The Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne links Vitry-le-François with Dijon through a landscape of waterways, lakes, woods and historic towns. France Vélo Tourisme presents the 278 km itinerary in seven sections, with canal engineering and the fortified town of Langres among the reasons to pause along the way.
From Champagne to Chaumont
The northern end begins in Vitry-le-François and heads towards Saint-Dizier and Joinville. In Vitry-le-François, Place d’Armes and the Notre-Dame church offer a town-centre introduction before the journey continues along the canal. Joinville rewards a stop for its old streets and the Renaissance Château du Grand Jardin.
South of Joinville, the canal winds between Donjeux and Vouécourt on the way to Chaumont. At Condes, a lock, tunnel, canal bridge and movable footbridge bring several pieces of waterway engineering together. Near Rouvroy, another canal bridge carries the waterway above the Marne.
Langres and the watershed
From Chaumont the itinerary returns to the towpath and approaches Langres, whose fortified centre stands above the canal. Reaching the ramparts involves a climb, rewarded by views from the historic town. The Tufière de Rolampont is a possible detour before Langres.
Beyond Langres, the cycling route crosses the watershed by a greenway and small roads via Cohons, rejoining the canal at Heuilley-Cotton. The canal itself enters the Balesmes tunnel, where cycling is prohibited, so riders follow the surface itinerary rather than the water through the tunnel. The canal then continues into the Vingeanne valley.
The Saône and the approach to Dijon
Around Percey-le-Grand the route enters Burgundy, passing farmland, villages and isolated farms. France Vélo Tourisme suggests leaving the canal for nearby villages when looking for supplies; the châteaux of Fontaine-Française and Talmay are possible places to explore.
Shortly after Maxilly-sur-Saône, the canal meets the Saône and the cycle itinerary shares a stretch with La Voie Bleue. From Pontailler-sur-Saône, the route crosses the river, later turns away from the valley through the forest of Longchamp, and approaches Dijon via country roads and the city’s cycle network.
Planning the ride
France Vélo Tourisme describes the route as signed in both directions and provides seven sections for planning a whole journey or a shorter trip. Much of the riding follows developed towpaths, but there are shared-road sections south of Langres and between Pontailler-sur-Saône and Dijon.
Surface quality also varies. The official overview highlights rougher stretches south of Saint-Dizier and between Percey-le-Grand and Pouilly-sur-Vingeanne. Its Langres section guide also describes worn surfaces after Heuilley-Cotton and planned renewal work, so check current local information when preparing a trip. The route overview identifies railway stations at Vitry-le-François and Dijon.