Auxerre is a French commune located in the north-west of the
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, in the department of Yonne, of which
it is the capital. Also centralizing office of four cantons and seat
of the agglomeration community of Auxerrois, it had 34,634
inhabitants at the last census in 2017 (legal population in force on
January 1, 2018), which makes it the first municipality in Icaun and
the fifth commune of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in terms of number of
inhabitants. Its urban area totaled nearly 93,000 inhabitants the
same year. The urban unit of Auxerre is the 146th most populous
urban unit in France with 43,000 inhabitants.
Auxerre is a
cultural and tourist capital, in the heart of Burgundy, in the Yonne
valley. The city has a medieval and Renaissance historical heritage.
City of art and history since 1995, Auxerre has thirty-five listed
or listed historical monuments, and three museums in France.
Auxerre is the main employment area in the department. The Auxerre
vineyard, the AOC Chablis vineyards, are a few kilometers from the
city. She is also known for her football club, the Auxerroise Youth
Association (AJA).
1. Cathédrale Saint-Étienne (Saint Stephen's Cathedral)
This is
Auxerre’s most iconic landmark and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
History: Construction began in the 13th century on the site of an
earlier 11th-century Romanesque cathedral (whose crypt remains). It was
largely completed by the 16th century. It serves as the seat of the
Diocese of Sens and Auxerre.
Architecture: It features a single tower
(unusual for French cathedrals), flying buttresses, a richly sculpted
west façade with portals showing bas-reliefs of biblical scenes, and a
rose window. The interior includes exceptional 13th-century stained
glass windows (some of the finest in France), a Romanesque crypt, and
notable artworks like a rare depiction of "Christ on horseback" in the
vaults.
Highlights: The choir and apsidal chapel are early Gothic
highlights. Visitors can explore the treasury, which holds pieces like
The Deposition from the Cross by Luca Penni.
Significance: It
dominates the skyline, especially when viewed from the River Yonne or
Pont Paul Bert bridge. It is a UNESCO-listed or protected historic
monument and a focal point for understanding Burgundian Gothic style.
2. Abbaye Saint-Germain (Saint-Germain Abbey)
A sprawling
monastic complex that encapsulates 16 centuries of Auxerre’s history.
History: Founded in the 5th century by Queen Clotilde (wife of Clovis I)
on the site of an oratory built by Saint Germain (bishop of Auxerre, d.
448). It became a Benedictine abbey, served as a necropolis for bishops,
and peaked in the 9th century as a center of the Carolingian Renaissance
with a prestigious school.
Architecture: Features a mix of styles,
including a prominent Romanesque bell tower, Gothic elements,
17th-century cloisters, and remarkable Carolingian crypts (9th century)
with some of the oldest wall frescoes (murals) in France. The crypts
contain sarcophagi of Saint Germain and bishops.
Highlights: Today it
houses a museum (Musée Saint-Germain) with archaeological exhibits,
including Gallo-Roman artifacts. The site offers a comprehensive view of
evolving architecture and monastic life.
Vibe: Peaceful and
historically dense, located near the town center but slightly apart,
overlooking the Yonne.
3. Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower)
A
striking civic landmark in the heart of the old town.
History &
Architecture: Built in the 15th century (around 1483) on foundations of
a Gallo-Roman castrum tower. It features elegant turrets, a spire, and
an astronomical clock with mechanisms showing time, moon phases, and
solar/lunar movements (hands align specially at new/full moons).
Details: The clock face is ornate with gold accents. Nearby is a house
once occupied by Guillaume Rousselle (associated with the folk song
"Cadet Rousselle," with a statue nearby).
Experience: Listen to it
chime the hours. It stands amid half-timbered houses, making it
photogenic from narrow streets.
4. Old Town (Vieux Auxerre) and
Half-Timbered Houses
Auxerre has around 534 protected half-timbered
(colombage) houses from the medieval and Renaissance periods, many with
colorful facades.
Wander streets like Rue de la Draperie or around
Place Surugue and the town hall (Hôtel de Ville). The area feels frozen
in time, with cobblestone lanes, Renaissance details, and merchant
houses.
