Matour combines green hedgerow countryside with trails, a museum devoted to local history and regional produce. When planning a stay, you can first choose what to focus on: a longer marked loop, a shorter easy route, walks by the water or a look at folk heritage. The specific route details and the reservation requirement for a museum activity help you fit individual plans into your accommodation arrangements.

Hedgerows, Hedges and Water

Matour’s landscape is shaped by small wooded hills, hedgerow-rich countryside, small ponds and other bodies of water. The Sentier botanique runs through pastures with hedges and mixed woodland. Three information tables and seven panels cover the region’s botanical and wildlife features. The Sentier de l'abeille also runs through pastures with hedges and mixed woodland. An optional 30-minute round-trip extension leads to the summit of Grand'Roche at 672 m. If you choose your route based on what interests you, the Sentier botanique offers information about nature, while the Sentier de l'abeille offers an extension to a summit.

Étang du Paluet is just a few steps from the centre of Matour and is suitable for walking and cycling. You can include a walk or bike ride as a way to explore in its own right, alongside the routes described above.

Trails by Length and Focus

When planning a hike, the routes mainly differ in length and difficulty. The Circuit du bocage et de la montagne de Crozan is a marked 13 km loop of moderate difficulty. It starts at the car park at the swimming pool in Matour. The Parcours du sonneur, by contrast, is 3 km long and rated easy. There are also 2 km and 1 km variants, each with information panels. This lets you compare a moderate marked loop with a shorter, easy route; the variants provide additional distances to choose from.

Local History and Regional Produce

The Maison des Patrimoines is housed in a historic building that has been in use since the 15th century. The interactive museum tour covers the history of Matour and southern Burgundy. The Sentier patrimoine lets you discover some of Matour’s folk heritage. The Maison des Patrimoines also offers a two-hour adventure trail. An investigator’s kit can be borrowed at reception; a reservation is required.

For planning your time, you can compare two details: the adventure trail lasts two hours, while the optional round-trip extension to the summit of Grand'Roche takes 30 minutes. This lets you distinguish a longer activity at the Maison from a shorter trail option.

Another specific feature is Matour’s Cressonnière: it consists of two stone basins fed by a spring, which then drain into the Baize stream. In the grounds of the Maison des Patrimoines, the local producers’ market offers vegetables, cheese, beer, wine, honey and plant-based products. Exact dates and the musical programme vary by season. If you plan to visit the market, check the relevant market day; a reservation is required for the adventure trail.

Discover more destinations: Aluze, Beaurepaire-En-Bresse, Montagny-Sur-Grosne, Charnay-Lès-Mâcon, La Chapelle-Sous-Uchon, Saint-Désert, Mont, Allériot.

For the wider travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.