Ternant – Dolmen and woodland landscape

For planning your trip, Ternant offers two distinct points of interest: megalithic sites and a woodland landscape with designated natural features. The large dolmen and the protected sculpture in Saint-Laurent Church represent different aspects of the cultural heritage; the Bois de Montfée draws attention to geology and habitats. This helps you decide how to explore Ternant, depending on whether you are more interested in archaeological monuments, sacred art, or nature.

Woodland, geology, and habitats

The Bois de Montfée lies on an Upper Jurassic limestone plateau covered by flint-bearing clay, which gives rise to very acidic soil. As part of the Côte-d’Or network of sensitive natural areas, the Bois is designated an Espaces Naturels Sensibles (ENS). A very rare acid-loving oak forest grows there on limestone. The landscape thus brings together a limestone plateau and very acidic soil conditions. The description of the oak forest as both acid-loving and growing on limestone is also one of the area’s distinctive natural features.

The range of habitats extends beyond the oak forest. The Bois de Montfée combines a woodland on a hill with adjoining open habitats such as heathland, meadows, and grasslands. The area also includes trees with deadwood or cavities, as well as the biodiversity dependent on these features. The Bois lies within the municipalities of Semezanges and Ternant and has been identified as a biodiversity reservoir for the intermunicipal area. Woodland and open areas form distinct parts of the habitat mosaic; deadwood and tree cavities add further specific features.

Megalithic sites and church art

The large dolmen of Ternant is covered by a stone slab more than five metres long. It was restored in 1975. A dolmen is a megalithic tomb; several megalithic tombs have been recorded in the municipality of Ternant. The specific description of the capstone thus sits alongside the broader archaeological context of the municipality.

Another form of cultural heritage can be found in Saint-Laurent Church in Ternant: it houses a statue of Saint Roch with an angel and a dog. The sculpture is classified as a protected object. In contrast to the large dolmen, this is a work of church art featuring a specifically named group of figures. The archaeological tombs and the protected sculpture therefore offer distinct cultural points of reference for planning your trip.

Woodland connections and orientation

The spatial relationships in the landscape can also be distinguished by compass direction. The forest of Ternant surrounds the village to the north, west, and south; the forest of Semezanges lies to the northeast. Nearby, the view extends southeast to the Butte de Vergy, where the church of Reulle-Vergy can be seen. A municipal road leads from the centre of Ternant to the Bois de la Combe d’enfer, running from west to east. This gives you several landmarks for understanding the local landscape: the forests on the sides of the village, the southeastward view towards the Butte de Vergy, and the road running west to east.

Discover more destinations: Villars-Et-Villenotte, Bure-les-Templiers, Lusigny-sur-Ouche, Blaisy-Bas, Châtillon-Sur-Seine, Is-Sur-Tille, Losne, Chazilly

For the full travel overview: Cote-Dor.