Épinac: Walking Routes, Forest and Mining History

Épinac can be explored through a variety of themes: the Voie Verte runs through the town centre, walking routes offer different points of interest, and chapels, mining and the railway tell the story of the town. If you are looking for a hotel in Épinac, it may help to consider whether you are planning your stay primarily around outdoor activities, nature or culture. The routes vary both in length and in their destinations.

Walking routes by length and destination

The Voie Verte runs through the town centre of Épinac and is suitable for walking, cycling and inline skating. The 6.2-kilometre Autour du Puits Hottinguer loop passes over the Gué de Champy footbridge, along the Promenade de Barlibeau and down the Chemin de Monestoy. Its landmarks give the route a distinct local character.

At 11.1 kilometres, En passant par Grandvaux is one of the longer walking routes. It follows the botanical trail through the Bois de Mollaire to Grandvaux. The 10.9-kilometre La chapelle de Montartaux loop climbs up to the hamlet of Ressille; from there, you can see the Chapelle de Montartaux. The two routes therefore differ not only by 200 metres, but also in their destinations: Grandvaux and the forest trail on one route, the hamlet and a view of the chapel on the other.

Another loop is 9.5 kilometres long and leads to the sites of the ten most important former mine shafts in the area once known as Épinac-les-mines. Thanks to explanatory signs, it can be explored independently year-round on foot, by mountain bike or by car. Of these four walking routes, Autour du Puits Hottinguer is the shortest and En passant par Grandvaux the longest. The distances, ranging from 6.2 to 11.1 kilometres, can help you choose a route to suit your preferred distance while keeping the different destinations in mind.

Forest, river and leisure

The Fontaine Bonhomme nature trail is a marked botanical path in the Bois de Mollaire. Families can discover the forest’s wildlife and plant life there. The water offers different activities: fishing is possible in the Drée and its tributaries, the Petite Drée and the Miette. The leisure area on the Drée offers mini golf, children’s games, table football and table tennis. Alongside the walking routes, you can therefore choose to focus on nature observation or on a range of leisure activities.

Chapels and industrial history

The Chapelle de la Garenne is a brick chapel in the heart of the Cité de la Garenne, with remarkable stained-glass windows. The Compagnie du Chemin de fer et des Houillères d’Épinac had it built between 1866 and 1869 for its employees, particularly for the settlement’s private school. The date and purpose of its construction make the chapel a testament to the links between mining, the company and life in the settlement.

The railway is also part of the town’s history: the former railway line became the Promenade de Monestoy in 1992. The Musée de la Mine, de la Verrerie et du Chemin de Fer covers history, industry and minerals. Reservations for the museum, the Maison Sœurotte and an escape game are accepted at reservation@epinacmusee.fr. Check before you arrive whether the activities you want are available.

Near Épinac, in the Battées forest, stands the Val Saint Benoît monastery, founded by Gauthier de Sully in 1236. The proportions of its church are reminiscent of Cistercian abbeys. The Chapelle de Dinay may date back even further: it could have been built around the year 1000. This tentative dating contrasts with the precisely documented construction years of the Chapelle de la Garenne.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Chatenay, Flacey-en-Bresse, Saint-Léger-Lès-Paray, Amanzé, Beaurepaire-En-Bresse, Chapaize, Saint-Loup-Géanges, Laizy.

Back to the regional travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.