Vauclaix: Hiking, Landscapes and Heritage

Vauclaix offers a challenging circular hike; the Anguison Valley, historic buildings and local traditions are other highlights. You can choose from a range of themes to plan your visit: a route with a specified distance and duration, as well as natural and cultural heritage ranging from church architecture to the history of milling.

Circular Hike and Landscape

The “Randonnée des trois évêchés” is a difficult circular hike covering 16.9 kilometres. The stated duration is four hours and 15 minutes. The hike starts and ends at the Hôtel de la Poste in Vauclaix, making it possible to plan it as a longer activity. At the Croix de Vollonge, the route crosses a former Roman road, providing a historical point of interest.

Before setting out, check local parking and access conditions. You should also check the condition of the route and its markings before the hike, as both can change.

Vauclaix lies within the protected Vallée du ruisseau de Bussière area, where woodland alternates with marshy meadows. The Anguison Valley also features a variety of landscapes: upstream of Vauclaix it is wide and characterised by hedgerows, while downstream it is more heavily wooded. The descent to Vauclaix via the RD 944 offers views across extensive meadows edged by low hedges, stretching to the wooded southern slope of the Anguison.

In the Vallée du ruisseau de Bussière, cold, oxygen-rich, fast-flowing waters provide good conditions for the reproduction of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), bullhead (Cottus gobio) and brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri). Water conditions and the presence of these species can vary seasonally.

Church and the History of Milling

The Eglise Sainte-Madeleine overlooks the village of Vauclaix. The present church was built in 1881 in the shape of a Latin cross, using dressed granite and in the Neo-Romanesque style. One of the church’s objects has been classified as a Monument historique since 1938.

The Huilerie du moulin de Vauclaix preserves historic mechanisms and equipment, including millstones and two screw presses. It was housed in a separate building next to a grain mill powered by the Anguison. A millrace, still visible today, once powered both mills. The huilerie is privately owned.

Bridges and Buildings on the Anguison

The Pont du Carrefour de Vauclaix crosses the Anguison near the Carrefour on the D994. The single-span granite bridge has a stone parapet. The current bridge is believed to date from the 1830s. The public Pont de L’Huis Mouilloux is a 19th-century stone bridge. Its paved granite pedestrian crossing can be visited.

Other buildings also offer a glimpse into local history. The Presbytère is an elongated, single-storey building with exposed granite masonry and a slate roof, preserving the local architectural style. It is privately owned. The Château de Tartre-de-Vauclois is a former manor house of uncertain origin, south of the church, overlooking the Anguison Valley. It is not open to visitors.

Local Traditions

Le Pas de St Martin is a local legendary site on the Anguison. According to tradition, the footprint of a saint can be found on a rock in the middle of the river, though it is difficult to make out. The Fontaine Chaude is also associated with a local tradition: its waters were said to have miraculous healing powers, and a ritual was associated with the site. The fountain is in a field and is not open to visitors.

Discover more destinations: Jailly, Marzy, Chaumard, Saint-Malo-En-Donziois, Montsauche-Les-Settons, Saint-Hilaire-Fontaine, Beaumont-Sardolles, Tintury

For the overview of the wider area: Nièvre.