to visit : village and church (free access of the church by appointment)
Asquins, village of 300 inhabitants, rich in rural and religious architectural preserved heritage , surrounded with woody hills; is right in the heart of the valley of the Cure.Its former name "esconium" or "asconium" would indicate a village of springs and fountains. Asquins was a dependant of the abbey of Vezelay until 16th century. The village lived the great gatherings of the first crusades and was a witness of the departure of the pilgrimage on the way to Santiago de Compostella.
Curiosities in the village : the Moutier and the church Saint-Jacques The Major founded in the 11th century, former peasant houses and dovecotes, barn in tithes, the hunting party of the 16th century, the place of Saint Luc Martin, the wash houses and fountains in four places of the village, the bridge that crosses over the Cure, the ruins of the ramparts of the 16th century...
The church Saint Jacques The Major (12e/13e centuries): Classified ancient memorial, it is dedicated to Saint Jacques, and is registered by UNESCO as the world's heritage of humanity; and as one of the points of departure of the four routes of the pilgrimage to Santiago. A very beautiful bust in polychromic wooden reliquary representing Saint Jacques (16th century), a woodwork of 18th century wrapping the pillars of the nave, a beautiful set of stained glasses, of which Saint-Jacques in the baroque choir (18th century) deserves the bend.
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to visit : village and church (free access)m and the salt springs and the archaeological museum (pay entry)
The village is located at the foot of the Vezelay's hill, firmly situated on either sides of the Cure. The church of Notre Dame built from 13th and 15th centuries, is a jewel of burgundy's Gothic art : a 50 meters high bell-tower from 13th century, flanked with its 4 angles of angels sounding with the olifant , under the porch or narthex with three portals, a tomb of a woman dated from the 13th century. The interior is very stripped and presents a luminous nave finished by 5 radiant chapels.We can see just at the entry, two stoups out of cast iron; and along the collaterals, the tombs of the supposed founders. At the exit of the village, direction Corbigny, we can see the former church of saint Pierre (11th/12th centuries) dedicated to the patron of the village, with the patoisante (gallic term) deformation became saint Père. As said in the tradition,researchers and archaeologists agreed to see in this place the site of the former monastery of Vézelay founded by Girard of Roussillon in the 9th century.
The archaeological site of "Fontaines Salées"
Situated at about 1,5 kilometers on the south side of the village, the site of "Fontaines Salées reveals an archaeological place of primary importance. The excavations carried out in 1934 at the instigation of Pr René Louis, had made it possible to update a Gallic sanctuary and a hydrolic establishment of Gallo-Roman time, installed on a salty mineral springs with therapeutic virtues.
- Opens from 1st april to 2nd november,
- April, may, june, sept : every day from 10.am to 12 .30.pm - from 1.30.pm to 6.30pm
- july et august : from 10.am to 7.pm- october to nov : from 10.am to 12 .30.pm - from 1.30.pm to 5.30pm
Archaeological Museum
Established in the former presbytery (next to the church), the museum keeps the archaeology excavations from the site of "Fontaines Salées". A medieval room joins together a collection of sculptures from 13th to 14th centuries coming from St Père, among which is Saint Jacques sculpture dated from the end of 13th century. We also discover the rest of merovingien nécropolis , ceramics, currencies, jewels, statues and ex-voto dated from the Gallo-Roman period.
- Opens from 1st may to 30th september,
- May, june, sept : daily from 10.am to 12 .30.pm - from 1.30.pm to 6.30pm except mondays
- july et august : from 10.am to 12.30.pm and from 2.30.pm to 7.pm
Town hall of St Père – 89450 St Père
Tel. ( archaeological site): 03 86 33 37 36 – Tel. (museum) 03 86 33 37 31 Off-season: Tel.(town hall) 03 86 33 26 62 – mairie.saint-pere@wanadoo.fr - www.saint-pere.fr
To visit : village, church and two bridges over the cure
(free access)
Pierre-Perthuis is made up of two hamlets on both sides of the Cure River: Pierre-Perthuis and Précy-le-Moult with grounds that consort granite, arkose and limestone. In Pierre-Perthuis, we can see the remains of a fortified castle and a gate from 12th century. In sheer on the Cure, the small church Saint-Léonard is surrounded by the cemetery. By there, the throats of the Cure are crossed by two bridges, one dated from 1874 with a single arch in 33 meters high; and the second in « dos d’âne » (humpbacked) dated from 1770. Following the walking trail GR13 along la Cure, we can discorver the ruins of an old mill "moulin Gingon". Downstream is the the site of "La Roche percée" (the pierced rock) in a natural arch, 6 meters high, giving the village a name.The top of the arch is carpeted with rich and wild mountain floral plants.
