Auxerre Travel Guide

The Yonne departement, roughly midway between Dijon and Paris, has long been the Burgundy wine region’s northern gateway. For visitors, attractions include the verdant countryside, the magical hilltop village of Vezelay, the white wine powerhouse of Chablis, and the alluring Auxerre riverside town. Since Roman times, it has been a port, and even in the 21st century, this delightful town has lost none of its ancient charms. Wandering through the maze of cobbled streets in the old city, you come upon Roman remains, Gothic churches, and timber-framed medieval houses. It is the epitome of a charming, unspoiled French town that’s ripe for leisurely appreciation.

Ancient man first inhabited this corner of France – the first evidence of occupation was found in the Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure in ancient paintings. Paleolithic hunter-gatherers and Neolithic tribes were supplanted by Celtic tribes known as the “Icauna,” who were, in turn, absorbed into the Celtic/Gallic culture. They moved into France between 1500 and 500 BC, establishing trading links with the Greeks by about 600 BC, whose colonies included Massilia (Marseille) on the Mediterranean coast.

However, Auxerre’s first recorded history is as a Roman settlement known as Autissiodorum. The settlement was strategically placed on the area’s main roads, the Via Agrippa and the Yonne River. History isn’t exactly sure of when Autissiodorum was founded. Still, we know that by the third century AD, it became the seat of a bishop and the provincial capital of the Roman Empire. The Romans controlled Gaul (France) for centuries – they reveled in their heyday with a riot of splendid public buildings: magnificent baths, temples, and aqueducts of almighty proportions, such as the Pont du Gard near Nimes in southern France. However, continued attacks from Germanic civilizations from Gaul prompted the Romans to fortify Autissiodorum – the Gallo-Roman castrum’s birth (fortified military camp) overlooking the settlement laid down Auxerre’s morphology for good.

In the 5th century, the Alemanni and Franks wrestled control of Gaul from the Romans, who could only watch in horror as their Western Empire collapsed. From the 5th to the 10th centuries, the Frankish Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties ruled over France – Charles Martel’s grandson, Charlemagne, extended the kingdom’s boundaries and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800. But during the 9th century, Scandinavian Vikings (also called Norsemen, thus Normans) raided France’s western coast, settling in the lower Seine valley and forming the Duchy of Normandy a century later. Meanwhile, Auxerre embraced Christianity in the 5th century, culminating in the constructing of a magnificent cathedral. The settlement’s most famous bishop was Saint-Germain (418-448), who introduced the monastery construction movement to Auxerre.

By the Middle Ages, Auxerre had transformed from a small settlement into a thriving town. Its prosperity largely hinged on the transport of wine and timber to Paris – the need to use the Yonne River to transport these goods gave rise to a large mariner community. A new class of Bourgeoisie emerged, building many elegant houses in the center in prominent displays of their newfound wealth. It seemed that Auxerre would forever be at peace with the world.

Of course, it could not last. During the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), the French suffered particularly nasty defeats at Crecy and Agincourt. Abbey-studded Mont St-Michel was the only place in northern and western France not to fall into English hands. Auxerre was part of the territory controlled by the dukes of Burgundy and, therefore, allied with the English. Many terrible battles were fought during the Hundred Years’ War, ending in 1453 when the English were driven out of French territory (except for Calais). Formerly a Burgundian town, Auxerre became part of France under the unification of Louis XI. His son, Charles VIII, wed Anne de Bretagne in 1491, marking the unification of independent Brittany with France.

Unfortunately, the unification of France did not bring the lasting peace and prosperity that the citizens of Auxerre desired. The Reformation swept through Europe in the 16th century – the ideas of Jean Calvin strengthened it in France. The tipping point was the Edict of Jan (1562), which afforded Protestants certain rights and caused a massive outcry among Catholics. The Wars of Religion lasted from 1562-98 – the Huguenots took Auxerre in 1567 and embarked on a program of destruction of any building related to the Catholic faith.

Social and economic crises marked the 18th century. France was declared a constitutional monarchy, and reforms were enacted. But as the new government armed itself against the threat posed by Austria, Prussia, and the many exiled French nobles, politics took a decidedly revolutionary turn! In September 1792, France’s first Republic was declared, and Louis XVI was publicly guillotined in January 1793. Auxerre was not significantly affected by this turn of events, although, in the 18th century, the town’s medieval ramparts were torn down. At the same time, the new Republic revoked its status as a cathedral town instead of becoming a prefecture of the Yonne département in 1804.

The subsequent rise to power of Napoleon Bonaparte coincided with a generally prosperous era for the citizens of Auxerre. Although his reign was cut short in 1814 – Napoleon was exiled to Elba, and his subsequent defeat at the battle of Waterloo led to his permanent banishment – Napoleon’s nephew led a coup d’etat in 1851. He proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III of the Second Empire. France enjoyed significant economic growth at this time, although, like his uncle, Napoleon III embroiled France in various catastrophic conflicts, including the Crimean War and the humiliating Franco-Prussian War (1870-71).

However, Auxerre flourished in the latter half of the 19th century – several major infrastructure projects were undertaken, including a railway station, a psychiatric hospital, and the courts. New housing developments took place on the right bank of the Yonne. Until the early 20th century, Auxerre was one of the most prosperous cities in the departement, and the flourishing wine industry around the village of Chablis did much for the wider region’s reputation. Chablis was the talk of London, Paris, and beyond.

This prosperity continued into the early 20th century, which saw the emergence of banks, a covered market (subsequently destroyed), and the flourishing of art deco architecture. The town emerged relatively unscathed from the World Wars of the 20th century, although the cost to France was dear. A trip to the Somme or Verdun battlefields goes some way to revealing the unimaginable human loss of WWI. Much of the war occurred in northeastern France, with trench warfare using thousands of soldiers as cannon fodder to gain a few meters of territory.

Auxerre and the rest of France greeted the 21st century with optimism. The town and wider region continue to prosper as a center of wine production and international tourism. However, even in July and August, the tourist crowds in Auxerre are very manageable. This is the town’s fantastic quality – vibrant and tranquil. Climbing to the town’s top, you’ll enjoy views across a jumble of belfries, spires, and steep tiled rooftops leading down to the boats bobbing on the river Yonne.

Meanwhile, the streets below are full of enticing restaurants, cafes, and bars. But best of all, Auxerre makes a beautiful base for exploring northern Burgundy, including the vineyards of Chablis. It’s a terrible cliché but an undeniable fact – there is something for everyone in Auxerre.