Autun :
“A sister and emulator of Rome”, Augustodunum
has preserved important vestiges of the Gallo-Roman period.
The sculptures of the cathedral of St-Lazarus (12th C) are
among the masterpieces of Romanesque art.
On display in the
Rolin Museum are archaeological exhibits, statues, mediaeval
exhibits and the Nativity of the Master of Moulins.
Auxerre :
The historical town, stretched along the Yonne, has
been
classified in its entirety as a protected site with its
numerous halftimbered
houses and its picturesque clocktower.
The cathedral, a
masterpiece of Gothic Art, houses a magnificent series of
stained glass
windows and a Romanesque crypt with the famous fresco “Christ
on
horseback”.
The abbey church of St Germain is built over
Carolingian
crypts decorated with the oldest frescoes in France (9th C).
Avallon :
This charming fortified city is dominated by its
belfry.
The church of St-Lazarus (11th-12th C) is famous for its
magnificent doors in Burgundian Romanesque style.
Beaune :
Once the region’s main town, Beaune is now the
capital
of Burgundy wine. Its most beautiful building, the Hôtel-Dieu,
is
an old hospice built in the 15th C in Burgundian Flemish art
for
the seek end needy. It is famous for its multicoloured tiled
roofs and
the polyptych of the Last Judgement.
Other places of interest
: the
collegiate church and the wine museum which is housed in the
former mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy.
Chalon-sur-Saône :
Stretched along the Saône, Chalon is a busy
river port town and the birthplace of Photography.
The most interesting museum in the city is “Musée Nicéphore
Niepce”, named after the man who invented photography in 1816.
It shows an extensive collection of instruments of photography
of
the 19th century.
The gothic cathedral, in the heart of the city, and the chapel
and
the pharmacy of the former hospital are also worth a visit.
Cluny :
The Benedictine abbey cast its influence over the
whole
of Europe. The abbey church is a masterpiece of Romanesque art
and was the largest in Western Christianity.
Cluny was a
spiritual,
political and artistic capital in the Middle Ages and today is
the
guardian of an exceptional inheritance : the ruins of the
abbey
church, the abbots’ palaces, the defensive towers, the
cloister, the
four cellars, parish churches and innumerable Romanesque
houses.
The museum, dedicated to Romanesque art, is one of the
richest in France.
Dijon :
The ancient and modern capital of Burgundy is one of
the
most beautiful and exciting provincial cities in France. Here
you
can visit the Dukes’ palace and illustrious noble houses; be
struck
by the richness of one of France’s very best fine arts
museums, stroll
in the spacious streets where the pedestrian reigns over the
motor
car, explore ancient alleys squeezed between well-restored old
houses
with half-timbered fronts and buy what was first grown in the
vineyards, mustard.
Joigny :
Is a city of great character stretched out on the
banks of
the Yonne. It has preserved its mediaeval atmosphere and the
historical city houses numerous churches and half-timbered
houses.
Mâcon :
Pleasantly stretched on the right bank of the river Saône,
Mâcon is a busy city where brick-red ‘Roman’ tiles already
announce the Midi and Latin south.
Mâcon is famous for its talented son, the poet Lamartine. The
Lamartine Museum is located in an aristocratic building of the
18th
century (Hôtel Sénécé).
It is a very good starting point to the surrounding wine
region and
to the numerous Romanesque churches of Southern Burgundy.
Nevers :
Is a lovely town on the banks of the Loire.
The city is famous for its ceramics, introduced and fostered
by
the Gonzaga Family. The Museum of Nevers has an extensive
collection of Nevers pottery and glass.
Nevers is also an important place of pilgrimage (St
Bernadette)
and the old town has a number of interesting mediaeval and
Renaissance buildings: the cathedral of Saint Cyr and Saint
Julitte, the Romanesque church of St-Stephen, remnants of the
ancient fortifications (Porte du Croux, 14th C), and the Ducal
Palace (late 15th C).
Paray-le-Monial :
Located in the southern part of Burgundy,
Paray-le-Monial is a busy pilgrimage centre. Its basilica,
built on the
plan of Cluny at the end of the 11th century and in the 12th
century, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture.
The old
town
has a number of half-timbered houses and interesting
Renaissance
buildings. The atmosphere in the pedestrian streets is more
meridional than anywhere else in Burgundy.
Sens :
Was the impressive capital of a Gallo-Roman province
and
the seat of an Archbishop to whom the Bishop of Paris was
subordinated.
The cathedral of St-Stephen (12th-16th C) was
the
first in time of the great Gothic cathedrals and has stained
glass
windows and an ecclesiastical treasure that are among the
richest in
Europe. The Synod Palace is now a museum housing major Gallo-Roman and other collections.
Tournus :
The charming town centre of Tournus, on the banks of
the Saône, is redolent of the Mediterranean regions. The abbey
church of St-Philibert (10th-12th C) is one of the most
grandiose
Romanesque sanctuaries in Burgundy in which light plays on the
pink stone.
Vézelay :
One of the shrines of Christianity and Western art.
During the Middle Ages, Vézelay was a major pilgrimage site
and a
special halt on the way to Compostella.
The mediaeval town
with
its fortifications is dominated by the Basilica of Saint
Madeleine
(12th-13th C) universally considered to be a masterpiece of
Romanesque art for the beauty of its architecture and the
exceptional quality of its sculptured decorations. It has been
classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. credits
: Burgundy
Tourist Board
France Regions Burgundy
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