What does Burgundy have in store for motorcyclists, besides its culinary delights? First of all, it's easily accessible in a day, and it's suitable both as a destination and a stopover.

Burgundy is roughly located within the rectangle formed by Dijon, Auxerre, Nevers, and Macon. It's therefore also a lovely trip for a long weekend or midweek break for those who can't get away for too long but still want to experience the authentic French atmosphere. Secondly, the scenery is stunning. Three-quarters of the Morvan, the heart of Burgundy, is forested, and water is everywhere in the form of streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Culturally, Burgundy is rich, teeming with Romanesque churches and charming towns, so there's plenty of beauty to stop for sightseeing and photo opportunities along the way.

It's a great place for motorcycle touring; countless small roads lead you through forests, along lakes and rivers, from one charming village to the next. The access routes to Burgundy are described in routes 1 and 2 in this series. This review covers the second of two routes in this beautiful area.

This route is perfect for motorcyclists who want to get a good impression of this area, although it feels more like a "through-tour" due to the generally straight roads. There's plenty to enjoy on this ride, filled with green nature and abundant water. If you're lucky enough to travel in spring, it's also full of flowers. You'll traverse vast forests, sometimes feeling like you're riding through a green tunnel, interspersed with fields where babbling brooks find their way, beautiful blue lakes, and the inviting terraces of charming villages.

This route is only 167 kilometers, so quite short, and can be combined with approach route 1 in this series by starting in Mesnil-Saint-Père. This review begins at the original starting point, Tonnerre. We take the D944 and head towards Yrouerre. The D944 continues straight to Avallon, but about 500 meters after Yrouerre, we turn off and follow the D86 to Avallon. This short detour is definitely worth it. It takes you along the Serein River through the beautiful medieval village of Noyers. We make a short detour via the lovely town of Civry-sur-Serein and L'Isle-sur-Serein, which are ideal places to stop and stroll before continuing to Avallon.

The next town is Avallon, a walled city built high on a cliff. It's definitely worth stopping here for a stroll through the old streets and along the ramparts. You'll also find buildings with Celtic influences in this village.

Leaving the city towards Lormes, you first drive downhill and then cycle for a short distance along the Cousin River. This is situated in a beautiful valley. Then you shoot south into the forest. The thirty kilometers to Lormes are a cocktail of winding roads through a green, watery landscape. You'll also be surprised by a beautiful view of Chastellux Castle, which suddenly appears on your right. After Lormes, the landscape opens up a bit, with more meadows and a magnificent panorama of Lake Pannesière-Chaumard. You'll also see numerous streams, flowing capriciously through these meadows at almost the same level as the grass.

Via Château-Chinon and Moutins-Engilbert, we take the D37 through Vandenesse, with its castle dating back to 1465, to the end of the route in Decize. The last stretch is on the N81. This acts as a kind of junction in the lower Burgundy region, opening up all directions from here.
Decize is not only a place from which many roads radiate, it also has a number of bridges, including the most beautiful authentic French stone bridge over the Loire, which is also the end point of this route.