Banks of the Saône & Voie Verte Cycling
The Saône riverbank at Tournus is one of those effortlessly beautiful spots where you can do absolutely nothing and still feel like you are having the best day of your holiday. Add a bicycle and the Voie Verte — a traffic-free greenway running along the old railway line — and you have one of the finest half-day rides in Burgundy.
The Voie Verte: Tournus to Fleurville
The Voie Verte de la Bresse Bourguignonne stretches for over 40 km between Tournus and Louhans, but the most scenic and manageable segment for a casual ride is the 12 km southward leg to the village of Fleurville, passing through flat riverside meadows, poplar groves and the occasional heron-haunted backwater.
The surface is smooth tarmac and compacted gravel, suitable for hybrid and road bikes as well as families with children's trailers. Bike hire is available from a small rental outfit near the Tournus railway station — electric bikes are available for those who want to extend the ride without extending the effort.
Swimming, Picnics and Sunsets by the River
Back in Tournus itself, the grassy riverbank south of the old bridge is a local favourite for picnics and summer swimming. The water is calm and clear at the designated bathing area, and the view back toward the town — abbey towers above the rooftops, fishing boats on the water — is quintessential Burgundy.
Early evening is particularly magical here: swifts wheel over the river, the light goes amber, and the café-bar on the quay serves cold Mâcon Blanc by the glass. It is the kind of uncomplicated pleasure that makes you extend your stay by two days.
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