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.