--- title: "Cirque du Bout du Monde: Waterfall Walk near Nolay" description: "Cliff-ringed valley with a spring-fed waterfall that can vanish in dry spells. Stroll to the falls or walk the 3.5-hour loop. Private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/cirque-du-bout-du-monde lang: en updated: 2026-09-29 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/cirque-du-bout-du-monde.png --- # Cirque du Bout du Monde > Cirque du Bout du Monde: a limestone amphitheatre near Nolay, with sheer cliffs, a spring-fed waterfall and falcons overhead. Cirque du Bout du Monde is in Cormot-Vauchignon (Côte-d'Or), 24 min by road (20 km) from Beaune. Allow 1 to 3.5 hours · Private driver from Beaune: €90 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. North of Nolay, the Cozanne, a small trout stream, leads into a dead-end valley ringed by cliffs. This is the Cirque du Bout du Monde, the Circus at the End of the World. At its head a spring gushes from a grotto and falls as a waterfall, except in dry spells. Walkers, climbers and birdwatchers all come here. ## Key facts - Type: Nature & viewpoints - Where: Cormot-Vauchignon · Côte-d'Or - Location: 15 km west of Beaune · Côte-d'Or - Coordinates: 46.9839, 4.6473 - 24 min from Beaune - Allow 1 to 3.5 hours - Cormot-Vauchignon - Official website: [beaune-tourisme.fr](https://www.beaune-tourisme.fr/profiter/patrimoine-et-culture-savoirfaire/cascade-du-cirque-du-bout-du-monde-cormot-le-grand-fr-3860309/) - From Beaune: ≈ 24 min · 20 km - €90 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) - Or add it to our [half-day wine tour, €290](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/half-day). ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 24 min by road (20 km), €90 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History The cirque is a reculée, a steep-sided blind valley carved into Bajocian limestone. The Cozanne and the water seeping through the rock shaped it over long ages, leaving caves and a wall of cliffs that rises to about 530 metres above sea level. Vauchignon, the hamlet at its foot, merged with Cormot-le-Grand on 1 January 2017 to form the commune of Cormot-Vauchignon. The site is part of the Natura 2000 network. Its cliffs are a refuge for the peregrine falcon, and the alpine swift is found here too, while bats hibernate in the caves. To protect nesting falcons, a prefectoral order restricts access to parts of the cliffs from 15 February to 15 June. The nearby Cormot cliffs are a well-known climbing site, with more than 200 routes. ## What you will see From the car park at the foot of the cliffs, a short path leads to the waterfall, where a spring emerges from a grotto in the rock face. It flows best after rain and can dwindle in dry summers. Walkers can follow the Tour du Bout du Monde, a loop of about 10 kilometres that includes a stretch along the edge of the cliffs. ## Planning your visit The waterfall is an easy stroll, but the full loop takes about three and a half hours, and children need watching near the cliff edge. Late spring and early summer are the best seasons for walking. Wear proper shoes. The Nolay tourist office has maps and advice on routes. Check the official website for access information. ## Did you know? The waterfall is fed by a resurgence, a spring that emerges from a grotto in the cliff face. In a dry summer it can almost disappear. ## Around Cirque du Bout du Monde What to combine with Cirque du Bout du Monde on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Saint-Romain](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/saint-romain) (5 km away): A cliff-ringed village above the Côte de Beaune, known for crisp whites, fresh reds and wide views. - [Saint-Aubin](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/saint-aubin) (6 km away): A valley village just over the hill from Montrachet, where most vineyards are classified premier cru. - [Blagny](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/blagny) (8 km away): A tiny hilltop hamlet between Meursault and Puligny, with a rare red appellation and celebrated white premiers crus. ### Châteaux - [Château de La Rochepot](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-la-rochepot) (4 km away): The Pot family's medieval fortress, rebuilt with glazed tile roofs by the Carnot family. - [Château de Corabœuf](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-coraboeuf) (4 km away): A 15th-century keep, a Gothic Revival wing and an arboretum, open to visitors all year. - [Château de Melin](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-melin) (5 km away): A Renaissance manor in a wooded park, now an organic wine estate with guest rooms. ### Things to do - [Nolay and Its Medieval Market Hall (Nolay et ses halles médiévales)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/nolay-medieval-market-hall), 4 km away: A small medieval market town with a 14th-century hall roofed in heavy Burgundy stone slabs. - [Mont de Sène (Hill of the Three Crosses), Mont de Sène (Montagne des Trois Croix)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/mont-de-sene-trois-croix), 7 km away: A 521-metre summit crowned by three crosses, looking over the vineyards of Santenay and the Maranges. - [Domaine Bader-Mimeur](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-bader-mimeur-chassagne-montrachet) (8 km away): A family estate that has farmed almost all the historic vines of the Château de Chassagne-Montrachet since 1919. ### Restaurants - [Ed.Em](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/ed-em-chassagne-montrachet) (8 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): A starred couple's table in the heart of Montrachet country, with 600 wines to match - [Auprès du Clocher](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/aupres-du-clocher-pommard) (12 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): Pommard's newly starred table, where the butcher's son cooks beside the church - [Maison Lameloise](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/maison-lameloise-chagny) (12 km away · 3 MICHELIN stars): Burgundy's only three-star table, in a former coaching inn twenty minutes south of Beaune. ## Questions about Cirque du Bout du Monde ### How far is Cirque du Bout du Monde from Beaune? Cirque du Bout du Monde is about 24 min from Beaune by road (20 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €90 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Cirque du Bout du Monde take? For the visit, allow 1 to 3.5 hours. ### When is Cirque du Bout du Monde open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (beaune-tourisme.fr) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Cirque du Bout du Monde? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Half-day wine tour, €290](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/half-day) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:boutdumonde): €90 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - - --- Canonical page: