Discover Cessy: Étang, cycling route and local history

Cessy offers several ways to shape your stay: Étang de Cessy, with its pond, fitness trail and fishing opportunities; the municipal forests of the High Jura range; a road cycling route; and religious and agricultural history. These themes differ considerably in focus. If you are looking for a hotel in Cessy, you can first consider whether outdoor activities, visits to historic sites, or both will be the focus of your trip.

At Étang de Cessy: pond, fishing and fitness trail

Étang de Cessy is an artificial pond excavated in 1989, with a central island. Carp, tench, pike and perch can be caught in the water. Check the local regulations before fishing so you can plan this part of your stay accordingly.

The recreation area includes a fitness trail with three signposted routes: a blue loop around the pond, an orange Vita course and a red route connecting the two trails. Each piece of exercise equipment displays the distance covered and remaining, along with instructions for the exercise to perform. As details about the equipment may change, check the information on site. The recreation area at Étang is also accessible to people with reduced mobility; before your visit, check which specific conditions are important for you.

The three fitness trails offer a different kind of navigation from a road cycling route: they are signposted and centered on the area around the pond. Whether you are interested in fishing, exercise or both, Étang offers several distinct ways to enjoy a well-defined location.

Forests and road cycling route

The municipal forests of Cessy cover 200 hectares. They are spread across three separate sectors of the High Jura range, which extends across several neighboring municipalities. This makes the forest areas different from the single focal point at Étang: here, there are three geographically separate sectors, rather than a pond with a central island.

The La Boucle du Nord Gessien road cycling loop runs from Gex through Sergy, Saint-Genis-Pouilly, Versonnex and Cessy to Divonne-les-Bains. It is not signposted on site and follows roads open to motor traffic. The route is intended exclusively for experienced cyclists. These features are essential when planning: unlike the signposted fitness trail at Étang, this is a road route whose course is not indicated by local route markers.

Church and local history

One historical reference dates back to 1091: at that time, the church of Sainte-Marie in Cessy was transferred to Saint-Claude Abbey and placed under the patronage of Saint-Denis. The present-day choir of Saint-Denis Church was the chapel of the former monastery. These two details point to different aspects of the church’s history, from the transfer of the church to the choir’s former function.

A memorial plaque to French soldiers of the First World War remains in the church in Cessy. A Pietà sculpture depicting a soldier in her arms can also be seen there. For visitors interested in concrete details at historic sites, these memorials add two vivid motifs to the longer history of the church.

Fête de la Batteuse

The Fête de la Batteuse is also one of Cessy’s cultural events. It took place on 29 and 30 July 2023 and on 28 July 2024 at the Maison du Patrimoine. The 28 July 2024 edition was dedicated to discovering the rural world of times gone by. The two past editions provide specific dates in the event’s history; the 2024 edition’s rural theme also offers a connection to the area’s agricultural past.

Discover more destinations: Pont-D’ain, Corbonod, Saint-Didier-De-Formans, Évosges, Massignieu-De-Rives, Bellegarde-Sur-Valserine, Villebois, Niévroz

For the broader travel overview: Ain.