Key spots: Quai de la République and the riverbanks (ideal
for walks, especially at sunset), Pont Paul Bert for panoramic views of
the cathedral and abbey, and smaller churches like Église Saint-Eusèbe
(mix of Romanesque to Renaissance styles) and Église Saint-Pierre.
Other Notable Sites
Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps: Famous football
stadium for AJ Auxerre, adding a modern cultural note.
Museums:
Natural History Museum and the abbey museum for deeper context.
Surroundings: Proximity to Chablis vineyards and Crémant de Bourgogne
cellars (e.g., Caves Bailly Lapierre) for wine tourism. Boat trips or
bike rides along the Yonne and Canal du Nivernais are popular.
Visiting Tips: Auxerre is compact and walkable. The tourist office
offers guided tours. Best viewed from the river for the full skyline
effect. It combines beautifully with Burgundy wine routes and is about
1.5 hours from Paris by train/car.
By plane
Paris-Orly Airport (IATA: ORY) is around 150 km from
Auxerre, which takes just under two hours by car and around three
hours by train.
By train
Auxerre-St Gervais train station
is on the east side of the Yonne, about 1 km from the city centre.
A regional train (TER) runs five times a day from Paris-Bercy
station to Auxerre, the journey time is approx. 1:45 hours. There
are other connections with one change in Migennes at
Laroche-Migennes station, where you have a direct connection and
therefore also overall only takes about 1:45 hours. From the Dijon
Ville train station in Dijon you can also get to Auxerre with one
change in Laroche-Migennes, the journey takes 1:50 to almost two
hours.
In the street
Auxerre is very close to the A6,
which connects Paris to Lyon. It is 170 km from the center of Paris,
which takes 1:45 to 2 hours with smooth traffic. It is 150 km from
Dijon to Auxerre and the journey usually takes 1½ hours. You can
also take the country road parallel to this, which takes about an
hour longer but takes you past sights such as Flavigny-sur-Ozerain,
the Celtic town of Alesia and Fontenay Abbey.
From southern
Germany or northern and central Switzerland, you drive from Freiburg
i. Br. or Basel on the French A 36, which you follow past Besançon
to Beaune. There you get on the A 6 in the direction of Paris, which
leads to Auxerre.
From central Germany you can take the
French A 4 near Saarbrücken, which you follow to
Chalons-en-Champagne. There you change to the A 26 to Troyes; at the
end of the road you take the A 5 towards Paris, which you leave
after 4 km at junction no. 21. From there it goes on the national
road N 77 to Auxerre.
Coming from north and north-west
Germany you drive through Belgium, you come to Charleville-Mézières
on the French A 34, which you follow to Reims, via the A 4 to
Chalons-en-Champagne, where you can change to the A 26, then
continue as above.
By boat
Auxerre is located on the
navigable river Yonne and at the starting point of the Canal du
Nivernais, which can be navigated by pleasure boats and houseboats.
By bicycle
Auxerre is the start and end point of the cycle
path along the Canal du Nivernais. A continuation to Migennes and
connection with the cycle path along the Canal de Bourgogne is
planned.
The wine from the Auxerre vineyards, namely the Chainette and the Pinot De Migraine, is one of the best wines in Burgundy.
Camping Municipal d'Auxerre, 8 Rte de Vaux, 89000 Auxerre (near the Parc de l'Arbre Sec and the "Yonne"). Tel.: +33 3 86 52 11 15, email: campingauxerre@orange.fr. Campsite located about 2 km from the center of town. Feature: ★★. Open: 04/01/2022 - 10/15/2022.
Auxerre, which in antiquity bore the name of Autessiodurum, was a
city of the Senones and is not yet mentioned by Caesar in his
commentaries; it seems to have gained importance only after the Roman
conquest of Gaul. In the imperial period it belonged to the Roman
province of Gallia Lugdunensis. A dedicatory inscription to Icauna, the
river goddess of the Yonne, was found here in the 18th century but is
now thought to be lost. The Via Agrippa also reached the settlement.
Ruins and other antiquities from the Gallo-Roman period survive to a
small extent.
