The easy PR6 La Fontaine de Saint-Émiland hiking trail offers a clearly defined option: 7.83 kilometres, taking about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Saint-Émiland also has Château d’Epiry, a Romanesque church, and several local memorial sites. This gives you a choice of focuses, from outdoor activity among forests and lakes to architecture and history.

Hiking between forest and lake

The PR6 passes through the forest and follows the shore of Lac du Pont du Roi for about a kilometre. The route is classified as easy; its approximate duration gives you a practical timeframe for this activity. The description covers both the forest section and the stretch alongside the lake, so you don’t need to estimate any additional walking time when planning.

Beyond the specific trail, forests also shape the landscape of the commune: Saint-Émiland has about 980 hectares of forest. A small tributary of the Drée crosses the nearby pond and then flows towards the Pont du Roi dam near Saint-Émiland. Fishing is also an option; check the applicable rules and access arrangements in advance.

Château, church, and local history

A visit to Château d’Epiry introduces you to its façades and chapel; you can also visit the garden and the grounds around the château. Visits are planned for the 2026 season, but dates may change. So check the current calendar when planning your visit. At Château d’Epiry, you can discover architectural features from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the 19th century. Roger de Rabutin was born in 1618 in the château’s grounds.

At Saint-Émiland cemetery there is a 15th-century oratory, listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. The Romanesque church preserves relics of Saint Emilien. A local legend says that Emilien was killed by the Saracens in the 8th century. The church and oratory thus lead to different aspects of the place: religious tradition on the one hand, and a specific building with a historical designation on the other.

A procession takes place at the Fontaine de Saint-Émiland on the last Sunday in August. Check the local calendar if you want to plan your stay around this date. The Pierre Guénachère is also near the Fontaine. The connection between these two named places gives you another starting point for a cultural walk, without requiring a specific route.

Choose your travel dates and accommodation

You can estimate the time needed for the hike from its stated length and approximate duration. Visits to the château and the August procession, on the other hand, depend on specific dates. If either visit is essential to your trip, first choose your preferred dates and check the schedule. You can then search for hotels in Saint-Émiland for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Curgy, Digoin, Champforgeuil, Cussy-En-Morvan, Bruailles, Hurigny, Saint-Martin-En-Bresse, Huilly-Sur-Seille

For the broader travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.