This is the first part of the approach route to the Burgundy region.
The route is suitable for reaching Burgundy or as an alternative route to the south, and can be used as a starting point for one of the other routes in this area, as described in the Motorcycle Tour Guides parts 1 and 2.

The roads in this area seem designed for both speed and enjoyment. Green hills all around, plenty of water, and a perfect road surface.
The starting point is the town of Sedan, and southeast in Douzy there's a motorcycle-friendly campsite on a small lake next to the D984. If you don't want to camp, you can stay overnight in Sedan in a beautiful castle: The Hôtel Le Château Fort de Sedan. Both are marked with a point of interest (POI), and the links are at the bottom of the review.

From Sedan we drive along the D977 through the beautiful rolling countryside to Le Chesne. You can leave the route for a moment to photograph the castle of Château de Rocan, it is privately owned and cannot be visited, but it is nice to take a picture of. You have to deviate from the route to find the castle after 300 meters on an unpaved road behind the farm. It was built in the first part of the 16th century by a Raoul de Coucy. The castle passed through the hands of several families, including the Du Lys and the d'Escannevelle. In 1641, the castle was attacked by Imperial Spanish troops, who had just supported French malcontents in the nearby Battle of La Marfée against the royal French army of Louis XIII, who had occupied the castle for a few days.

We drive via Lac de Bairon, a lake divided in two by a small road (D212), located just north of the village of Le Chesne. The old part of it used to belong to the monks of Chémery-sur-Bar.

We continue to Vouziers, where we cross the Aisne River. Those who appreciate beautiful portals can visit the Renaissance facade of the St. Maurille Church in Vouziers. This remarkable portal, created in the mid-16th century, remained detached from the rest of the church for over two centuries due to the Wars of Religion. It wasn't rebuilt until 1769.

The Vouziers Military Cemetery is the final resting place of pilot Roland Garros, who crossed the Mediterranean Sea in his small plane in 1913. He died in this area during the First World War. The Paris Grand Slam tennis tournament is named after him. His grave (and monument) is located in the "Cimetière militaire allemand de Vouziers" military cemetery. If you'd like to visit, the best place to park is in the town center (RP6) and walk to the cemetery.

We continue via Sainte Menehould, where Dom Pérignon, the first to effervescent Champagne wines, was born in 1638. He then traveled via Givry-en-Argonne to Vitry-le-François. This town was built to replace neighboring Vitry-en-Perthois, which was completely burned down by Quint's troops in 1544. For military and strategic reasons, the town center was built using only straight lines. In 1940, the town was almost completely destroyed by bombing and rebuilt on its original 16th-century layout.

The next town is Brienne, which is quite revered by Napoleon, as he studied there for five years at the military school. You can visit the small museum dedicated to him.

We continue through the Forêt d'Orient nature reserve. Located in the heart of the Grand Est region, in the Aube department, the Forêt d'Orient Regional Nature Park covers an area of 82,000 hectares, divided into several areas: the humid Champagne region, dotted with lakes, bocage landscapes, and forests; the chalky Champagne region with its rows of hills; the Aube Valley; and the three large lakes of the Forêt d'Orient. Together, these lakes represent the third-largest water reservoir in France; they attract thousands of birds, and thus many birdwatchers. Put on some good walking shoes and explore this pristine and preserved area to admire the local flora and fauna.

The original destination of this trip is Bar-du-Seine, a charming town on the still rather narrow Seine River. Bar-sur-Seine serves as a kind of gateway between Champagne and Burgundy. The beautiful old houses, some of which are half-timbered, reveal that life here was once quite prosperous. It's a pleasant town for a stroll and a drink and a bite to eat. There aren't many options for overnight stays in Bar-du-Seine, so we continued on to Mesnil-Saint-Père on the Lac d'Orient, where there are several hotels and campsites for overnight stays.

I rate this route 3*** stars because of the beautiful roads through the lovely French countryside and the nice pictures along the way.