Chamoux (7 Km from Vezelay)
to visit : village, church, spring (free access) Cardoland (pay entry)
The town spreads along a narrow woody valley named « la vallée de glace ». The renovated church of the 19th century is surmounted by a bell-tower dated from1844 which rests a foundation of the12th century.
Cardoland
(Imaginary prehistoric park)
Located in a forest of 10 hectares, Cardo, plastics creator technician and artist, had sculpted a form of an imaginary prehistoric universe : a lagoon and its fauna, rhinoceros of Merck, the great stegosaure, bears of the caves... and the man of cro-magnon, in actual size. A 20 meters length diplodocus . A museum of paleontology, and prehistory with decorated cave. Workshop of prehistoric researches.Playground.
- opens from 1st april till 11th november ; from1st june to 31st august, mondays to fridays :10.am to 7.pm
- saturdays from 1.30.pm to 7.pm, sundays from 10.am to 7.pm ; Off-season from 1.30pm to 6.pm.
- Cardoland (D 951), 89660 Chamoux. Tél. 03 86 33 28 33 - fax 03 86 33 29 28
To visit : village and church (free access)
Enclosed in the small valley of "ru de Chamoux", in the midst of the woods; the town of Asnières is divided into two parts: the low village, near the riverbank with its two wash houses; and the high village, with its beautiful public place next to the church of Saint-Sulpice in roman and new-roman style restorations of the 17th century (inside are statues in wooden polychrome from 16th and 17th centuries). The former primary school flanked with a fortified tower and the town hall.
To visit : village and church (free access) – Castle (pay entry)
Chateau de Bazoches -Castle of Bazoches
The feudal castle of Bazoches (12 th century), built on a trapezoïdal plan; was acquired by Marshal of Vauban in 1675 where he settled his engineering office. The castle, flanked of four round towers and a square dungeon; has undergone few modifications since the 12th century. Important restorations had set in some of its aspects of the 17th century.
- opens daily from 25th march till 5th november, from 9.30.am to 12.am and from 2.15am to 6.pm
- (closes at 5 .pm from 1st october) ; july and august from 9.30.am to 6.pm.
- Château de Bazoches, 58190 Bazoches
- Tél. 03 86 22 10 22 - fax 03 86 22 12 37
- chateau.bazoches@wanadoo.fr - www.chateau-bazoches.com
to visit : the village and the church (free access)
Situated in the south of the department of Yonne, not far from Vézelay and near the cities like Avallon and Clamecy; Châtel-Censoir has retail chains of commerce (bakery, grocer's shop, butcher's shop, café-restaurant, press, garage, doctor, pharmacy, bank…) and has several daily connections to Paris by SNCF (railway station).
Its historical, architectural, and religious heritage makes this medieval village a pleasant site to visit. The nature offers possibilities of hikes in the forest, along the rivers, where we can discover by chance during a walk some built dried piled stones (huts, walls, fences) or wood-floatings.
Possible accommodations are available: VVF, gîtes, guest houses, camping site. www.chatel-censoir.com
To visit : village (free access) – Castle (pay entry)
Chateau de Chastellux - CASTLE OF CHASTELLUX
Perched at the top of a mound dominating the Cure, this impressive castle flanked by 8 towers, reshaped in 13th century and restored in 1825, belongs to the same family for more than 1000 years. Numerous members of this family marked the history of France.
- opens from Easter till All Saint's day, daily except Mondays and Tuesdays
- Guided visiting hours of the castle: 11.15.am, 2.30.pm and 4.30.pm.
