Moroges: Mont Avril, Wine Route and Heritage

Moroges reveals itself through its paths, landscape and cultural history, as well as its wine. When planning your stay, you can first consider whether you would rather focus on views and nature, historic buildings or a wine tour. The places and activities offer different highlights: a hill opens up sweeping views, a route passes through hamlets, and the local history brings together buildings from several periods.

Views and nature along different routes

The Balade Morogeoise passes through hamlets in Moroges; at its starting point, there is a lovely view of Chalon and the Saône plain. The route can be enjoyed on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike. If you want to compare landscapes, you can set this view against the panorama from Mont Avril: from the 421-metre-high hill, views extend over the Creusot-Montceau region, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Bresse basin. The hill lies in the communes of Moroges, Jambles and Saint-Désert. Check the local conditions for the Balade before planning your route.

The walk to Mont Avril begins in Cercot, at the junction of Rue de la Paulée and Rue du Chétif Quart. On the Mont Avril discovery trail, you can observe numerous plant and animal species characteristic of dry limestone grasslands. Its specific starting point and distinctive flora and fauna give this walk a different focus from the view at the starting point of the Balade Morogeoise.

Routes for different travel plans

The Way of St James offers a different framework: the stage from Moroges to Saint-Gengoux-le-National is 21 kilometres long. This named pilgrimage stage, with specific start and end points, contrasts with the Balade Morogeoise, which can be enjoyed on foot, on horseback and by mountain bike. When planning, you can therefore choose either a fixed stage route or the different ways of using the Balade.

Heritage from different periods

The Church of Saint Vincent in Moroges dates from the 19th century and originally developed from a Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Martin. Its bell tower is decorated with polychrome tiles. Polychrome means multicoloured; here, the term refers to the tiles on the tower. The church’s history thus brings together a Romanesque predecessor and a 19th-century building.

Moroges also has two reconstructed towers dating from the 13th century, as well as two Merovingian sarcophagi. The historical references therefore span the Merovingian period, the Middle Ages and the 19th century. The church, towers and sarcophagi represent different forms of local heritage.

Wine and tours

The Route des Grands Vins passes through Moroges. Domaine de La Luolle offers a multisensory tour for everyone, introducing visitors to an organically farmed wine estate, the vineyard, fermentation room, cellar and wines. The techniques, tools and expertise involved in winemaking are also covered. The tour therefore encompasses not only the wines, but also the work and different areas of production. Check the tour’s booking conditions before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Ciel, Clessy, Prissé, La Tagnière, Sarry, Verdun-Sur-Le-Doubs, Beaurepaire-En-Bresse, Lournand

For the regional travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.