Road trip in the Yonne

In early November 2018, we set off for three days by car from Paris to discover Burgundy and more precisely the Yonne department: it was also a chance to celebrate our eight years together! We wanted to follow a little itinerary to visit the towns and villages along the Yonne, such as Sens, Joigny or Auxerre : we tell you everything below.

Sens

130 kilometres from Paris, our first stop was the small town of Sens, which is worth a detour for a few hours. We wandered around the historic town centre with its many half-timbered houses, which give the town a lot of charm. Don’t miss the Gothic cathedral of Saint-Etienne either, its Jardin de l’Orangerie and the Marché Couvert facing it.

Joigny

We carried on along the Yonne as far as Joigny (35 kilometres from Sens), a small Burgundian town where you can spend an hour or two to see the essentials. We found this town far less well kept than Sens, falling into ruin in some streets… The best thing is to park in the big free car park by the Yonne, near the covered market, then walk up into the old town. Then take the bridge for a nice overall view of the town and its slopes. Not to be missed during the visit: the three churches (Saint-André, Saint-Jean, Saint-Thibaut), the half-timbered maison du Bailli or the Porte du bois which closes the town to the north.

Auxerre

Auxerre is an unmissable stop on a road trip in the Yonne: we chose to sleep there so we could visit the town and explore the surrounding area by car. You can easily devote a whole day, or even two, to it. The town centre is full of historic monuments such as the Eglise Saint Pierre, the cathedral of Saint Etienne d’Auxerre, the abbey of Saint Germain d’Auxerre or the Tour de l’Horloge.
Take the passerelle de la Liberté, it gives a lovely viewpoint over the town and its many bell towers as well as over the Yonne. As we had time ahead of us, we also carried on to the parc de l’Arbre sec which offers a fine view over Auxerre.

Noyers

About forty kilometres south east of Auxerre, we discovered Noyers, which really won us over. A peaceful and bucolic atmosphere reigns in this village on the banks of the Serein, which is aptly named. Listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, this medieval stone town is magnificently well preserved: you understand why it has served as a film set. A lovely discovery that we recommend if you are passing through the region! What’s more, in autumn the facades take on pretty colours thanks to the ivy running over the houses.

Vézelay

At the gateway to the Morvan Regional Nature Park, we discovered one of the most beautiful villages in France and a major pilgrimage site on the way to Santiago de Compostela: Vézelay. The view from the top of the basilica is truly breathtaking because the belvedere overlooks the whole region. Don’t hesitate to get lost in the little streets to discover craft shops.

As we set off back to Auxerre, on the way out of Vézelay, we also stopped at the Église Saint-Jacques d’Asquins, which offers a nice view over the surroundings.

Around the Yonne

Here are a few more ideas of places to discover that we will no doubt go and visit on a future trip to the region:

• Abbaye de Pontigny
• Chablis
• Château de Tanlay
• Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Quincy
• Château d’Ancy le Franc
• Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure

Our accommodation in Auxerre

We fell in love with a room rented on Airbnb, for under 60€ a night, located right in the historic centre of Auxerre. Set in a superb private mansion with grounds and an outdoor pool, the guest room is run by a charming couple who welcomed us warmly and served us a delicious breakfast (10€ per person at the weekend): we recommend it 100%! Check out their website to book directly.

Our favourite spots in Auxerre

• Olivier Vidal: very good chocolate shop and patisserie in Sens and in Auxerre
• L’Hermine: perfectly decent creperie in the centre of Auxerre that saves the day when every restaurant in town is full on a Saturday night (which is what happened to us!)
• A place we haven’t tried but which comes warmly recommended: La P’tite Beursaude

What we thought of the Yonne

This department is worth the detour, so rich is it in heritage and in varied landscapes, between waterways, countryside and vineyards. It lends itself well to a road trip of a few days, which lets you go from village to village and take the time to stop wherever you like along the way.
We recommend the Yonne as an idea for a long weekend just two hours from Paris, and all the more so in autumn with all the beautiful colours nature offers!

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