Weekend In Auxerre: Best Things To Do In Auxerre
Auxerre is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Burgundy, France. Steeped in history, culture, and culinary delights, this charming town offers visitors many experiences to treasure over a weekend.
From exploring medieval streets lined with half-timbered houses to savouring the flavours of Burgundian cuisine and discovering ancient landmarks, Auxerre captivates with its timeless allure.
In this travel guide, you’ll find the best things to see and do in Auxerre, unveiling the town’s rich heritage and vibrant charm.
Weekend In Auxerre: Best Things To Do In Auxerre
Only an hour and a half from Paris, you can find the charming town of Auxerre.
You can visit a lot near Paris, and Auxerre is on the list. Luckily, I got the opportunity to explore this delightful town during a short weekend.
Therefore, I can tell you this: this town is charming, comfortable to walk in and perfect for shooting lovely photography. In my opinion, it is a perfect weekend gateway.
Two decades ago 1995, Auxerre was named “Town of Art and History”. Knowing this, you can easily assume that the town is quite scenic. And you’d be right.
A river crosses Auxerre, the Yonne, giving the city a magical landscape. If you get on one of the bridges, you can see the Cathedral dominating the city.
Lastly, I think it’s always a good idea whenever you stroll along a river – especially in our lovely weather.
Walk along the River Yonne
Take a leisurely stroll along the banks of the River Yonne, which flows through the heart of Auxerre. Enjoy the scenic views of the river, its bridges, and the charming riverside promenades.
If you want to take some very instagrammable shots, you need to get on this bridge you can see to get a full view over the city, as you can visualise in the first picture of this post.
But if you would rather model than photograph the city, you can do it right on the bridge. Pretty cool, am I right?
Although I feel like a shot would have been better without this lamp and maybe a better outfit, at least my backpack is pretty damn fancy.
Anyway, I digress.
Explore Auxerre Old Town
Let’s move on to the unique, enchanting town of Auxerre and its quiet, narrow, cobbled streets. Suppose you’re an amateur in old city whose particular architectural style is full of touches from the medieval Renaissance.
In that case, there’s every likelihood you’ll love strolling around and taking pictures of Auxerre.
Admire the Beautiful Auxerre Clock Tower
One of the prominent landmarks of the town is the Clock Tower.
The location of the Clock Tower is right in the heart of the town; it fits the town’s architecture well. It’s stunning.
As you may have noticed, you can find plenty of shops on this street if you’re looking for souvenirs, traditional products or even Yankee Candles! A few restaurants and the town hall.
Visit the Cathedral of Saint-Etienne:
Another landmark of the town is Auxerre’s Cathedral. Visiting the cathedral is always one of my favourite things when visiting a new European city.
Auxerre Cathedral, also known as Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d’Auxerre, is a breathtaking masterpiece of Gothic architecture in the heart of Auxerre, France.
This magnificent cathedral was built between the 13th and 16th centuries; it boasts soaring spires, intricate stained glass windows, and an imposing facade adorned with intricate sculptures.
Its interior is a treasure trove of religious art and history, featuring ornate chapels, a stunning nave, and a remarkable 16th-century organ.
You can’t help but be captivated by the cathedral’s serene atmosphere and role as a testament to the skill and devotion of its medieval builders.
Discover the Abbey of Saint-Germain
Another beautiful religious building you need to see in Auxerre is the Abbey of Saint-Germain.
Explore the historic Abbey of Saint-Germain, an architectural gem dating back to the 9th century. Admire its Romanesque and Gothic elements and its fascinating crypt and ancient relics.
Get A Pastry From Olivier Vidal Chocolate Shop
If you visit Auxerre someday, you should drop by Olivier Vidal’s chocolate shops. You can find delicious cakes and chocolates that make perfect souvenirs or yummy treats.
The area around Auxerre has some more points of interest, but unfortunately, unlike the Auxerre city centre, which is easy to access by train and walk around, they’re pretty hard to obtain if you don’t have a car.
There are some buses, but they run very few times a day, so it is not the most convenient way to travel.
