Auxerre
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Auxerre

Auxerre

Burgundy river town with medieval church towers, half-timbered lanes, and Chablis vineyards nearby.

Auxerre is a handsome old town on the river Yonne in northern Burgundy, best known for its skyline of medieval church towers and its proximity to the Chablis wine region. The old centre is compact and walkable, with half-timbered houses, a Gothic cathedral (Saint-Étienne, with fine stained glass), and a clock tower spanning the main street.

The Cathédrale Saint-Étienne dominates the skyline from across the valley, its south tower left unfinished after three centuries of construction. Beneath it, a 5th-century fresco of Christ on horseback is one of the oldest Christian images in France. A short walk away, the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre preserves Carolingian frescoes from 850 AD. The Tour de l'Horloge, a 15th-century clock tower straddling the main street, marks the entrance to the old town.

The town makes a good base for exploring the northern Burgundy vineyards. Chablis itself is just 20 km east, and the wines of the Auxerrois — lesser known but good value — are produced in the hills immediately around the town. Auxerre also sits on the Canal du Nivernais, popular with barge travellers and cyclists.

Guide

Day Trips

Chablis, 20 km east, is the most obvious day trip from Auxerre — the village itself is small but the wine caves and the surrounding vineyards are the point. A car is useful but it's possible by bus. The Canal du Nivernais south of Auxerre is popular with cyclists and barge travellers; the section between Auxerre and Clamecy passes through quiet Burgundian farmland and small market towns. Vézelay, with its hilltop Romanesque basilica, is about 60 km southeast and makes a worthwhile half-day.

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Eating Out

Auxerre eats like northern Burgundy — Charolais beef, escargot, andouillette sausage, jambon persillé, and quantities of the local wine. The restaurants along the river quays and in the old town are mostly traditional and reliable; this is not a city for experimental cooking. The covered market (Thursday and Saturday mornings, Place de l'Arquebuse) is the best place to buy local charcuterie and cheese.

For an introduction to the local wine without making the drive to Chablis, the wine shops along the rue du Temple and around the cathedral stock a good range of Auxerrois and Chablis labels at reasonable prices.

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Getting There

Auxerre is about 165 km southeast of Paris by road and is served by direct trains from Paris-Bercy station (Transilien line R), taking about 2 hours. There are typically a dozen trains a day in each direction. The station (Auxerre-Saint-Gervais) is about 1.5 km east of the old town — a walkable distance but taxis are available outside.

By car, take the A6 motorway south from Paris to the Joigny exit, then the N6 south to Auxerre. The town is also on the route to the Morvan regional park and Lyon, making it a natural stopping point for drivers heading south from Paris.

Guide

Things to Do

Auxerre rewards a day of walking. The old centre clusters on a promontory above the river Yonne, with the cathedral dominating the skyline. The Abbey of Saint-Germain, a few hundred metres from the cathedral, is older and less visited but contains some of the finest Carolingian frescoes surviving in France. The Tour de l'Horloge, a 15th-century clock tower straddling the rue de l'Horloge, marks the entrance to the old town and is the city's most recognisable image.

Wine is the other major draw: Chablis is 20 km east, and the Auxerrois vineyards immediately around the town produce excellent white wines from Chardonnay, Aligoté, and the rare Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre appellation.