Chitry-les-Mines offers two distinct ways to experience a stay: the literary traces of Jules Renard in the town and the Château de Chitry-les-Mines above the Yonne. The Canal du Nivernais, with its harbour facilities, adds another dimension. Visitors can choose between literature, protected heritage and the canal without combining these themes into a single route. The individual sites and paths have different conditions: Renard’s childhood home is private, while the Jules Renard walking trail is signposted and maintained by the local association.

Jules Renard in the Townscape

A walk through Chitry-les-Mines and Chaumot leads to Jules Renard’s childhood home in Chitry-les-Mines. The stories of “Poil de carotte” and “La Gloriette” are set in the house. The building itself is private and cannot be visited; it can be seen from the path. Plan to view it from the outside rather than as an interior visit. This lets you explore the town’s literary connection even without access to the house.

In the centre of Chitry-les-Mines stands a memorial dedicated to Jules Renard. The village cemetery is also home to the Renard family grave, designed like an open book. These are different forms of remembrance: a monument in the town centre and a grave with a literary design in the cemetery. Those interested in the writer can consider these as separate stops in the town, alongside the privately owned childhood home.

Château Above the Yonne

The Château de Chitry-les-Mines lies south of the village on a rocky outcrop above the Yonne. It was built on a former Gallo-Roman estate and dates from the 17th and 19th centuries. This information points to several historical layers, not a single construction date. Parts of the château were listed as a Monument historique in 1942 and classified and listed as a Monument historique in 1987. The west wing contains the Galerie des Sibylles, a series of fourteen 17th-century paintings. The building’s history, protected status and gallery offer different ways to understand the château: through its historical origins, the periods in which it was built and a specific collection of artworks.

By the Canal du Nivernais

The Canal du Nivernais also shapes the range of things to explore in Chitry-les-Mines. The harbour complex consists of two basins. The Port de plaisance de Chitry-les-Mines and the Chaumot water station are located on the canal. Both the two basins of the harbour complex and these two named facilities are relevant for understanding the canal infrastructure. Alongside the literary sites and the château, the canal offers a distinct focus for exploring the area.

Planning the Jules Renard Walking Trail

The Jules Renard walking trail is signposted and maintained by the local association. If you plan to follow it, check the current condition of the trail markers before setting out. The circular trail offers a practical point of reference alongside the walk through Chitry-les-Mines and Chaumot to Renard’s childhood home; both offer different ways to discover the town’s literary connection.

Discover more destinations: Vignol, Isenay, Anlezy, Pouques-Lormes, Lucenay-Lès-Aix, Bitry, Ruages, Moraches.

Return to the regional travel overview: Nièvre.