The best road cycling routes around Saint-Martin-Belle-Roche

The Tour des Fromages is a preserved defensive tower from the 11th century, which originally belonged to the ramparts of the powerful Abbey of Cluny. In the Middle Ages, the structure was still called Tour des Fèves (Bean Tower), as supplies were stored there. It got its current, curious name in the 19th century because a merchant used the tower to dry her homemade cheeses. Today, the tower is a popular attraction. Visitors can climb the 120 steps to the top. From up there, you have a beautiful 360-degree panoramic view over the entire medieval monastic city and the surrounding Burgundy landscape. Access to the tower is directly through the local Cluny tourist office.

An old church ruin with Gothic elements on a farmstead that also appears largely abandoned.

The abbey was founded in 910 by Duke William I of Aquitaine. In the Middle Ages, Cluny was the starting point of a huge monastic reform (the "Cluniac Reforms"). At its peak in the 11th and 12th centuries, around 1,500 monasteries and over 20,000 monks throughout Europe were under its jurisdiction. The main church of the abbey (Cluny III or Major Ecclesia), over 187 meters long, was the largest house of worship in Christendom until St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was built. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed. Under Napoleon's rule, the gigantic church was almost completely demolished and used as a quarry. Today, only about 8% of the original vast complex remains.

The tour leads through a picturesque, typically Burgundian landscape of rolling fields, dense forests, and vineyards. It connects the small, historic communities of Bray, Cortambert, and Blanot. In the listed historic village of Blanot, you will find, among other things, the famous Grottes de Blanot (a cave that reaches over 80 meters deep into the earth) as well as a historic Romanesque church. www.burgund-touri... +1

An idyllic, paved cycle path directly on the riverbank. It is a section of the well-known French long-distance cycle route „La Voie Bleue - Moselle-Saône Radweg" (Route V50) along the Saône. The entire long-distance cycle route covers around 700 kilometers from the Luxembourg border town of Apach (near the tripoint) to Lyon. The Saône section follows the natural meanders of the Saône, passing meadows, historic villages, and well-known wine-growing regions such as Mâcon. The route is mostly flat on former towpaths.

An idyllic, asphalted cycle path right on the riverbank. This is a section of the well-known French long-distance cycle route "La Voie Bleue - Moselle-Saône Radweg" (Route V50) along the Saône. The entire long-distance cycle route runs for around 700 kilometers from the French border town of Apach (near the tripoint) to Lyon. The Saône section follows the natural meanders of the Saône, passing meadows, historic villages, and well-known wine-growing regions such as Mâcon. The route runs mostly flat on former towpaths.

The Maison de Bois (Wooden House) is located at Place aux Herbes in the center of Mâcon. It is the oldest and most famous residential building in the city. It was built between 1490 and 1510. The ground floor is made of masonry, while the three floors above are built entirely of wood. The wooden structure is famous for its countless, partly grotesque and suggestive carvings. Mythical creatures, monkey masks, and naked and winged figures can be seen. Today, a popular bar-restaurant is located on the ground floor.

The Berges de la Saône (the riverbank promenade of the Saône River) is a modernized riverbank section in the Burgundy region of France, near the road du Pont Vert. This paved riverside path is a popular section of the well-known La Voie Bleue cycle route (Moselle-Saône cycle route) and serves as a recreational and event area for both pedestrians and cyclists.