In Diges, medieval heritage, a longer hiking route and an annual chestnut festival come together. These offer different ways to plan your trip: discover the village through its architectural history, set out on a moderately difficult hike, or time your visit to coincide with the festival in October.
The Fortress and Saint-Martin Church
The fortress of Diges was built in the 12th century as a square structure with four round towers; three towers remain. Château de Diges has been listed in the register of historic monuments since 1931. Historically, it served as a residence for monks or the abbot when they came to Diges, mainly to collect tithes. The surviving towers give the structure a clear form; its former function adds a concrete connection to the lives of the clergy in Diges.
Saint-Martin Church features further historical details. Inside are a stone Christ dating from the 14th century and a baptismal font from the time of Louis XIII. The church was probably originally a castle chapel incorporated into a fortified area. Remains of this fortified area are still visible. The overall picture of the church therefore includes both the surviving furnishings and the visible traces of the fortifications; its original function as a chapel remains a hypothesis.
The Sentier des puits d'ocre Ă Diges
If you want to explore Diges on foot, the Sentier des puits d'ocre Ă Diges has clearly stated details on distance and duration: it is 12.92 kilometres long, rated moderate, and listed as taking 4 hours and 20 minutes. The hike starts and ends in Diges. This makes it a distinct hiking option with a defined time commitment; it is not a short loop, but takes up a substantial part of the day.
Along the way, the trail passes an old open-cast ochre quarry, as well as a former ochre factory and its drying shed. The route combines hiking with traces of the area's former ochre industry. If you are particularly interested in this industrial history, these three sites can give you an idea of the trail's character. Check current trail and access conditions before setting out, as they may change.
Fête de la châtaigne in October
The Fête de la châtaigne in Diges takes place every year on the third Saturday in October; the exact calendar date changes from year to year. Chestnuts are roasted and sampled locally. The festival also includes a market of local producers offering chestnuts, homemade blood sausage, seasonal vegetables, jams, walnut wine, chestnut flour and cheese from short supply chains. The range of products therefore extends from fresh and processed goods to regional cheese.
The festival programme includes exhibitions of arts and crafts, old agricultural machinery and poultry, as well as an art exhibition in Saint-Martin Church. The individual exhibitions may vary from one edition to the next. If you are planning your stay around the festival, the third Saturday in October is the key date; for the hike, the main considerations are its length, difficulty and stated walking time. This means you can plan a visit to Diges around either a specific festival day or a longer route featuring architectural and industrial history.
Discover more destinations: Savigny-sur-Clairis, Nailly, Épineuil, Villefargeau, Cussy-Les-Forges, Cudot, Saint-Fargeau and Marmeaux.
Back to the regional travel overview: Yonne.
