Discovering Burgundy
DISCOVERIES IN THE REGION
The Gates of Burgundy: between vineyards and landscapes
Burgundy is a prestigious region renowned worldwide for its gastronomy, its natural and historical heritage, its castles, its churches and its Romanesque cathedrals.
La Côte Saint-Jacques & SPA ***** is ideally situated to allow you to immerse yourself in this land of art and history.
Joigny
From Joigny to Auxerre: medieval discoveries
At the Côte Saint-Jacques, it is impossible to miss Joigny. Its old town, classified as a city of Art and History, possesses large timber-framed houses, including the House of the Tree of Jesse (also called the Bailli). See the castle of the Gondi which overlooks the city, the Saint John's Gate which dates to the Xth century, and don't miss the Ferrand chapel that is devoted to the Virgin and was constructed under François Ist.
The city has three churches classified as historical monuments, each of which holds artistic treasures: the churches of Saint Andrew, Saint John and Saint Thibault. Enjoy the arboretum and the banks of the River Yonne.
Located in the north of the Yonne, this destination will offer you the keys to the treasures of historic Burgundy.
Discover an inescapable heritage with the Saint-Etienne de Sens cathedral, the first Gothic cathedral, the medieval city of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, or the Moulin à Tan park classified as an outstanding garden.
As a family, as a couple, with friends or on your own, don't wait any longer and come and discover Sens and its region!
30 kilometres away in Auxerre, you will be charmed by the beauty of the old Burgundian city and its cobbled streets.
You will also savour the typical atmosphere among the traditional timber-framed houses and the Marine district, with the picturesque Saint Nicolas Square.
Go under the Clock Tower and don't miss Saint Etienne Cathedral or Saint Germain Abbey which possesses the oldest known frescoes in France, dating to the IX th century.
Around Auxerre, in a magnificent landscape of hills and panoramas that extend to the horizon, there are some stops that are worth a visit. For example, in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, in the midst of the hillside vineyards and cherry orchards, discover the church and wine-growers' homes with vaulted cellars from the XIth and XIIth centuries, reflecting the fact that in Burgundy, wine and cherries are age-old sources of riches. In particular, visit the ancient quarries that house the exceptional Bailly Lapierre cellars, the shrine of the crémant de Bourgogne. There you'll see five million bottles in four hectares of cellars, at a depth of fifty metres!
Not far from there, in the heart of a deep valley, guests can explore Irancy, the native village of Soufflot, the architect of the Pantheon. This wine-growing village is representative of the authentic Burgundy: the small stone houses with exterior stairs hide cellars which are real underground villages. You can taste excellent AOC wines here.
In the direction of Vézelay you will come across Arcy-sur-Cure. With the Chauvet cave in Ardèche, the caves of Arcy are the oldest of Europe.
Along a nine-hundred metre path marked by twelve stops, you will discover many natural forms dug out by the waters of the Cure and incredible testimonies of cave art, showing that humans have occupied these caves for 200,000 years! (Every day from April to November from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Once you have arrived in Vézelay, the Eternal Hill, which is classified in the UNESCO inventory, you will be in one of the high places of Christendom, at least between the Xth and the XIIIth centuries.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, kings, popes and saints came there to venerate the relics of Mary Magdalene before leaving for Santiago de Compostela and the crusades. Today, you will discover the Saint Madeleine Basilica, a testimony to Burgundian Romanesque architecture: the admirable proportions, sumptuous carved decors and extraordinary light will enchant you. (Free visit every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
Take the time to go to Bazoches castle, the residence of Marshal Vauban. Dating back to the XIIth century, this feudal castle possesses a trapezoidal architecture consisting of four towers and a dungeon surrounding an inner courtyard. It was acquired in 1675 by Vauban. In the grand gallery of the castle, Vauban studied and drew the plans of more than 300 strongholds, which made him an undisputed master of military architecture. (From 30 June to 5 November, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.).
Complete this Burgundian tour by a visit to the beautiful village of Noyers-sur-Serein, certainly one of the most beautiful in France. Its medieval city will charm you: remarkable architecture of the XIIIth to XVIIIth centuries, squares and cobbled streets, timber-framed houses, lava-tiled roof tops, museums and art galleries. A walk along the river or on the site of the ancient castle will show you one of the most beautiful faces of Burgundy
Tourisme
Around the Côte Saint-Jacques
Tour of the area surrounding Chablis
Dicy
