The best walks and hikes around Cluny

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.

The palace is a rare and outstandingly preserved example of a lordly residence in the Flamboyant Gothic style. It was built in the 15th century for the powerful Abbot Jean de Bourbon. The building today houses the Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie de Cluny. Inside, you can visit monumental fireplaces, historical coins, as well as valuable sculptural remains and fragments of the once gigantic abbey church (Cluny III). The entrance to the museum is conveniently included in the ticket for the Abbey of Cluny.

The historic stone bridge Pont de la Levée in the French town of Cluny spans the river La Grosne. The popular Voie Verte cycle route runs here.

The historic town of Cluny, located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, can best be admired from the viewing platform of the famous Cheese Tower (Tour des Fromages), from which you can enjoy a striking 360-degree view over the historic rooftops and the gentle, green hills of Southern Burgundy. Cluny is world-renowned for its Benedictine abbey, founded in 910 AD. In the High Middle Ages, the abbey was the starting point of the pioneering Cluniac reform movement and developed into the head of a Europe-wide monastic order with over 1,200 monasteries.

The Hôtel-Dieu de Cluny, a former historical hospital and today a museum in the French region of Burgundy. The striking, symmetrical central building with the grand outdoor staircase houses the hospital's own chapel. Its origins date back to a legacy in 1625, after which construction began in 1646 under the nuns of the Ursuline Order. From 1703, the complex was extensively rebuilt in the current classical style on the initiative of Cardinal de Bouillon, the 55th Abbot of Cluny. The complex served for centuries for the care of the sick and needy. It was only in 1960 that the medical hospital operations were finally discontinued.

The large work of art on the narrow building facade directly above the fountain is a monumental, historical sundial (cadran solaire). The faded, artistic lines and Roman numerals show the classic grid system of an old vertical sundial, which the townspeople could use to read the time of day. Such large astronomical mural paintings were widespread in the Burgundy region as well as on the outbuildings of the powerful abbey, in order to synchronize the monastic and urban daily routine.

The neoclassical fountain directly on the building wall was built in the 18th century and is also known today as Fontaine Prud'hon. It was named in honor of the famous French painter and draftsman Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, who was born in Cluny in 1758. The fountain is integrated into the wall like a "water cabinet" (buffet d'eau) and features a fluted basin on a pedestal. In the past, a lion's head spout fed the basin. Today, a modern tap serves cyclists and pedestrians as a public drinking water source.

The restaurant La Halte de l'Abbaye in Cluny has some culinary, structural, and historical features that make it a popular destination for locals and visitors alike: Traditional Burgundian Cuisine: The restaurant is deeply rooted in the region. Classic specialties include Burgundy snails (often refined in a Cassolette d'escargots with Saint-Véran wine) and tenderly braised meat dishes such as Joue de bœuf (beef cheeks) or the classic Boeuf Bourguignon. Modern Influences: Alongside hearty home-style cooking, creative elements of French Nouvelle Cuisine are incorporated into the menu.