At the gates of the Morvan, the town of Avallon is surrounded by ramparts and overlooks the picturesque Cousin Valley. Perched on a granite rock spur, its historic quarter unfolds around the Collegiate Church of St. Lazarus, which dates back to the 8th century. This Romanesque building is characterised by its magnificent 12th-century portal decorated with remarkable arches and by its large pipe organ dating from 1850.
But the treasures of its town centre don't stop there! Be sure to go and admire the 49-metre high clock tower, built in 1456, and pay a visit to the Jean Després Museum of the Avallonnais, named after the famous Art Deco jewellery-maker. In addition to the exhibition of works by local artists, it presents rich and varied collections of paintings, sculptures, and gold and silverware from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Also not to be missed are the salt store, which belonged to the collegiate church in the 15th century, and the house of the Lords of Domecy, an elegant Burgundian residence listed as a historic monument and dating from the same period. The upper part of the door, which opens onto the forecourt of the Church of St. Lazarus, is decorated with a corbelled turret. Near Avallon town hall, on Rue Belgrand, a charming mansion houses the 12 rooms of the Costume Museum, which charts the history of clothing and fashion from the 18th century to the present day. The Carton sisters, who own and guide visitors around the museum, are passionate about their work.
Then head for the town ramparts for a little walk along the charming Promenade de la Petite Porte, where you can enjoy a scenic view of the valley. The terrace gardens surrounding the upper town are another place of peace and relaxation to appreciate as you stroll along...
The city of Avallon, "ABALLO" in the Celtic world, is located in the heart of Burgundy. Perched on its granite spur, it dominates the Cousin valley from its terraced gardens. The Clock Tower (XVth century) opens the doors to the historic district of the city, with its old houses, towers, bastions, watchtowers... and the collegiate church of Saint-Lazare, a witness to the architecture of the twelfth century, its two Romanesque doorways and wavy and fluted spiral columns.
Scenic belt of the city, the Cousin Valley and its multitude of trails clinging to the slope of the valley offer an infinity of different points of view on the Morvan. This valley was also the industrial and commercial heart of the city until the early twentieth century. Many mills and tanneries, now converted, bear witness to this past.
The city of Avallon is located in the Morvan Regional Nature Park and is labeled Green Station.
The city of Avallon has several religious buildings including the Cathedral Saint-Lazare built in the eighth century, rebuilt and enlarged in the twelfth century, and the church Saint Martin of the seventeenth century. In its historic heart, the House of Lords Domecy and the Office of Tourism reflect the Burgundian fifteenth century architecture. Another witness of this period, the Clock Tower, a former belfry 49 meters built between 1456 and 1459. By chance a walk in town, you can admire the statue of Vauban, the sculptor Bartholdi, author of the statue of Liberty in New York or the Lion of Belfort, which was inaugurated in 1873, but also the Memorial sculptured by Avallon Peter Hale, one of the few in France to have no warlike aspect. Finally reflects the architecture of the seventeenth century, the Municipal Museum of Avallon, the former college, and Costume Museum, a beautiful mansion of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, built before the Hotel de Conde, and Grenier a Sel, a warehouse for Gabelle the seventeenth century. Not to mention the small streets of the old Avallon, towers, bastions and turrets, to explore on foot by walking along the city walls. Le Grenier à Sel, former cider press Chapître: At its construction in the fifteenth, it houses the equipment needed to produce the wine. To the right of the front door hanger off the corner niche housed a statue of St. Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers. In the seventeenth, he would have used to store the salt from the salt tax, up to 980 cubic meters tell Archives.
A arrowed in the heart of the historic district gives free Avallon and discover all listed monuments. An explanatory booklet (2 €) is available at the reception of the tourist office Avallon.
Avallon also benefits from a green between its shaded walks (Les Terreaux Vauban, the Promenade des Capuchins, or the Soils of Small Gate) and its gardens as Houdaille Square, that of Jacques Schiever (behind the Museum of 'Avallonnais) without forgetting its terraced gardens so special.
Avallon offers various leisure activities, swimming pool, tennis covered and uncovered, municipal libraries, cinema, adventure course in the trees.
- Le Carnavallon (Carnival of Avallon) at the end of April at the beginning of May.
- The festival of the 3 Muses of the Municipal Conservatory of Music, Theater and Dance Jorge Ferreira d'Avallon in June.
- The party of Avallon the 3rd weekend of August.
- Avallon also offers a rich and varied cultural season in events from March to December: classical and lyrical concerts, theater, exhibitions in particular of contemporary art, sporting and festive events.
Concours Photo Tous Porteurs de Flamme
- From 5 march to 10 may 2024
- The year 2024 marks the Olympic Games in Paris, a historic moment ! The Olympic Flame will light up Avallon on 11 July. - Turn yourself into a torchbearer ! Create your own flame out of wood, paper, or even a rolling pin symbolising your passion. Be creative and capture yourself with it ! - Send your photos to concoursphoto@ville-avallon.fr or take part in the free workshops organised by the Musée de l'Avallonnais Jean Després and the Mediatheque Avallon. - 3 and 24 April at the museum - - 10 and 17 April at the media library - The best photos will be exhibited during the torch relay and in the town. Competition open to all, one photo per person. - Together, let's make your flames shine on the route !
Festival Les Mots Dits
- On 23 march 2024
- 2 Rue du Général Leclerc, Médiathèque le Polygone
- Sound massage by Cie SF. Musical readings with headphones. Comfortably installed in deckchairs, the audience is invited to put headphones on their ears and let themselves be lulled by a few minutes of pure, gentle, relaxing musical poetry. Sébastien - the reader - pre-selects a wide range of texts from poetry collections as the performance progresses, according to the age of the participants, the atmosphere of the moment and the playing of Stéphane - the musician.
Festival Les Mots Dits
- On 23 march 2024
- 2 Rue du Général Leclerc, Médiathèque
- J'ai été ma propre route by Compagnie Théâtre organique. Readings and discussions on women's literature by Emmanuelle Mehring and Viviane Mogica. "I was what men wanted me to be : an outline of life, a game of hide-and-seek with myself. But I was made of the present. I have been my own road, Julia de Burgos. J'ai été ma propre route is a project of readings dedicated to combating the invisibilisation of women's words and thoughts.
Concert de Diaporama, Chansons Françaises de Reno
- On 30 march 2024
- 6 Rue de la Halle, Caves de la Halle
- French songs by Reno, author, composer and performer - Electrified songs, power trio made in Morvan - Wine bar with the complicity of Oh ! Les vins
Exposition de Pascal Caron, Artiste Avallonnais
- From 20 april to 20 may 2024
- 6 Rue de la Halle, Caves de la Halle
- Exhibition in the cellars of the Halle, from 20 April to 20 May 2024 - Opening saturday 20 april at noon
Le Grand Huit : Avallon Vézelay Morvan
- From 18 to 19 may 2024
- The Grand Huit Avallon-Vézelay-Morvan is a sports and solidarity event where teams of 4 to 8 people cover 135 km ( + /- 4 km) in less than 35 hours in two loops of around 65 km and 70 km. - - This is a sportive walk with possible relays (changeovers take place at the 12 checkpoints) and with a minimum of 3 walkers, together, at any time on the course. - - Most of the route is on forest tracks. A few road sections are unavoidable, but not very busy. - - Solidarity walk : each team collects funds from friends and family (€100/team in addition to the registration fee of €50/team to cover race costs), which will be donated to charities in the Avallonais area. - - It's an opportunity to discover a magnificent region and to experience a sporting, collective and supportive adventure. - The first edition of this event will take place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2024.