The best traffic-free bike rides around Pontigny

Excellent restaurant open on Sundays!

magnificent course

Before the 14th century Maligny had a castle surrounded by moats with a chapel. The village is structured around these buildings with the expansion of the city, shops, housing and infrastructure.

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

Lake to cool off

Nicknamed the golden gate of Burgundy, Chablis is a charming town obviously famous for its prestigious wine. The surrounding vineyards, planted solely with the Chardonnay grape variety, cover 4,800 hectares, making it the largest in Yonne. And one of the oldest as well since vines have been cultivated there since the 9th century; and from the Middle Ages, Chablis wines were exported to England, Paris, Rouen, Picardy and Flanders. The old town therefore offers an interesting historical heritage including two churches, a priory, a picturesque wash house and an old gate with two towers. Every Sunday morning (from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) a Burgundian market is held in the heart of the city where you can find many local producers.

Cistercian monks settled here in 1114, in this valley near the Serein, where a forest reigned. They built a huge abbey: 4000m² on the ground, 120m long. Second daughter of Citeaux, Pontigny is thus the largest Cistercian abbey church in the world. The Revolution put an end to the presence of the monks and the church became parish in 1803. It was classified as a Historic Monument in 1840 in the first list drawn up by Prosper Mérimée, a sign of its heritage importance. Marked by the austere thought of Saint Bernard, the Cistercian church is deliberately devoid of images and colors. The search for spiritual perfection is reflected in an architecture in search of the essential, and which gives importance to the diffusion of natural light. Pontigny perfectly embodies this research. The abbey church marks the transition between Romanesque and Gothic. We can distinguish two construction campaigns with an older part of Romanesque style and a second part influenced by the Gothic style. The road enters the domain and arrives at the foot of the abbey. Above all, do not hesitate to cross the portal.

At the statue of the namesake Paul Bert you will find a small balcony from which you can enjoy the view of the old town in peace.