The best walks and hikes around Étais

An interestingly designed public space near the bridge over the Brenne River, a prime spot with a view, a bridgehead, and a city terrace. Designed by local architects Atelier B2A, 2019.

Superb place set up for picnicking, or even bivouacking, at the foot of the village of Touillon, which is reached by a steep descent path. A few meters from a perfectly restored and magnificent old wash house. On the banks of the Fontenay which then widens into a reservoir and river. Charming wooden and stone bridges leading to a tower spanning the stream.

The Abbaye de Fontenay is worth a visit, a beautiful old abbey in lovely grounds.

The Abbey of Fontenay, like all monasteries and places of worship, was, of course, founded or built first and foremost as a place of prayer. Due to its outstanding significance, it has also been honored with the title of "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO. The German-language television series "Treasures of the World – Heritage of Humanity" documents these special sites around the world in quarter-hour segments. One episode also deals with this abbey, and the website reads: * "France at the end of the 11th century. Christianity has prevailed. The noble abbots of the Benedictine monasteries live in prosperity. The monastic ideal of poverty and modesty seems to have been forgotten. A new order is founded in Burgundy. It calls its followers to return to early Christian ideals: to work and poverty, to humility and seclusion from the world. The monks establish their first monastery, "Citeaux," after which they later call themselves Cistercians. The order grows rapidly. The monks clear the forests and regulate the rivers. Their religious houses soon spread throughout France, even to Germany. The Fontenay Abbey is also founded under them." The film is available in the ARD media library at the following link =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/fontenay-frankreich-folge-11/swr/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS83MjQ3MjIw

The Abbey of Fontenay was, like all monasteries and places of worship, of course founded or built first and foremost as a place of prayer. Due to its outstanding importance, it has also been "ennobled" by UNESCO with the title of "World Cultural Heritage". The German-language television series "Treasures of the World - Heritage of Humanity" documents these special sites all over the world in quarter-hour contributions. One episode also deals with this abbey, on the website you can read: * "France at the end of the 11th century. Christianity has prevailed. The noble abbots of the Benedictine monasteries live in prosperity. The monks' ideal of poverty and modesty seems to have been forgotten. A new order is founded in Burgundy. It calls on its followers to return to original Christian ideals: to work and poverty, to humility and seclusion from the world. The monks found their first monastery "Citeaux", after which they later call themselves Cistercians. The religious order grows quickly. The monks clear the forests and regulate the rivers. Their religious houses soon spread across France and into Germany. The Fontenay monastery was founded under them." The film is available in the ARD media library at the following link: => https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/fontenay-frankreich-folge-11/swr/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS83MjQ3MjIw

The world heritage monastery is worth a visit. However, there is an entrance fee.

Magnificent stone bridge which spans the Brenne in the center of Montbard. The bridge is paved, and offers you splendid views of both banks and the river below.

The city lies on Brenne and the Canal de Bourgogne. The area was already populated in ancient times. During the time of the Gauls there was a Druid community here. In the Middle Ages a town developed around the castle. Aleth, the mother of Bernard of Clairvaux, was born at the castle in 1070. The settlement received city rights in 1231. While the castle was a secondary residence of the Dukes of Valois from Burgundy, it was besieged in 1590 by the Count of Tavannes, who fought the Duke of Nemours on behalf of the French King Henri IV. The Canal de Bourgogne opened in 1833. In 1926, Montbard became a sub-prefecture by the decree of Raymond Poincarés.