The city had been the seat of a bishop since the
late 3rd century, who had been subordinate to the archbishopric of Sens
since the end of the 4th century. Saint Peregrinus (French Pelerin) is
named as the first bishop of Auxerre. Before the middle of the 5th
century, the city experienced its first economic and religious heyday
through the work of the bishop and troop leader Germanus von Auxerre. In
451 it was probably plundered by the Huns of Attila.
Auxerre
achieved international fame among experts in 1907 when an archaic statue
was found in the city's Musée Saint-Germain: the Lady of Auxerre.
In 486 Auxerre was snatched from the Romans by the Frankish King
Clovis. In the early Middle Ages it belonged to the Merovingian
possessions. It came first after Clovis' death (511) to Chlodomer, then
to Childebert I, Chlothar I, Guntram I and 613 to Chlothar II.
In
584, Bishop Aunaire (Aunacharius) held a council in Auxerre, about which
45 canons on church discipline provide information. In 695 there was a
council in the city under Bishop Tétrice advising on spiritual
functions. Other synods met here in 1020 and 1147, the latter under the
presidency of Gilbert Porretanus, Bishop of Poitiers.
In the 9th
century, Auxerre was the seat of a famous monastic school belonging to
the Abbey of Saint Germain. the scholars Heiricus and Remigius worked.
The county of Auxerre (Auxerrois) was fief of the Dukes of Burgundy
until 1005 and then, as a fief of the bishops of Auxerre, for almost two
centuries belonged to the House of Monceaux, Counts of Nevers. Landry
was the first of these Earls. In the 1160s, William IV had the city wall
extended, which now also surrounded monasteries and suburbs beyond the
earlier Roman fortifications. His brother Guido wanted to establish a
commune here in the early 1170s, but the bishop opposed this plan.
Guido's heiress Agnes married Peter II of Courtenay in 1184, later the
Latin Emperor of Constantinople. After a devastating fire, Auxerre
received a charter from Peter II in 1188. Peter also had the wall
started by Wilhelm IV completed. Peter's daughter Mathilde brought the
county of Hervé to Lord of Donzy and confirmed Auxerre in 1223 an
extended town charter.
By marriage, the county of Auxerre passed
successively to the Houses of Châtillon, Bourbon, Burgundy and Chalon.
In the early stages of the Hundred Years' War, the English and their
mercenaries attacked Auxerre in January 1358. They were initially
repelled, but already on March 10, 1358 they conquered the city and
plundered it. In 1370, John IV of Chalon sold the county of Auxerre to
the French King Charles V. Louis de Chalon contested the purchase, but
the parties to the dispute settled with King Charles VI at the beginning
of the 15th century.
In 1411, in the battle between the Armagnacs
and the Burgundians, the citizens of Auxerre sided with the Duke of
Burgundy, John the Fearless. On August 22, 1412, a peace treaty was
signed between the Dukes of Burgundy and Orléans under the presidency of
the Dauphin. In 1435 the county of Auxerre fell to Duke Philip the Good
of Burgundy by the Treaty of Arras. During the Ligue du Bien public, the
residents of Auxerre showed little zeal in complying with the urgent
requests of the Duke of Burgundy. After the death of Charles the Bold in
1477, the county of Auxerre finally fell to the French crown, albeit
with the opposition of Mary of Burgundy and later of Emperor Maximilian.
In the Peace of Madrid (1526) Auxerre had to be ceded to Emperor
Charles V, but returned to France in the peace treaties of Cambrai
(1529) and Crépy (1544).
In 1561, the citizens of Auxerre were
granted the right to elect a mayor every two years, who was at the head
of a city council composed of twelve lay judges. Religious unrest broke
out that same year, returning in more violent form in 1563. In October
1567, the Huguenots took the city by surprise and sacked the churches,
but were driven out the following year. In 1587 Auxerre joined the Holy
League, and fighting broke out between supporters of the League and
royalists. In 1592 royal troops appeared in the Auxerrois. The city
submitted to Henry IV in April 1594. In the 17th century it suffered
from several famines. On August 19, 1792, during the French Revolution,
Auxerre experienced a terrible riot. In the course of defeating
Napoleon, Auxerre was temporarily occupied by the Austrians at the
beginning of March 1814.
