Chemin des Sources de l'Ouche
This walk will lead you to the source... to the sources, even, because here, there are seven of them. But before, there are mills, wash houses or other travelers' hotels and also the starting point of a very old railroad line. The railway of the Ouche Valley, an ideal moment of relaxation in
family!
(Female voice : Béatrice BOURÉLY)
01. Bligny-sur-Ouche
Dear friends hikers, welcome. We are here in the heart of the valley, on the path of the sources of the Ouche. This is the name of this hike of about ten kilometers, which will take you to the source of the river. Up to the springs, even, because there are seven of them, as we will see later. But before that, here is Bligny-sur-Ouche, the starting point of your journey. Before taking the road, stop in front of the impressive town hall, then in front of the 19th century covered market. Built in 1837 at the end of a vast esplanade, this stage touches on one side, the artisanal district stretched along the river and on the other, a historical district stretched on the height. It is a real link between the old town and the more recent parts. In the first place, there are the mills, wash houses and other travelers' hotels. In the second place, once fortified, the windows in braces and other fragments of medieval architecture animating the facades of a long street that goes up to the church. Built in the 12th century, the church was originally built within the walls of the fortified castle, of which only a few vestiges remain. Today, its proud silhouette topped by a 15th century tuff spire fully participates in the identity of this village with an important heritage. The coat of arms of Bligny-sur-Ouche is very evocative in this respect: placed on an ear of wheat and a stalk of hemp, surmounted by a crenellated wall, it displays the bow and arrow of the brotherhood of the Archers of Saint-Sebastien. A picture hanging in the church reminds us that the brotherhood was founded in the 13th century and that it still counts 450 members who help each other. Bligny-sur-Ouche is also the starting point of a very old railway line, which has become a tourist circuit. The Chemin de Fer de la Vallée de l'Ouche, driven by a 1910 Couillet steam locomotive, has been classified as a historical monument since 2004! The excursion, ideal for a family, is worth the detour.
02. Healing springs
We are now almost in the water! As we have said, the Ouche river is born thanks to seven springs, among which the one of Presles, to which miraculous cures are attributed for meningitis and kidney ailments. We are here in the bottom of a valley with a bucolic character where the springs were already venerated by our ancestors in their time. A statue - a Virgin and Child from the 16th century, classified as a historical monument, hidden during the Revolution and then found by chance in a field at the end of the 19th century - is exposed in the raised oratory. Rebuilt in 1936, this modest oratory is no less steeped in history since it is the successor to the hermitage that was built here in the 17th century in the ruins of what had been the parish church of Lusigny, the first village - of undeniable charm - crossed by the Ouche... A history that is constantly present, as underlined by a plaque thanking Notre-Dame-de-Presles for her protection during the sinister hours of the Second World War. At the foot of the grotto, a basin collects water for the sick and pilgrims who, as in Lourdes, come to implore the Virgin. Between 1000 and 1500 pilgrims came to pray every year between 1930 and 1945. The Ouche, from its sources to the Saône, remains a privileged witness of human adventure: by its valley, a very old communication route, and by its powerful flow, driving force of the mills, symbols of the various economic activities. The hemp museum, where you can linger on the way back, is a particular echo of this. Later on, don't hesitate to make the small loop that leads to the Grotte du Maquis. During the Second World War, a small group of resistance fighters took shelter in the surrounding woods.
03. The Ouche
The Ouche river flows in Côte-d'Or for 95 kilometers. The course starts in Lusigny-sur-Ouche where you were earlier and ends in Pontailler-sur-Saône. The average slope of the river is 2%, which makes it a rather peaceful river. The river is meandering, with many bends until it reaches Dijon. Downstream of the Dijon agglomeration, the river has been recalibrated and the meanders are much less numerous. By cutting into the limestone plateaus that form the relief of the Côte-d'Or, the Ouche, and especially its valley, represent a geographical limit that draws the northwestern limit of an area with a marked altitude, called the "Arrière-Côte". To the southeast, another boundary is formed by the Côte and its famous vineyards. These two geographical limits meet in Dijon and delimit this wooded "Arrière-Côte", whose summits exceed 600m in altitude. At its beginning, the Ouche is not spectacular. However, it is remarkable from an ecological point of view in its upstream part, which is very well preserved. Indeed, the wooded environment spares it a good number of pollutions! The river thus presents a good ecological state. To judge this, scientists carry out inventories of the fauna species that allow them to calculate the standardized Global Biological Index of the analyzed area. The numerous invertebrates that live on the bottom of the Ouche are a sign of this good water quality. Aquatic insects are quite sensitive to pollution... They are even called bioindicators! This manna of insects attracts carnivores which are at the top of the food chain. The fario trout, for example, consumes large quantities of them. Moreover, downstream from the Lusigny bridge, the clarity of the water of the Ouche allows the observation of Mediterranean trout in the heart of the village. Don't make any sudden movements or they will disappear in a flash! And besides, why get upset? Enjoy the moment. And enjoy the rest of the trip!
