Pouillenay combines routes along the Canal de Bourgogne with tangible traces of its canal history. To the west, the canal runs through the commune’s meadows, where the Véloroute offers opportunities for cycling and walking. The Camino de Santiago crosses the village via Place Pion, reaches the Canal de Bourgogne at Lock 4, and then continues towards Semur-en-Auxois. This provides different points of reference for planning your trip: the Véloroute for cycling and walking, and the Camino de Santiago for a series of named stops. Check route details before setting out.
VĂ©loroute and Camino de Santiago
The two routes offer different ways to find your bearings. The VĂ©loroute offers opportunities for cycling and walking in the meadowland along the canal to the west. The Camino de Santiago is mapped via Place Pion and Lock 4; it continues in the direction of Semur-en-Auxois. The practical difference lies in the focus: the VĂ©loroute offers two ways to get around, while the Camino de Santiago follows a series of specific waypoints and continues in a particular direction. You can therefore organise your plans according to whether you want to include cycling and walking or the route of the pilgrimage trail.
Lock locations and canal history
Pouillenay 5ème and Pouillenay 13ème refer to two different lock locations on the Yonne lateral canal. Lock 41, known as Pouillenay 5ème, is located in reach 41 of the Canal de Bourgogne; Lock 49, Pouillenay 13ème, belongs to reach 49. The place names and reach numbers help distinguish the two locations. They shift the focus from the routes to the precise locations of the locks along the canal.
The Pouillenay 5ème lock was built for the section of the Canal de Bourgogne that opened to navigation in 1832, from Pont-de-Pany to Tonnerre. This date places the opening of the section in context and connects the lock to a specific stretch of the canal. The Pouillenay 13ème location includes a lock keeper’s house of the Foucherot type. It has a rectangular floor plan and a roof with long slopes. Alongside the reach numbers, these specific architectural features come into view: the type of house, its basic shape and its roof design.
Church, statue and Château de Villiers
The parish church of Saint-Symphorien dates from the 12th century. It houses a statue of Saint Symphorian, or of a holy deacon; the object dates from the 16th century and is classified as a protected object. The two dates refer to different things: the 12th century applies to the church, and the 16th to the statue. The church building and the individual protected object thus stand side by side as distinct historical points of reference.
The Château de Villiers, on the banks of the Brenne, was built in the 15th to 16th centuries and retains a defensive tower and two round towers. This offers a different architectural focus from the locks: here, attention is on the château and its named towers, while the locks bring the canal route, its reaches and the lock keeper’s house into focus. Those interested in cultural and architectural history can consider these as different facets of Pouillenay.
Discover more destinations: Ménétreux-Le-Pitois, Chazilly, Châtellenot, Curtil-Vergy, Heuilley-Sur-Saône, Chambolle-Musigny, Semezanges, Laperrière-Sur-Saône.
For the wider travel overview: Cote-Dor.
