Horseback riders can make use of 600 km of bridle paths for exploring the Saône-&-Loire department. These trails have been marked and selected by the Local Equestrian Tourism Committee as a means of practicing the sport through leisurely rides or during several-day excursions.

This network of green trails is open to all types of non-motorised excursions: horse riding, hiking, mountain biking.

The courses laid out follow, for the most part, the existing natural paths that crisscross Southern Burgundy. All itineraries pass through Cluny, renowned as a spot for horse aficionados and home to a prestigious national stud farm.

Markings for the primary route consist of a reared horse on a wind rose over white plates or painted in orange; the intermediate marking features 2 orange lines.

The itineraries link lodging facilities specially equipped to accommodate riders and their mount; such facilities would include equestrian centres, self-catering accommodations, bed & breakfast establishments, hotels, inns and bivouac campsites.

The set of seven marked"green trails":
From north to south: from Santenay (Côte d'Or) to Cluny: Path through vineyards and the wine country
A 3-day ride through the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise vineyard. 100-km route.

The loop circuit from Cluny to Santenay: Path through forests and over ridgelines
A 3-day ride along a portion of the ridgeline route called the "Monks' Trail". 100-km route.

The bridle path through the Jura region: This itinerary begins at the "Col de la Pistole" summit near the Mont Saint-Romain, via the Saône River crossing at the Uchizy Bridge and on into the Jura region.

To the south/west: the loop circuit between Cluny and Nochize (in the vicinity of Paray-le-Monial): Path amidst pastureland and Romanesque churches
A 4-day ride over the hills and prairies of the Charolais-Brionnais country. 75-km route.

From the Brionnais country into the Morvan Regional Park to hook up with the Celtic Trail and the various paths laid out through the Morvan Park, reaching the highest points in all of the Saône-&-Loire. 200-km route.

To the south of the Morvan Park:
the circuit from Morvan to Santenay: linear excursion between Sommant and Santenay. 70-km route.
the circuit through the area around Autun into the Côte Chalonnaise wine country: this itinerary leaves La Tagnière (the GR131 marked trail) via Saint-Sernin-du-Bois (GR137 trail) and continues onto Bissey-sous-Cruchaud. 40-km route.

For further information:
Comité Départemental de Tourisme Equestre de Saône-et-Loire
Mairie - 71460 Saint-Gengoux-le-National
Tel: 03 85 92 61 67
E-mail: cdte71@infornie.fr ; cel.fourneau@infonie.fr