If you’re looking for accommodations in Auxerre, check out Booking.com!
Extra Things To Do Close To Auxerre
Boutissaint Park
Boutissaint is a vast park where you can find several animals, such as deer, wandering around or others in restricted areas. And if you’re as unlucky as us, you might come across a baby boar and get the fright of your life (seriously, that was no fun at all)
You can also rent bikes to visit the park. Which I would have loved to do; however, it wasn’t available on that day…
Baby boar encounter aside, seeing deer from such a short distance is fantastic.
It gave me a big Nara vibe. Nara is a city in Japan where deer have roamed freely for over a thousand years.
The peacock matching my friend’s hair was also pretty damn cool.
Visit St. Fargeau Castle
St. Fargeau Castle displays a night visit where the castle gets a “revival night” with costumed actors/guides explaining everything about the court and how life used to be back in the day. The visit also ends with a horse show.
You can also visit it during the day, but the night visit is cool and unusual.
Wine cave: Baily Lapierre.
We didn’t get to visit this one because there were no more guides; honestly, we were not keen on doing the visit. Still, it’s fascinating and famous for amateur wines, according to the locals.
How to access Auxerre from Paris ->
Auxerre can be accessed by car, train or bus (such as FlixBus).
The train is probably the easiest way. It’s also somewhat cheap and only takes 1h30 if you visit Auxerre exclusively. However, if you plan to visit more of the area, going there by car might be better.
In conclusion, if you want to visit more of France, you should give Auxerre a chance.
It is one of those lovely towns where you can freely stroll around without a plan and be surprised by what you find.
And if you’ve already been there, let me know in the comments. 🙂
Are you looking for more things and places to visit in France? Then check out those France travel posts:
- Best Things To Do in Colmar in One Day
- 50+ Free things to do in Paris, France
- A Day Trip To Fontainebleau’s Castle
- Day Trip To Giverny From Paris
- Best Things To Do In Vannes, Brittany
- Top Things To Do In Troyes, France
- 25 Fun Day Trips From Paris by Train
- How To Spend One Day In Lille, North of France
- 10+ Magical Christmas Markets In France
Also, follow me on Instagram to check out my travel adventures around Europe and more lifestyle content @cpt_lyne!
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Weekend In Auxerre: Best Things To Do In Auxerre
✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip
✈ How To Find Flights?
– Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
– Google Flights is also a good help when comparing flights.
✈ Where To Book Accommodations?
– Booking.com: plenty of options and ways to get discounts the more you book.
✈ Best Sites To Book Activities
– GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
– Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website or different day trips—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).
✈ Other helpful travel resources
– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe.
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Disclaimer: This resources box contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book anything through my links at no additional cost. These links help me support the blog and generate more content. Happy travels!
the architect looks stunning!
Good to know about a day trip option from Paris! The place looks lovely 🙂
To be honest, I didn’t even know that this town exists but it sounds lovely and the pictures look beautiful. Great post!
What a totally charming city! Its nice to find cities outside of Paris to visit. How far is it from Paris and how did you get there?
By train, it takes 1h30 ! 🙂
Auxerre looks so beautiful – especially all the half timbered houses! And the night visit to St Fargeau Castle sounds like my JAM
It was my first time doing a night visit of a castle, great experience !
I absolutely ADORE small towns outside of the big touristy capitals! If I go to France, I’m definitely making a stop here. The architecture looks lovely and you have some great photos! Thank you!
I always love to visit the surrounding areas of majority tourist destinations. This town looks so quaint and charming.
I mean, is there a single town in France that isn’t delightfully charming and like a scene from the Beauty and the Beast? I think not! First time hearing of Auxerre, though!
This looks so pretty. It reminds me of my French exchange village of St Gaultier which must be nearby. Chocolates look gorgeous!
I love that you found a little taste of Nara in France! That is awesome! 😀
This looks like the cutest place ever! Loving your photos!
What a cute little town! It reminds me of Central France. I love your writing and the way you describe things, thanks for sharing <3