An 82-kilometre cycling route starts in Marcilly-le-Hayer. Nearby, several cultural sites have clearly distinct architectural and heritage-protection histories. These offer two different focuses for planning your trip: architecture and heritage conservation on the one hand, and cycling on the other. If you first decide which theme you want your trip to focus on, you can also search for holiday accommodation more purposefully. The periods in which the buildings were constructed and the route length provide different points of reference.
Architecture and monuments
The Château de Chavaudon was built in 1913 by the architect Hector Guimard. It retains decorative Art Nouveau features, including railings and an entrance made of turquoise sandstone. The protected area includes the entire château, the park, the entrance gate and its railings, as well as several outbuildings: the former stable and garage complex, the laundry, the kennel and the gatekeeper’s house. This allows two scales to be distinguished: the design features mentioned and the extent of the protected ensemble. Anyone interested in architecture will find both specific details and a broad description of the protected site here.
For other monuments, too, it is worth distinguishing between their history and their protection status. The Dolmen de Vamprin is located at the place known as “La Pierre couverte” and has been classified as a historic monument since 2 October 1936. The stones known as “le Four gaulois et le Réservoir” have been classified as historic monuments since 3 March 1959. These two dates mark the start of their classification, not when the stones or dolmen were created.
The Église Saint-Leu in Marcilly-le-Hayer was built in the 12th century; a chapel was added on the north side in the 15th century. The church also contains various furnishings classified as historic monuments. Several periods are therefore represented here: the construction of the church, a later structural addition and the protection of individual furnishings. For a cultural-history focus, this offers a different perspective from the Art Nouveau features at the Château de Chavaudon.
River and cycling route
The Orvin flows through Marcilly-le-Hayer and is a tangible feature of the local landscape. The cycling route offers a different focus: the Circuit cyclotouristique des dolmens et polissoirs is 82 kilometres long and starts in Marcilly-le-Hayer. The route length is an important point of reference for planning. Treat the route as a separate cycling activity and consider how much time you would like to give it alongside the cultural attractions. This way, you can plan your days around your preferred focus without automatically combining cycling and sightseeing into a fixed itinerary.
Plan your arrival and accommodation
Nogent-sur-Seine is one of the nearest railway stations to Marcilly-le-Hayer. If you plan to travel by train, check the timetable for your travel date. The station information and the route’s starting point answer different planning questions: the station is a reference point for arriving by train, while the starting point is relevant to cycling plans.
When looking for a holiday rental in the Canton of Marcilly-Le-Hayer, you can first decide whether cultural history or cycling should play a bigger part in your stay. For a cultural focus, the church’s construction phases, the Art Nouveau details and the various classifications offer different topics to explore. For cycling plans, the 82-kilometre route starting in Marcilly-le-Hayer takes centre stage.
Discover more destinations: Chavanges, La Loge-Aux-Chèvres, La Saulsotte, Bréviandes, Bayel, Clérey, Bar-Sur-Aube, Saint-Mards-En-Othe
For the overview of the wider region: Aube.
