Signal d’Uchon
A granite summit on the southern edge of the Morvan, scattered with strange boulders and wide views.
- Nature and viewpoint
- 54 min from Beaune
- Allow 1 to 2 hours
- Uchon
€190one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- autun-tourisme.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 54 min by road (65 km), €190 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
The Signal d'Uchon rises to about 680 metres at the southern edge of the Morvan, south of Autun. Its slopes are strewn with granite boulders shaped by erosion, which local tales gave names such as the Devil's Claw. On clear days the view stretches over the Arroux valley and the Morvan as far as the Puy de Dôme.
What you will see
Short paths lead through heather and broom to the viewing table and the Rochers du Carnaval, a chaos of piled granite blocks near the summit. Nearby rocks carry names from local legend, such as the Griffe du Diable and the Pierre qui Croule, a 47-tonne boulder once consulted as an oracle on marital fidelity: in 1869 young men tried to topple it, shifted it only a few centimetres, and it has not moved since. The hill is also a take-off point for paragliders, and the long-distance GR 13 footpath passes close to the top. A short waymarked path, about half a kilometre long, leads from the car park through the Rochers du Carnaval, some 20 great granite blocks shaped by rain and wind, and is free and open all year. Longer walks include an 8.1-kilometre circuit with 138 metres of climbing, and a forest trail with three loops of 4 to 8 kilometres, whose booklet is available at the Auberge de la Croix Messire Jean on the summit.
History
According to the Morvan regional park, the name Uchon may come from the Old French ucher, to perch. In the Middle Ages the hilltop was the seat of a lordship, and its church, which held relics of Saint Sebastian, drew pilgrims in large numbers during epidemics of plague. The granite oratory of the Belle-Croix was built for them in the 16th century. An open-air theatre now occupies the site of the old castle, and the summit has been a protected site since 1940.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Uchon fits well into a day combining Autun or Bibracte. Wear shoes with a good grip, as the granite can be slippery when wet, and bring a warm layer, since weather on the summit changes quickly. There are no set hours for the paths. Choose a clear day for the view, and allow an hour or two to wander among the rocks. Come in May or June for the flowers, when the broom is in bloom, or in autumn, when the heather turns pink. For your safety, do not climb on the rocks, watch for vipers near them in hot sunshine, and keep dogs on a lead and out of the grazing enclosures. Nearby, the Orthodox monastery, founded in 1989 and home to a community of nuns since 2024, opens its icon-covered chapel free of charge from Tuesday to Sunday, 13:00 to 17:00, and the summit inn is open all year except on Wednesdays.
Around here
What to combine with Signal d’Uchon on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Signal d’Uchon is about 54 min from Beaune by road (65 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €190 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? In 2021 the Tour de France climbed the Signal d'Uchon for the first time. The final kilometre of the climb from Les Serteaux averages more than 13 per cent.
Sources
Signal d’Uchon with a private driver
€190 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests