Dun-les-Places is a town in the Nièvre, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, 30 km south of Avallon.
Bordering the Yonne in the north, its vast territory of 45 km² extends from 365 to 651 m above sea level, within the natural region of the Morvan massif (which falls under the small mountain).
The seat of an oppidum in Antiquity, the village developed in the Middle Ages, becoming a very popular place of pilgrimage.
The activity is then turned on the exploitation of wood and agriculture. This is still the case today, and the hilly and green landscapes of the town attest to it, with 63% of the land covered by forest and 27% dedicated to meadows (livestock).
This unspoiled natural environment remains the primary wealth of Dun-les-Places which turns out to be a paradise for lovers of green tourism and hiking. Within the Morvan Regional Natural Park, the locality of 350 inhabitants also maintains the memory of the terrible days of the end of June 1944 (the village was nicknamed "Oradour du Morvan" at the time of the Liberation): in the town terrorized by the he invasion of several hundred German soldiers who fought against the guerrillas, 27 inhabitants were killed. A memorial museum pays homage to them.
A discovery of the heritage of Dun-les-Places can begin with the old town center, known as "Old Dun", which was formed at the level of the ancient oppidum. In the nearby forest, the Saint-Marc fountain with supposedly miraculous virtues was for centuries the object of a popular pilgrimage and a nearby chapel welcomed the faithful.
A new chapel still dedicated to Saint-Marc was built and recently restored, in the old village, on the ruins of the old parish church dedicated to Saint-Martin, dating from the 12th century and which was abandoned in the 19th century.
A new church succeeded it a few kilometers away, in the heart of what was to be the new center of the town. Consecrated in 1851, it was built at the expense of Marie-Augustin-Xavier Feuillet, former mayor, former naval officer who fought in the Mediterranean and knight of the pontifical order of Pius IX. This neo-Romanesque church was dedicated to Saint Amélie in honor of Marie-Amélie de Bourbon, wife of the King of France Louis-Philippe. The benefactor Augustin-Xavier Feuillet was buried in the choir of the church, the land of which is delimited by four obelisks bearing the first names of the former elected! The whole is protected as historical monuments and has been recently restored. Open every day.
Next, head to the memorial inaugurated in 2016, which is intended to be an interpretation center dedicated to the history and memory of the martyred village most affected in Burgundy in the summer of 1944. The interior route includes three rooms which present the life of the village before the tragedy, the memory of events based on oral and written testimonies and the period after, synonymous with physical and moral reconstruction. The museography includes touch screens at the end of the visit allowing access to a documentary base on the Resistance to Dun-les-Places.
In addition, outside, a route through the village has been set up connecting the main sites where the tragedy took place. Open from May to November 11 (and all year round for groups). Price: 3.50 and 5 euros. Information on +33 3 86 78 72 99. Please note that the establishment and the village are included in an itinerary comprising 21 sites called "Resistances in Morvan-Chemins de Mémoire".
In terms of "nature" recreation, hikers are in the mood and the forest, hilly landscapes dotted with lakes in the region will delight them. In the town itself, several marked trails for walkers have been designed: the first is devoted to Vieux Dun and the Ménétrier Islands (24 km long), the second to Pont du Montal (5 km), the third to the pond from Vernabeux. A "simple" walk around the village is also available (5 km).
It should also be noted that the 423 km long GR 13 is accessible from Dun, which links Fontainebleau to Bourbon-Lancy and which, in the very surroundings of the town, leads from Avallon to Vézelay.
For mountain bikers, specially designed trails are available in the region and it is obviously possible to join the route of the Grande Traversée du Morvan, ie 250 km between Avallon and Autun.
Maps and information on +33 3 86 32 22 20 or +33 3 45 23 00 00.
Finally, we will not forget the numerous activities (thematic hikes, exhibitions, conferences, workshops, etc.) scheduled throughout the year by the teams of the Morvan Regional Natural Park, which highlights in particular the ecological richness of what is the oldest massif in France! Information on +33 3 86 78 79 00.