Plan your week-end in Auxerre

• The cloister – a place for strolling, silence and meditation.
• The abbey church – a place of worship and pilgrimage around Saint Germain’s tomb.
• The crypt – a spiritual center housing the saint’s tomb.
• The chapter house – where the monastic community holds its daily meetings.

Its facade is worth a prolonged pause to appreciate the many sculptures depicting scenes from life at the time.

The stained glass windows dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as the choir, also deserve special attention.
The tour concludes with a visit to the crypt to admire a rare mural painting of Christ on horseback, and to the Treasury, which houses an impressive collection of objects, including Luca Peni’s “Deposition from the Cross”.

What makes this clock unique are its two hands: one indicates solar time (covering the dial in 24 hours), while the other displays lunar time, about three quarters of an hour behind the first.

However, the two hands meet at noon on a new moon and at midnight on a full moon. In this way, the Auxerre clock simultaneously provides solar time and the phases of the moon.

You can admire it in the heart of downtown Auxerre, a 10-minute walkfrom the Hôtel Normandie.

The basilica, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, dazzles with its admirable proportions and the light that gives the building its unfathomable grandeur. Vézelay, 50km from Auxerre (about 50 min drive), is aUnesco World Heritage Site, Plus Beaux Villages de France and Ville Sanctuaire de France.

Since its creation, the architecture ofAncy-le-Franc has been ranked among the most excellent buildings in France, on a par with the royal castles.
The Château d’Ancy-le-Franc is located 50 minutes from the Hotel Normandie in Auxerre, not far from Château de Tanlay and Château de Maulnes .

Surrounded by a vast, peaceful estate, the abbey invites contemplation and discovery. Its majestic volumes, diffused light and serene atmosphere make it a must-see for lovers of history, architecture and spiritual heritage.

Over the centuries, Pontigny has played host to some of history’s greatest figures, including several exiled Archbishops of Canterbury. Today, the site hosts exhibitions, concerts, cultural events and guided or self-guided tours, allowing everyone to soak up its unique atmosphere.

From the Hôtel Normandie, the abbey is an ideal base for discovering the rich heritage of the Yonne, in the heart of unspoilt countryside.

Over time, it was gradually abandoned, transformed and almost forgotten, but since 1997, the Yonne department has been restoring it to its original appearance.

Château de Maulnes speaks to a wide audience, from families to architecture enthusiasts.

Whether you opt for a self-guided or guided tour, prefer a playful approach through our adventure tours, or wish to take part in one of our seasonal events, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the spirit of the Renaissance, the tumult ofFrench history and the mysteries of a truly unique château.

Through a modern, sensitive scenography, the tour retraces the major stages of her life: her childhood in Puisaye, her literary rise, her passions, her struggles, as well as the many facets of her work. Manuscripts, photographs, personal objects and reconstructed settings plunge visitors into Colette’s intimacy, between authenticity and emotion.

The museum also offers a breathtaking view of the village and surrounding countryside, a major source of inspiration for the writer. A lively cultural venue, it hosts temporary exhibitions, readings, workshops and literary encounters throughout the year.

During your stay at the Hôtel Normandie, a visit to the Musée Colette is the perfect way to discover or rediscover this key figure in French literature, in the heart of an area rich in history and charm.

The Park covers an area of 3,220 km2 and has a population of over 67,900, equivalent to a density of 21 inhabitants per km2. Since 1998, the Park has been involved in the Natura 2000program , which aims to preserve biodiversity and natural and semi-natural habitats while taking socio-economic activities into account.

The European otter, an emblematic river mammal, has been protected in France since 1972. By the 1990s, however, it had virtually disappeared from Burgundy. However, since the early 2010s, it has begun to reclaim its former territories, particularly in the Morvan.

The Morvan Regional Nature Park is an ideal place for hiking and horse-riding. You can take advantage of the signposted circuits, discovery trails and historical, spiritual and cultural itineraries.

Located less than an hour fromAuxerre, the Morvan Regional Nature Park is a place not to be missed!

Morvan Regional Nature Park