We have complied the list below of the most notable sites and their history to help you plan you vacation. Each listing is
underlined with a link to their official web page in English if possible if you would like to learn more.
Sens (7 miles/12 kms)
Is the northern most city of Burgundy located in the picturesque valley of the l'Yonne. The name of the city derives from the
local Gallic tribe, the Senones, which almost sacked Rome in 390 B.C. Sens later became the Roman capital of Gaul. During
the turbulent Middle Ages, Sens was attached by the Saracens (731) and the Normans (886). Since the 8th century, Sens was an
archiespiscopal see and had jurisdiction over Paris until 1622 when Paris became a separate archdiocese. Sens was annexed
by the French crown during the reign of Henri I (1055). It was here that Pierre Abélard, attributed with founding the University of
Paris and known for his tragic love affair with Héloise, was accused of heresy at the Council of Sens (1140).
Boasting the first great Gothic cathedral in France, The Cathédrale St-Etienne dominates the center city. The catherdral, whose
construction began around 1130, contains the story of Thomas Becket on its outstanding collection of stained glass.
Château de Fontainebleau(36 miles/57 kms)
Entered through a large courtyard ( Cour des Adieux) with a celebrated double horseshoe staircase, the sprawling Château de
Fontainebleau shows traces of it's numerous royal inhabitants in its incredible interiors in a myriad of styles. Francois I
transformed a hunting lodge into a renaissance palace, bringing in a team of Italian artists. Their frescoes and strange fireplaces
survive in the dramatic Long Gallery and Ballroom. Many French monarchs spent some time here: Louis XIV decided to revoke
the Edict of Nantes at Fontainebleau and it was one of Napoleon's favorite residences.
Château de Vaux -le-Vicomte(40 miles/58kms)
Built by le Vaux, this palace is an earlier, smaller version of Versailles. Its decor and impressive park were designed by famous
French artist. The Château features Gobelin tapestries, porcelains and has been painstakingly restored by the present owner. In
summer months, a candlelight tour of the Château and gardens is offered.
Château d'Ancy-le-Franc(36 miles/58 kms)
The palatial renaissance was built in the 1540s for the brother-in-law of the royal favourite Diane de Poitiers, designed by the
Italian Sebastiano Serlio and decorated by Primaticcio and dell'Abate, leading craftsmen brought to the French court by
Francois I. Its furnished rooms are remarkably well preserved and give a real sense of the period.
Ramparts (Provins)(23 miles/37 kms)
The well-preserved ramparts still surrounding much of the Ville Haute (Upper Town) give Provins a permanently medieval air.
Part of an impressive defence system of walls and ditches, the curtain wall is punctuated by small fortified towers. The turreted
12th-century keep, known as the Tour Cesar (open to the public). with later pyramidal roof, originally formed part of the ramparts.
There are falconry shows and medieval fairs in summer.
Der-Chantecoq Lake(26 miles/42 kms)
This lake is France's largest. Although artificial in origin, it has gradually become an important bird site, noted for breeding
wetland birds and for the huge numbers of migrating cranes that stop there--as many as 25,000 in March. The best viewing
points are at the south-west corner of the lake.
Saint Etienne Cathedral (Auxerre) (30 miles/49 kms)
On a magnificent site at the top of the old town of Auxerre above the River Yonne, the 13th-to 16th-century Saint Etienne
Cathedral has the ornate style typical of late Gothic. Remains of an earlier Romanesque cathedral with painted frescoes can be
seen in the crypt.
Saint Urbain Basilica (29 miles/47 kms)
Built as a family chapel between 1262 and 1286, this is a virtuoso example of the Gothic architecture that flourished in Troyes
during the high Middle Ages. Stone is reduced to little more than fine tracery in walls replaced almost entirely by glass—
reminiscent of the Sainte Chapelle in Paris. The Virgin with the Grapes above the altar is a fine example of 16th-century Troyes
sculpture.
Museum of Modern Art (Troyes) (29 miles/47 kms)
Housed alongside the cathedral, in the former bishop's palace, the Museum of Modern Art (Musée d'Art Moderne) displays the
Lévy Donation of art from the late 19th century to 1950. The collection is particularly rich in works by the Fauves, Derain,
Matisse, and Vlaminck, as well as sculptures and paintings by Degas, Rodin, Maillol, Picasso, Braque, Soutine, Balthus, Vuillard,
and Bonnard. Displayed among them are examples of the African tribal art that influenced many of these artists.
