La Motte-Ternant: Hiking and Architectural History

La Motte-Ternant can be viewed from several perspectives when planning a stay: the Boucle refers to a specific type of hike, the church and château point to historic buildings, and Va Mollo offers individual activities. These highlights can help you match the destination to your travel interests.

Hiking along the Baigne

The Boucle de La Motte-Ternant is an easy 10 km hike. It follows the banks of the Baigne River and passes through several conifer plantations.

Distance and difficulty rating answer different planning questions: 10 km describes the length of the route, while “easy” is its stated difficulty level. The scenery, with riverbanks and conifer plantations, is another factor. If you consider both a clear distance and the character of the landscape when choosing a hike, you’ll find both here. The Église Saint-Martin is on the route, linking the hiking experience with a specific historic building.

Churches and historic sites

The Église Saint-Martin dates from the 11th century. Its apse has a hemispherical cul-de-four vault. An apse forms the end of a church interior; cul-de-four describes the hemispherical vault over this part of the building. This gives you a tangible architectural feature in addition to the date. The church also appears to contain remains of a small Carolingian basilica. This cautious interpretation points to a possible earlier phase in its construction history.

The term Carolingian refers to the Carolingian period, an earlier historical era than the 11th century. The Château de La Motte-Ternant has been mentioned since 1306, adding another historical point of reference alongside the ecclesiastical buildings.

According to Baudiau, the important Monastère du Val Croissant was founded in 1216 by Guillaume, lord of Mont-St-Jean and La Mothe, in a valley on the Brazon; it was 1 km south of the village. The monastery cannot be visited. Check its visitor status again before making specific plans.

The dates place these sites in different ways: the church is dated to the 11th century, the château has been mentioned since 1306, and 1216 is the monastery’s foundation date according to Baudiau. Construction date, mention, and foundation are three different chronological reference points for understanding local history. Chronologically, 1216 falls between the 11th century and the château’s first mention in 1306.

Activities at Va Mollo

Va Mollo offers canicross hikes with wolfdogs, while horseback rides can also be booked individually. This gives you a choice of different types of activities. If you’d like to include one in your stay, it’s best to confirm availability before your trip.

Bear in mind that the monastery cannot be visited and that you should confirm the availability of Va Mollo’s activities in advance.

Discover more destinations: Canton of Nolay, Prusly-Sur-Ource, Bèze, Chazilly, Heuilley-Sur-Saône, Sennecey-Lès-Dijon, Moloy, Grignon

For the overview of the wider region: Côte-d’Or.