Yonne
Eight centuries ago, masses of pilgrims flocked here thanks to a piece of the skull of St Lazarus, believed to provide protection from leprosy. The early…
Must-see attractions in Burgundy
Dijon
Housed in a 17th-century Cistercian convent, this museum explores village and town life in Burgundy in centuries past with evocative tableaux illustrating…
Dijon
Truly surprising Celtic, Gallo-Roman and Merovingian artefacts are displayed here, including a particularly fine 1st-century AD bronze of the Celtic river…
Yonne
The elegant 13th-century Château de Ratilly sits in verdant countryside near Treigny. Interior rooms display a collection of pottery by the Pierlot family…
Musée Départemental de Préhistoire de Solutré
Burgundy
The Musée de Préhistoire de Solutré displays finds from one of Europe’s richest prehistoric sites, occupied from 35,000 to 10,000 BC. A lovely 20-minute…
Yonne
The only château in France built on a pentagonal plan, and buttressed by five towers, the Renaissance-era Château de Maulnes, 24km east of Tonnerre, is a…
Yonne
Located along the D958, 5km southeast of Vézelay, these ancient saltwater springs served as a salt production site in Neolithic times, then later a Celtic…
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…
Burgundy
Let your imagination run wild at this ancient theatre, designed to hold 16,000 people; try picturing the place filled with cheering (or jeering), toga…
Yonne
This Romanesque chapel on the hillside below Vézelay dates back to the 12th century, when Bernard de Clairvaux gave a sermon on this spot to launch the…
Burgundy
Long associated (wrongly) with the Roman God Janus, this 24m-high temple in the middle of farmland 800m north of the train station is thought to have…
Côte d'Or
This museum and factory worships all things liqueur, with a particular focus on the blackcurrant, from which cassis is made. There's fun for the whole…
Dijon
In 1938, art collectors Jeanne and Maurice Magnin turned their historic townhouse over to the state to display, in perpetuity, the excellent collection…
Côte d'Or
This gleaming modern museum is a good place to learn about Burgundy wines and winemaking techniques, with movies, exhibits and interactive displays,…
Dijon
Its Renaissance-style façade bursting with stone caryatids, soldiers and vines, Maison des Cariatides is one of Dijon's finest buildings. Dating to the…
Dijon
Behind Église Notre Dame, the 17th-century Hôtel de Vogüé is renowned for the ornate carvings around the arches of its exquisitely proportioned…
Côte d'Or
The idyllic Source de la Douix (pronounced 'dwee'), a 600L-per-second artesian spring, flows from a 30m cliff in a city park on the Seine's eastern bank…
Burgundy
The Renaissance-style Château de Cormatin is renowned for its opulent 17th-century, Louis XIII–style interiors (accessible via a one-hour guided tour) and…
Dijon
A delightful place for a Sunday stroll, this 5-hectare park south of the train station encompasses the colourful flower beds and rose trellises of Dijon's…
Musée de la Résistance en Morvan
Burgundy
Commemorating the Morvan's role as a major stronghold for the Resistance during WWII, this museum chronicles key events and characters with photos, maps,…
Yonne
Up near the top of town, the former home of Algerian-born writer Jules Roy (1907–2000) is an enchanting spot with fine views of the basilica. Walk around…
Dijon
Originally built in the mid-16th century for Jean Maillard, mayor of Dijon, this Renaissance-style gem sports a façade richly ornamented with garlands,…
Dijon
Figures of an owl and a cat perch high atop the roof of the 15th-century Maison Millière, which was a setting in the 1990 film Cyrano de Bergerac with…
Dijon
Originally built in the 13th-century, the Hôtel Aubriot's elegant façade owes some of its current splendour to restoration work completed in the early…
Burgundy
To better appreciate the abbey's vastness, climb the 120 steps to the top of this tower, once used to ripen cheeses. Access is through the tourist office.
Burgundy
At Autun's northeastern edge you'll find the impressive remains of Porte St-André, one of Augustodunum's original four Roman gates.
Burgundy
The all-wood Maison de Bois, facing 95 rue Dombey and built around 1500, is decorated with carved wooden figures, some of them very cheeky indeed.
Dijon
Dijon has plenty of green spaces that are perfect for picnics, including this inviting park between the train station and the historic centre.
Yonne
For a free tour of this lovingly restored 16th-century synagogue, just knock on the door during regular opening hours.
Porte Guillaume (Triumphal Arch)
Dijon
This monumental 18th-century arch serves as the western gateway into Dijon's pedestrianised medieval centre.
Yonne
This charity hospital, founded in 1293 by Marguerite de Bourgogne (wife of Charles d’Anjou), is most famous for its vast, barrel-vaulted patients' hall…
Maquis Bernard Résistance Cemetery
Burgundy
Seven RAF men (the crew of a bomber shot down near here in 1944) and 20 résistants are buried in the neatly tended Maquis Bernard Résistance Cemetery. It…
Maison des Hommes et des Paysages
Burgundy
This thoughtfully organised museum invites visitors to contemplate the interplay between humans and the Morvan's landscapes over the centuries. Exhibits…
Burgundy
At the edge of town you'll find the impressive remains of two of Augustodunum's four Roman gates. The northern Porte d'Arroux was constructed during…
Basilique Collégiale Notre Dame
Beaune
Built in Romanesque and Gothic styles from the 11th to 15th centuries, this church was once affiliated with the monastery of Cluny. It's notable for its…
Burgundy
Musée des Ursulines, housed in a 17th-century Ursuline convent, features Gallo-Roman archaeology, 16th- to 20th-century paintings, and displays about 19th…
Dijon
This famous grouping of six Old Testament figures, carved from 1395 to 1405 by court sculptor Claus Sluter and his nephew Claus de Werve, is on the…
Yonne
Founded in 1862, this wonderful small museum displays a series of expressionist watercolours by Georges Rouault (1871–1958) and an excellent art-deco…
Burgundy
The major attraction of Paray-le-Monial, about 50km to the west of Cluny, is its Romanesque Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, whose construction started in the…
