The railway station is at the eastern edge of town, about 1.5km (1 mile) from the historic center. Most of Auxerre is on the western bank of the Yonne. Its heart is between place du Maréchal-Leclerc, near the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and the Cathédrale St-Etienne. Free shuttle buses (known as navettes) cover much of the center, so it’s easy to hop on and off and get around.
You could also while away quite a few hours “messing about on the river” either in your own rented electric boat, which is fun for families, on kayaks and peddle boats (for all of these, ask at the tourist office).
Just south of the Auxerre, the Yonne River branches into the Canal du Nivernais, a 174km-long (108 mile) watercourse that that slices through stunning scenery, taking you past wine-making villages, limestone cliffs and even to Burgundy’s biggest wine cellar, Caves Bailly-Lapierre (bailly-lapierre.fr; tel. 03-86-53-77-77), where around 7 million bottles of fizzy Crémant de Bourgogne (the region’s answer to champagne) sit in vast medieval cellars, 60m (200 ft) underground. Ask the tourist office for a list of boat hire companies, or check the website canal-du-nivernais.com. At time of writing, the town’s guided cruises, by the Bateaux Touristiques Auxerrois, had been put on pause, though this may change, so check the website www.bateaux-auxerrois.com, if you don’t fancy sailing your own boat!
Day Trip to Guédelon
About a 45-min. drive southwest of Auxerre on the D965 then D955 (48km/29 miles), in a disused quarry deep in the countryside, about 40 master craftsmen are building a medieval château using 13th-century tools, materials and techniques (started in 1997 and due to be completed in 2023). The team works closely with archaeologists and historians. Visitors to Guédelon (www.guedelon.com; tel. 03-86-45-66-66; 14€ adults, 13€ children ages 14–17, 11€ children ages 5–13, children 4 and under free; Mar 19–31 daily 10am–5:30pm, Apr–June daily 10am–6pm, Sat until 7pm, July & Aug daily 10am–7pm, Sept & Oct Thurs–Tues 10am–5:30pm, Sat & Sun until 6pm) can watch the craftsmen at work in their traditional outfits and are encouraged to ask questions; you can even apply to join a working holiday to undertake their “master builder” course if you speak French. Along with the castle-in-progress, also on site is the village where the workers and their animals live, a flour mill, and a medieval tavern serving food from the era. Guided tours in English take place every day in summer. While in the area, you might also want to visit St-Fargeau (www.chateau-de-st-fargeau.com; tel. 03-86-74-05-67), a 17th-century Renaissance château which was the inspiration for the Guédelon castle.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
