Arcy-sur-Cure: Cultural History and Hiking Trails

Arcy-sur-Cure combines hiking trails with cultural history. The GR 13 passes through the village; the parish church and the cave complex add architectural and archaeological history to the picture. The trails vary in character: from the easy, short cultural heritage trail to the long-distance GR 13 and the Sentier des Boucles de la Cure between Arcy-sur-Cure and Saint-Moré. This makes it easy to distinguish between a stroll, a long-distance hike and a route in the Natura 2000 area when planning your trip.

Hiking, from a stroll to a long-distance trail

The GR 13 long-distance hiking trail passes through Arcy-sur-Cure and runs between Auxerre and Vézelay. In the Val Sainte-Marie, the Renaissance façade of Château du Chastenay overlooks the surrounding area; many hikers use the GR 13 here on their way to Vézelay. The château is privately owned. The route links the way to Vézelay with a tangible connection to the Renaissance architecture of the Val Sainte-Marie.

The cultural heritage trail in Arcy-sur-Cure is an easy, two-kilometre walk starting from Place Pasteur. Information panels help you learn about the places you visit. With its short distance and information panels, the trail combines exercise with local history. Its character differs from that of the GR 13, which places Arcy-sur-Cure on a long-distance hiking route between Auxerre and Vézelay.

The Sentier des Boucles de la Cure runs through the Natura 2000 area between Arcy-sur-Cure and Saint-Moré and starts at Place de la gare. Its starting point sets it apart from the trail starting at Place Pasteur; it also runs between two villages and through a Natura 2000 area. Its designation in connection with the Cure trail serves to conserve biodiversity, natural habitats and particularly endangered species. This route therefore combines the stretch between the villages with a nature conservation context.

Architectural History and Cave Art

The parish church of Saint-Martin was built in the 13th century. Its choir, ante-choir and right-hand chapel date from the late 15th or early 16th century. The church thus brings together different building phases: the 13th-century structure and the later-dated parts belong to different periods. For travellers interested in architecture, this chronology offers a tangible insight into the building’s history.

The cave complex of Arcy-sur-Cure and Saint-Moré comprises around fifteen caves and rock shelters with traces of habitation dating from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Neolithic. Cave art can also be found in the Grande Grotte and the Grotte du Cheval. The Grottes d’Arcy are classified as historic monuments. The cave complex thus features both traces of habitation from several prehistoric periods and cave art at two named sites.

Seasonal Opening of the Chapelle du Beugnon

The Chapelle du Beugnon is open for exhibitions during the main season and closed outside it. Visitors are asked to get in touch by email or phone before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Mélisey, Rouvray, Chemilly-Sur-Serein, Villefargeau, Beauvoir, Savigny-sur-Clairis, Sainte-Vertu, Molinons

For the regional travel overview: Yonne.