The best city hikes and walks around Auxerre

The site is open from 10 a.m. and can be visited free of charge. There are deckchairs in the cloister for a shady and quiet break. The museums are worth a visit. You learn a lot about the history of the city, which dates back to at least the 5th century. You can see from the church that it has been rebuilt several times. The archaeological crypt, which is located under the forecourt of today's church, is very impressive. You should plan enough time for a visit. It took me almost two hours to get an initial overview. "The former abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre is located north of the city center of Auxerre. Bishop Germanus of Auxerre founded it and provided his family's land outside the former city walls as well as land to ensure its existence. The first building of the monastery was a simple chapel. At the beginning of the 6th century, the Merovingian Queen Chrodechild, the wife of King Clovis I, had the chapel expanded into a basilica. Fires in the 11th and 12th centuries required extensive renovation work on the nave in the second half of the 12th century; Of the Romanesque double tower facade that was built, only the southern tower has been preserved. The monastery was partially destroyed by Huguenots in 1567, secularized in 1810 and partially demolished the following year. The nave was reduced to its Gothic parts, which were given a neo-Gothic façade in 1817: As a result of this measure, the remaining south tower now has no connection to the basilica. Today the Musée-Abbaye Saint-Germain is located on the site of the abbey. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire d'Auxerre." More about the history here: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Germain_d%E2%80%99Auxerre

The site is open from 10 a.m. and can be visited free of charge. Deckchairs are available in the cloister for a shady and quiet break. The museums are worth a visit. You learn a lot about the history of the city, which dates back to at least the 5th century. The church shows that it has been rebuilt several times. The archaeological crypt located under the forecourt of today's church is very impressive. You should plan enough time for a visit. It took me almost two hours to get a first overview. "The former Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre is located north of the city center of Auxerre. Bishop Germanus of Auxerre founded it and provided his family with land outside the then city walls and lands to ensure its existence. The first building of the monastery was a simple chapel. At the beginning of the 6th century, the Merovingian Queen Chrodechild, the wife of King Clovis I, had the chapel converted into a basilica. Fires in the 11th and 12th centuries necessitated extensive renovations to the nave in the second half of the 12th century; Only the southern tower of the Romanesque double-tower facade that was erected at the time has survived. The monastery was partially destroyed by Huguenots in 1567, secularized in 1810 and partially demolished the following year. The nave was reduced to its Gothic parts, which were given a neo-Gothic facade in 1817: the preserved south tower is now not connected to the basilica as a result of this measure. The Musée-Abbaye Saint-Germain is now on the site of the abbey. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire d'Auxerre." More about the story here: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Germain_d%E2%80%99Auxerre

The cathedral is open for tours during the day and this is not to be missed! It is a major work of French Gothic architecture and impresses with its high, light-flooded vaults and colorful windows. "The cathedral is located in the center of the old town on a hill above the Yonne. Saint-Étienne was begun in 1215. Today's Gothic cathedral is the fifth building on this site. In 1567 the Huguenots sacked the city and the cathedral, which necessitated repairs, particularly to the choir glazing. The French Revolution caused countless damage to the building and its furnishings. The goldsmith's work was melted down, the church was transformed into a temple of reason, and the important statue of the suffering Stephen on the high altar only escaped destruction because it was turned into a suffering Marat in the bath. In 1840 Prosper Mérimée placed the cathedral under monument protection. Extensive restoration work took place throughout the 19th century." Much more about the history here: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathedrale_von_Auxerre

The Bartardeau lock on the Nivermais canal, near the pleasure island (L'Île aux Plaisirs). Here you will find many old photos of the lock system with explanations.

Rue du Temple also begins here heading south. The Templars had a headquarters on this street. There are a lot of small shops there and of course many beautiful houses. What you can't see at first glance is the entrance to a relatively large supermarket. The Monoprix food department is hidden behind the clothing department, which can be seen from the square.

The original tower, also called Tour Gaillarde, was part of a Gallo-Roman fortification and was often restored, expanded and elevated over the centuries. A city gate was built based on this tower in 1483, which also housed a prison. There is a small market on the square in front of the tower, at least on Saturdays, where you can buy regional food. A sight that stands out from the many buildings in the city that are worth seeing.

The church is located in the heart of ancient Auxerre, outside the 3rd century city wall but included in the 11th century wall. The portal of the old religious community, the main access to the church, is at the bottom of rue Joubert near rue du Pont. The location has been occupied by a place of worship dedicated to Saint Peter since at least the 6th century. Concerning the older occupation of the place, archaeological excavations carried out in 2007 on the north-west side of the current church demonstrated a continuity of the habitat, taken up and modified several times, until the end of the Merovingian period. . The current nave was inaugurated in 1894, after destruction in 1891 of the previous nave from the 12th and 13th centuries. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89glise_Saint-Pierre_d%27Auxerre

In this passage from 1858 there was, among other things, a shop for accessories for porcelain painting (?). Today, furniture and furnishings are offered there. A wide, stone spiral staircase takes you to the Rue des Boucheries below, sheltered from the weather.