Things to see and do Yonne

Not a postcard from here without seeing it enthroned, imperial and majestic, over the city. And for good reason... The emblematic monument of Auxerre, the Clock Tower has dominated the historic center for more than 500 years. It is impossible to pass by without admiring this superb monument decorated with its astronomical clock whose two hands indicate the solar and lunar movements. Built on the foundations of the Gallo-Roman city walls in the 12th century, it was used as a prison in the 14th century while continuing to serve as the city's clock. In 1825, a fire broke out during repair work on the spire and it collapsed. The tower was then partially rebuilt, at a lower cost. Its destruction was even considered. Fortunately, protected by its registration as a historical monument, it was finally rebuilt identically in 1890. Since then, in the heart of the pedestrian district, it marks with its superb architecture an admirably preserved city center. All the more so since its long and magnificent renovation completed in the summer of 2022. No doubt, the Clock Tower has never been so beautiful!

Note that you can still admire the bases of the ancient Gallo-Roman castrum in the tea room of the chocolate maker Gregory Ferret just next door. Finally, next to the tower, the covered passage used to be the house of the famous revolutionary bailiff Cadet Roussel, a great local figure of the 18th century. A commemorative plaque reminds us of this fact.

These landscapes inspired her to write Claudine à L'Ecole:

"I have lived in these woods for ten years of wandering, conquest and discovery; the day I have to leave them I will be deeply saddened"

In the heart of the Puisaye, a region often described as a natural setting, lies the Boutissaint Nature Park.
400 hectares of forest, offering a wide variety of forest species with century-old oaks, such as the Saint Louis oak, which has a circumference of more than four metres, Douglas, spruce, beech, cherry, chestnut, chestnut... Finally, near the wash house, the Bald cypress, a rustic tree with light, deciduous foliage. Its leaves, arranged in spirals around the twig, turn brick-red to brown in late autumn, offering a grandiose and long-lasting spectacle. Its unusual feature among conifers is that it loses its leaves in winter, hence its name "bald". Hinds, large deer, fallow deer, wild boar and other inhabitants of these places evolve in complete freedom in this preserved environment and revel in the abundant food that has fallen from the trees...

ON

FOOT OR BY BIKE

A true living museum of the forest, the Parc Naturel de Boutissaint offers the discovery of the fauna, which once inhabited our regions, in its natural element. The Park has preserved the wild character of the forests of Puisaye. It covers an area of 400 hectares where nearly 500 animals live in the wild or in enclosures for some of them: - in the wild: deer, hinds, fawns, fallow deer and doe, roe deer. - in enclosures: wild boar, deer, hinds, mouflons and bison.walkers who do not have the patience or time to lurk to observe the animals living in the wild, will be able to see them moving around in their enclosures, as well as in a vast open meadow near the Château's pond, where some animals gather, thus offering themselves to the public's view, while remaining at a respectable distance.

Paths, alleys and layons criss-cross the woods and allow you to go deep into the forest, to discover the fountains and ponds of the Park or to listen to the roar of the deer in September and October.

The passion for dolls in a former barn converted into a charming small museum. Here, reconstruction rhymes with passion! Not less than 900 dolls are exposed for the pleasure of the owner, but also for the visitor. Porcelain models of the 19th century in Barbie form, it is a whole scenography that retraces the history of toys from the bedrooms to the music rooms, schools and other places. Accessories with wallpapers, detail has its importance. The small furniture is the work of craftsmen and partners. An annual exhibition traces a piece of the history of these dolls.

Let yourself be told about the riches of the city, and go aboard the Swallow II, for a cruise from 1 to 2 hours, or for a 3-hour lunch or dinner (reservation). The captain and his team will welcome you in this large glass boat, offering a breathtaking view of Auxerre. With 75 passengers on cruise cruise and 42 cruise passengers, the company also offers personalized and turnkey cruises for family meetings for example.

The current castle dates back to about 1560, and on one side, a three-storey façade overlooking the Armançon River retains its defensive appearance. On the other hand, a lawn and a porch on the first floor were added in the following centuries. Inside, the decor is contemporary with the great-great-grandparents of the current owner. To see: the chimneys in the lower rooms and on the main floor are impressive for their large coats. The wide flights of stairs, whose ramp comes from the Buffon forges, replaced a narrow central staircase at the end of the 17th century. The panelling added in the 18th century in the dining room, the octagonal room fitted out to receive Marshal Davout with dignity, or the billiard room (with its magnificent lion-headed pool table) are just a few examples of the many interior installations that have transformed, over the centuries, this bastion of religious wars into a pleasure residence. The objects date from the 16th century to 1910 and all come from the castle. Also interesting is the venerable room (with old crew clothing), an inner well, a bread oven and a room dedicated to Buffon, who stayed here several times.