Asquins is a commune in Yonne in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, on the border of the Nièvre, in the Morvan Regional Nature Park.
The village is mostly bordering Vézelay and its famous abbey, at the top of the "inspired hill" or "eternal hill", as nicknamed by some authors.
The history of Asquins is therefore logically intimately linked to that of its neighbor overlooking it. The territory already inhabited during the Gallo-Roman period passes in fact dependent on the religious of Vézelay from the beginning ninth century. Asquins then becomes one of the starting points of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela thanks to its imposing church built in the eleventh century and which remains its major heritage asset.
In the sixteenth century, the villagers tried to regain some of their freedom, and even built ramparts.
Despite the decline of the pilgrimages, Asquins retained its prosperity during the following centuries with its vines, its arboriculture, its tanneries (today disappeared). Despite a population in decline (300 inhabitants compared with nearly a thousand in the middle of the nineteenth century), the municipality is again benefiting from its proximity with Vézelay. With its vineyard and heritage, this makes it a popular tourist stop.
A tithing barn (taxes) in the heart of the village which testifies that the power of the monks of Vézelay was not only spiritual, the traces of the ramparts of the sixteenth century, a fortified farm in a hamlet, fountains and a lava floor Along the river, restored dwellings highlighting the colored stones formerly extracted from the local quarries: a walk in the village makes it possible to observe that the village has preserved its authenticity and its heritage.
But it is obviously the Church of Saint James the Greater, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the main points of departure for the Pilgrimage of Compostela, situated on a promontory, which is the number one asset of 'Asquins.
On 11th century bases, the building has a broken cradle of the 12th century, a vaulted aisle in the 13th century, another aisle in the 16th century. However, the church was greatly altered in the eighteenth century (moving the bell tower, installing woodwork, creating new painted decors that sometimes "erased" previous frescoes). And in the 19th century, the villagers installed stained glass windows in honor Of Saint Jacques but also of the "patron" of the vine growers, Saint Vincent.
Inside (besides the woodwork enveloping the preserved pillars and Romanesque frescoes), there is a bust reliquary of Saint James from the sixteenth century in polychrome wood. And of the square, do not miss the panorama on Vézelay... Guided tours possible. For more information, please call +33 3 86 33 23 69.
The chapel of Saint-Nicolas also deserves a detour. Dating back to the 18th century, this modest building has been restored by volunteers. Away from the village, built of dry stones and covered with a lava roof, it was once prized by villagers who came in procession during droughts...
Asquins also appears as a starting point or stage of many hiking or mountain biking. The opportunity to appreciate the hilly and verdant landscape, the small patrimony, the views on Vézelay, but also to discover the vineyards and their nectar based on Chardonnay or Pinot (in moderation). For further information, please call +33 3 86 33 23 69.
For the amateurs, a club of race of orientation also makes it possible to cross the commune and its region in an original way. For further information, please call +33 3 86 33 28 81.
Finally, the course of the river lends itself to fishing. Information on adapted sites and regulations at +33 3 86 51 03 44.
The last weekend of July, patronal feast. On the program: fairground attractions, musical entertainment, flea market.
In the last week of August, the church hosts concerts scheduled within the framework of the Rencontres Musicales de Vézelay (programming based on vocal performances ranging from classical choirs to jazz songs). For further information, please call +33 3 86 94 84 30.
