Church and Monastic History

The Eglise Saint-Martin is a classified Cluniac site. Its late-19th-century sanctuary is entirely decorated with exceptionally rare wall frescoes. The mid-19th-century nave features masons’ marks left by the compagnons. Other features include grotesque figures and the equestrian statue “la Charité de Saint Martin.” These various details give the church its distinctive artistic and architectural character.

The Prieuré d'Arcenant was founded in 1188 by monks from Saint-Vivant Abbey, which was under the authority of Cluny Abbey. The buildings visible today date from 1724. The dates refer to different historical periods: 1188 marks the foundation, while 1724 dates the surviving buildings visible today. Guided tours with commentary explain the history of the priory and its role in the region’s monastic and viticultural organization.

Hiking Trails and Planning Your Time

The Le Trou du Duc hiking route from Arcenant is 9.07 km long and takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes. It has 329 m of elevation gain and is rated moderate. Trail conditions and waymarking can change; check both before setting out. For planning purposes, this route is on a different scale from the 3 km heritage trail to the archaeological site: Le Trou du Duc is a hike lasting several hours, while the heritage trail leads to the sanctuary.

Regional and Local History

La Route du Cassis, a culinary route launched in 2025, runs from Dijon via the Hautes-Côtes and Arcenant to Nuits-Saint-Georges. It offers opportunities to meet local producers. In Arcenant, two liqueur makers process their own produce and harvests directly into liqueurs and preserves. As operators may change, check the latest information if you’re looking for a specific producer.

The history of the Second World War is also visible in Arcenant’s municipal forest: the former Maquis site is marked by a memorial plaque. This historical connection adds another facet of local history to the archaeological and ecclesiastical sites.

Discover more destinations: Gevrey-Chambertin, Flammerans, Gerland, Seurre, Ternant, Planay, Vandenesse-En-Auxois, Marsannay-La-Côte

See the broader travel guide: Cote-Dor.