In August 1944, Auxerre was liberated by
Major General Leclerc's troops.
In 1972, the city merged with the
municipality of Vaux.
Location and Regional Context
Auxerre lies approximately 150 km
(93 miles) southeast of Paris and 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Dijon.
Its coordinates are roughly 47.8° N, 3.57° E. It sits in the northern
part of Burgundy, often called the "Gateway to Burgundy," positioned
strategically along major historical trade routes.
The town occupies
a transitional zone between the Paris Basin to the north and the more
varied landscapes of central France. It borders departments like Aube
(northeast), Côte-d'Or (east), Nièvre (south), Loiret (west), and
Seine-et-Marne (northwest). The broader Yonne department features a mix
of low-lying plateaus, wooded areas (especially in the Puisaye region to
the southwest), limestone-dominated eastern areas, and the higher Morvan
massif to the south (mostly in neighboring Nièvre).
Topography
and Terrain
Auxerre's terrain is gently undulating and characteristic
of central French plateaus rather than dramatic mountains. Key details
include:
Elevation range — 93–217 m (305–712 ft) within the commune,
with an average around 102 m (335 ft). Topographic data shows an average
elevation of about 156 m, with minimums near 91 m (along the river) and
maximums reaching up to 291 m in surrounding hills.
The city sits
primarily on the valley floor and slopes of the Yonne River, with the
historic center rising modestly from the riverbanks. Green hills of
Burgundy are visible from the city, giving it a compact, town-like feel
despite its urban status.
The surrounding landscape includes low
plateaus used for agriculture (wheat, pasture), limestone areas, and
rolling hills ideal for vineyards. The southwestern Puisaye area is
higher and more wooded, while the Auxerrois region (around Auxerre) is
renowned for its grape-growing terrain, particularly for Chablis wines.
The geology involves sedimentary rocks (Jurassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary
layers) with some granite influences, creating fertile soils suited to
viticulture and farming.
Hydrology: The Yonne River and Canals
The Yonne River (a major tributary of the Seine) is central to Auxerre's
geography and history. It flows northward through the department and
town, providing a wide, navigable waterway historically vital for trade
(e.g., floating logs from the Morvan forests downstream to Paris,
alongside wine and stone).
The city developed along its banks, with
quays, bridges (including the Passerelle de la Liberté pedestrian
bridge), and scenic riverside views featuring medieval houses and church
spires.
The Canal du Nivernais joins here, connecting the Seine and
Loire river systems. Built in the 18th century for timber transport, it
now serves tourism with peaceful, lock-filled stretches through valleys
and hills.
Nearby, the River Serein joins the Yonne a few kilometers
north of Auxerre, and the Canal de Bourgogne links further north at
Migennes.
These waterways historically supported commerce and
continue to define the town's character, with grassy quays popular for
strolling.
Climate
Auxerre has a temperate oceanic climate
(Cfb classification) with continental influences, typical of inland
central-eastern France. Features include:
Mild temperatures — Cool
winters (average January around 4°C/39°F) and warm summers (July highs
around 25–26°C/77°F, with pleasant evenings).
Moderate,
well-distributed rainfall — About 700–750 mm (27–30 inches) annually,
with slightly wetter months in spring and autumn. No extreme dry season.
Four distinct seasons — Occasional cold snaps in winter, warm summers
suitable for outdoor activities, and transitional springs/autumns ideal
for visiting vineyards.
This climate supports Burgundy's wine
production, with the limestone-rich soils and hills providing good
drainage and sun exposure for grapes.
Human and Environmental
Interactions
The geography has shaped Auxerre's development for
centuries:
Strategic position on the Via Agrippa (Roman road) and
river confluence supported its growth as a Gallo-Roman center (then
called Autissiodorum).
Fertile valleys and hills enabled agriculture
and viticulture (Chablis AOC nearby).
Modern infrastructure includes
the A6 autoroute (Paris–Lyon) passing nearby and rail connections.