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Avallon

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Yonne

Avallon - Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Yonne
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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...

Additional information
Avallon

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.

Things to see and do

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.

Places of interest

Information points
Leisure centres
Monuments
Natural sites
Transport

Events and festivities

Concours Photo Tous Porteurs de Flamme
Festival Les Mots Dits
Festival Les Mots Dits
Concert de Diaporama, Chansons Françaises de Reno
Exposition de Pascal Caron, Artiste Avallonnais
Le Grand Huit : Avallon Vézelay Morvan

Photos

Historic heart of Avallon
Historic heart of Avallon
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Columns twisted: Details of the Saint-Lazare collegiate
Columns twisted: Details of the Saint-Lazare collegiate
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The House of Lords Domecy
The House of Lords Domecy
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La Promenade des Terreaux Vauban
La Promenade des Terreaux Vauban
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After the rocky outcrop of Avallon, Petite Porte
After the rocky outcrop of Avallon, Petite Porte
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The Cousin Valley
The Cousin Valley
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The Gardens Leading the Cousin Valley
The Gardens Leading the Cousin Valley
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The Avallon roof gardens
The Avallon roof gardens
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The rocks of Cousin Valley
The rocks of Cousin Valley
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The Clock Tower
The Clock Tower
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The ramparts of Avallon
The ramparts of Avallon
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The Masked Street in the old Avallon
The Masked Street in the old Avallon
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The Tourist Office
The Tourist Office
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The statue of Marshal Vauban
The statue of Marshal Vauban
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The Avallonnais Museum and Square Schiever
The Avallonnais Museum and Square Schiever
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The Bridge of Guards in the Cousin Valley
The Bridge of Guards in the Cousin Valley
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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City of Avallon
City of Avallon
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War memorial
War memorial
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commune Street
commune Street
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Church St. -Martin seventeenth century
Church St. -Martin seventeenth century
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Saint Martin Church
Saint Martin Church
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Saint Martin Church
Saint Martin Church
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Saint Martin Church
Saint Martin Church
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Saint Martin Church
Saint Martin Church
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Saint Martin Church
Saint Martin Church
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Hospital
Hospital
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Statue
Statue
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commune Street
commune Street
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Town Hall
Town Hall
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Town Hall
Town Hall
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Fountain
Fountain
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Commune Street
Commune Street
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Tower Clock 1456
Tower Clock 1456
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Passage of the Clock Tower
Passage of the Clock Tower
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Lazarus Gallery
Lazarus Gallery
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St. Lazarus Church of the twelfth century
St. Lazarus Church of the twelfth century
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St. Lazarus Church
St. Lazarus Church
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Collegiate St. -Lazare
Collegiate St. -Lazare
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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Saint-Lazare collegiate
Saint-Lazare collegiate
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collegiate Portal Saint-Lazare
collegiate Portal Saint-Lazare
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Detail of the Saint-Lazare collegiate
Detail of the Saint-Lazare collegiate
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City of Avallon
City of Avallon
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Place
Place
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Sculpture
Sculpture
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Visits, leisure and activities nearby

Restaurants

Bed & breakfasts

Vacation rentals

Campsites

Hotels

Your holidays
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