Guedelon Castle meticulously constructed using only 13th-century.techniques and materials, Treigny.

Matt Munro

Yonne

The Yonne département, roughly midway between Dijon and Paris, has long been Burgundy's northern gateway. The verdant countryside harbours the magical hilltop village of Vézelay (a Unesco World Heritage site), the white-wine powerhouse Chablis, and the picturesque medieval town of Noyers-sur-Serein, along with off-the-beaten-track treasures in places like Tonnerre and La Puisaye. Canal boats cruise from the ancient river port of Auxerre and other towns throughout the region.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Entrance of Saint Mary Magadalene abbey in Vezelay, France.

    Basilique Ste-Madeleine

    Yonne

    Founded in the AD 880s on a former Roman and Carolingian site, Vézelay's stunning hilltop basilica was rebuilt between the 11th and 13th centuries. On the…

  • Musée Colette

    Musée Colette

    Yonne

    Colette, author of La Maison de Claudine and Gigi, lived till the age of 18 in the tiny town of St-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, 40km southwest of Auxerre. The…

  • Pontigny Abbey.

    Abbaye de Pontigny

    Yonne

    Founded in 1114, Abbaye de Pontigny rises from the lush mustard fields 15km north of Chablis. The spectacular abbatiale (abbey church) is one of the last…

  • Saint Germain Abbey in Auxerre.

    Abbaye St-Germain

    Yonne

    This ancient abbey with its dramatic flying buttresses began as a basilica above the tomb of St Germain, the 5th-century bishop who made Auxerre an…

  • Fosse Dionne - the karst spring located in the center of Tonnerre, France.

    Fosse Dionne

    Yonne

    Some 200L of water per second gushes from Fosse Dionne, a natural spring near the centre of Tonnerre that was sacred to the Celts and whose vivid blue…

  • The clock tower in Auxerre, France.

    Tour de l'Horloge

    Yonne

    In the heart of Auxerre's partly medieval commercial precinct, the golden, spire-topped Tour de l'Horloge was built in 1483 as part of the city's…

  • Chantier Médiéval de Guédelon

    Chantier Médiéval de Guédelon

    Yonne

    At this unique medieval building site, a team of skilled artisans, aided by archaeologists, has been diligently working since 1997 to build a fortified…

  • Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

    Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

    Yonne

    The Italian Renaissance makes a cameo appearance at this imposing château, built in the 1540s by celebrated Italian architect Serlio. The richly painted…

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