Discover Manlay
Accommodation in Manlay
Manlay brings together the fortified church of Saint-Laurent de Manlay, Montagne de Bard and the VĂ©lorail du Morvan, appealing to very different travel interests. When choosing a destination, you can weigh architectural history, landscapes and memorial sites against a ride along a former railway line. The specific buildings and activities can help you decide which side of the area you would like to focus on.
Saint-Laurent: church and fortified architecture
Saint-Laurent de Manlay is a fortified church and a fortress built in the 14th century. Its square bell tower has a pyramidal roof with a lantern and rises above the entire choir like a keep. The comparison to a keep draws attention to the tower’s defensive appearance: this distinctive architectural form is defined not only by its age, but also by the relationship between the tower and the choir. If you take architectural history into account when choosing a destination, Saint-Laurent offers a specific point of reference: here, the church interior and the fortifications come together.
Montagne de Bard: landscape and historical connections
Montagne de Bard is a limestone peak about 555 metres high, with panoramic views over the Auxois and the Morvan. The communes of Bard-le-Régulier, Manlay and Marcheseuil share the mountain. In accounts of the Gallo-Roman period, it is described as a relay point between Bibracte and Alésia. The German observation fortification on Montagne de Bard was built in 1942 and destroyed by the Resistance in July 1944. The Peace Belvedere comprises an orientation table and four memorial steles. This brings the summit views, historical context and remembrance of events from 1942 to 1944 together.
In chronological terms, the range extends from the Gallo-Roman association, through the fortress of Saint-Laurent built in the 14th century, to the observation fortification of 1942, which was destroyed in July 1944. The historical connections of the church and the mountain are therefore distinct, even though both are associated with fortified architecture.
VĂ©lorail du Morvan: round trips along a former railway line
The VĂ©lorail du Morvan offers round trips of approximately 8 or 22 kilometres. The approximate distance is the specific point of comparison when choosing; both options are round trips. The route follows a former railway line connecting Manlay with Cordesse-Igornay station via Barnay. It ends at Manlay station (MĂ©nin-Thiroux). Unlike the church and memorial sites, the focus here is an activity along a former railway track.
More details of the rural heritage
In Manlay, a round, roofless dovecote stands in the courtyard of a farmhouse with a manor house. The washhouse is complemented by a livestock watering trough and a well. The two structures have different features: the dovecote is a courtyard feature, while the additional facilities are part of the washhouse.
A former Christmas tradition adds a festive custom to these architectural features: in the past, blessed Christmas bread was displayed in Manlay on a bier decorated with ivy.
Discover more destinations: Marey-Lès-Fussey, Planay, Semur-En-Auxois, Saint-Philibert, Aloxe-Corton, Créancey, Arc-Sur-Tille, Maligny
For the broader travel overview: Cote-Dor.
