Rochers du Carnaval d'Uchon (la griffe du diable)

Uchon

At the summit of the Uchon massif, in the Morvan, stacked granite blocks form a chaos that the Grand Autunois Morvan tourist office ranks among the three finest in France, with Ploumanac'h and the Sidobre. From afar, the rocks look like fortified castles; close up, shapes have been found in them: the Mammoth, the dog's nose, the Carnival. The viewpoint opens onto the bocage and the Morvan, and in clear weather one can even make out the puy de Dôme. The most famous rock is the ‘devil's claw’: an enormous block resting on another, which bears claw marks. It is told that the devil was carrying this block to make the keystone of the pont de Pierre at Toulon-sur-Arroux, after a pact with a contractor whose daughter he was to marry. The girl's fiancé made the cock crow before its time, and the devil dropped his rock. Other legends are attached to the blocks and are told during guided tours. A loop of about 4.6 km through the woods passes by the rocks.

Autun Tourisme — Les rochers du Carnaval, Uchon ↗

Getting there: At the bois du Breuil, in the commune of Uchon (Morvan). The rocks are about 500 m round trip from the car park; a waymarked loop of about 4.6 km (1 h 45) starts from the auberge de la Croix Messire Jean. Free visit; guided tours for groups are offered on request. The devil's claw is off the waymarked path. The leaflets consulted date from 2020 or flag uncertain information: access and parking to be checked.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

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