- Visit of the park with 3 circuits of 15, 30,or 50 minutes (2€ a day) - Recreational circuits with questions and answers devoted to nature
The Latest of 2011:
- * Sunday 29 May: Nature-Sightseeing Day with specialists and owner of the castle - Themes: Forestry, fishing, hunting, and vegetable gardening
- (Few
surprises await the visitor) - Possibility of
taking meals in the castle. Booking by phone: 06.76.75.83.71
Château de Chastellux - 89630 Chastellux-sur-Cure - Tél . 03 86 34 20 03 - 06 76 75 83 71 ph.dechastellux@orange.fr - www.chateau-de-chastellux.com
Arcy sur Cure (à 19 km de Vézelay)
Grottes d'Arcy sur Cure - Caves of Arcy sur Cure
A high place of prehistory, classified 2nd cave decorated by the age of its paintings - Walk-visiting commentaries of one hour in the heart of the earth
- opens end of march till 11th november 10.am-12.am and 2.pm-5.30pm
- july and august 10.am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-6.pm
- booking is open all year round for groups
- Grottes d'Arcy - RN6 - 89270 Arcy-sur-Cure
- tél : 03 86 81 90 63 - fax : 03 86 81 91 07
Clamecy
( 23 km fromVezelay)
Musée
d'Art et d'Histoire Romain Rolland - Romain
Rolland Museum of art and history
20 minutes from Vézelay, discover this strangely rich museum of France. Roman Rolland's collections, Charles Loupot's posters, fine arts donated by Ex-President François Mitterrand, archaeology, history of wood-floating, the earthenwares. Labelled 'tourism and handicap'
opens from 10.am to 12.am and
from 2.pm to 6.pm
october to may : daily except mondays, tuesdays and
sunday mornings
june to september : daily except tuesdays and sunday
mornings
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire
R Rolland - Avenue de la République - 58500
Clamecy
Tél . 03 86 27 17 99 - fax 03 86 27 12 72
museedeclamecy@wanadoo.fr - www.musees-bourgogne.org
- Abbaye de Reigny - Abbey of Reigny
- Classified as Historic Monument, there are conducted tours through the 900 years of Cistercian history.
- opens every sundays from April till October, daily in July and August
- (except mondays), pay entry
- Abbaye de Reigny - Reigny - 89270 Vermenton
- Tél : 03 86 81 59 30
- abbayedereigny@orange.fr - www.abbayedereigny.com
Caves de Bailly - Cellars of Bailly Lapierre
- Overlooking Yonne river and about more than 50 meters under the hill of Bailly, large galleries shaped by man since the Middle Age, Caves de Bailly is spreading more than 4 hectares.
- The stones of Bailly was used to build many Burgundian and French heritage monuments.
- The visit of the cellars allows to discover the traces of the past and the works of contemporary artists. At the end of the visit, free tasting of range
- of wines is offered by Bailly Lapierre.
- Guided visits for groups (20 persons and more): all year-round booking
- Guided visits for individuals : daily from 16th march to 11th november
- from 2:30pm-5:30pm
- The timatables :
- September to June: Monday to Friday 8.am-12.am and 2.pm-6.pm. Saturdays and Sundays from 10.am-12 am.
- July and August: Monday to Friday 8.am-6.30.pm Saturdays and Sundays from 10.am-6. 30.pm
- Mild temperature of cellars all year long 12°C.
home@bailly-lapierre.com – www.bailly-lapierre.fr
Tél .
03 86 53 77 76
To visit : Castle(pay entry)
- Chateau de Lantilly - CASTLE OF LANTILLY
- Magnificent castle of the 13th century surrounded with smoats fed with current water .The castle underwent transformations in 17th and 19th centuries.
- Visits all afternoon from june till september- 5 bedrooms with breakfast and styled furnished furnitures(opens from may till october)
Tél : 03 86 20 01 22 - 03 58 05 50 11
- Musee de la vigne et du tire bouchon -
- Museum
of the vineyard and of cork-screw
Private Collections of former working tools of the vineyard and corks-screws
of all types from the last century to our days. - 4, rue de l'équerre - 89800 Beine
- Tél . 03 86 42 43 76 - fax : 03 86 42 13 30
