Hôtel-Dieu

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. Housed inside are Marguerite’s tomb, an unusual sculpture of the Virgin Mary with the Old Testament's Burning Bush, and an extraordinary 15th-century Entombment of Christ. Unfortunately, the hospital and its small attached museum were closed to the public in 2018 and remain off-limits until further notice; check with Tonnerre's tourist office for current status.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Yonne attractions

1. Musée Chevalier d'Éon

0.16 MILES

Tonnerre's newest attraction is this house-museum, once home to the colourful Chevalier d'Éon, a gender-bending 18th-century diplomat and spy. The…

2. Fosse Dionne

0.21 MILES

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…

3. Château de Tanlay

5.15 MILES

Dominating the northern edge of the tranquil riverside village of Tanlay, the elegant French Renaissance-style Château de Tanlay is surrounded by a wide…

4. Synagogue

8.6 MILES

For a free tour of this lovingly restored 16th-century synagogue, just knock on the door during regular opening hours.

5. Église St-Martin

8.61 MILES

The 12th- and 13th-century Gothic Église St-Martin, first founded in the 9th century by monks fleeing the Norman attacks on Tours, is two short blocks…

6. Petit Pontigny

8.65 MILES

The 12th-century cellar of Petit Pontigny (viewable from the exterior only) was once used by Pontigny's Cistercian monks to ferment wine.

7. Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

10.38 MILES

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

8. Château de Maulnes

11.38 MILES

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…