An ancient medieval city located in the Champagne-Ardenne region, Bar-sur-Aube experienced a very prosperous period during the Middle Ages.
Its notoriety was notably due to the prosperity of its famous champagne fairs which brought together merchants from all over Europe, from Flanders to Italy.
Although the ramparts have now disappeared, we can still admire old buildings and beautiful monuments in the old city center.
The landscapes surrounding Bar-sur-Aube are also worth the detour with its hills and Champagne slopes.
The city is also crossed by the Aube, as its name suggests, offering pleasant walks along the water's edge.
It is a real pleasure to stroll through the picturesque streets of the city, admiring the architectural and historical heritage of the city, which is particularly well highlighted.
Even today, the town perpetuates the traditional activities that have made it famous, such as crystal making, forges, or even the wood or hemp industries.
There is no shortage of sites to discover and admire in Bar-sur-Aube, recalling the city's prosperous and rich period in the medieval era.
Built in the 12th century, the Saint-Pierre church impresses with its immense bell tower and its Romanesque-style portals.
Inside, it is possible to discover the altar of the old Clairvaux abbey, as well as a superb Virgin with a polychrome bouquet from the 16th century Trojan School.
The Saint-Maclou church, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, shows the last vestige of the castle of the Counts of Champagne destroyed on the orders of Henri IV, the bell tower. The church is today closed to the public.
Many buildings in the city are listed as Historic Monuments or in the inventory of Historic Monuments, such as the Petit Clairvaux, a 12th century cellar, the former Ursuline convent transformed into a Town Hall, or still the old hotel du Grenier à Sel.
Sainte-Germaine hill allows you to admire a pilgrimage chapel built for Germaine, a martyred virgin.
An orientation table allows you to identify the large surrounding sites such as Colombey-les-deux-Eglises or the Clairvaux forest.
An archaeological and excavation site, the Celtic oppidum, allows you to learn a little more about the ancient past of the town of Bar-sur-Aube.
Lively and bustling since the Middle Ages, the town of Bar-sur-Aube has preserved important traditions, continuing to regularly organize cultural events and other festivities.
During the month of June, the town hosts the cheese and local flavors fair, which allows you to take part in tastings, as well as a big Celtic evening and a huge fireworks display.
At the end of the same month, the Eurythmies festival attracted many visitors to Bar-sur-Aube. On this occasion, rock, salsa and even blues are in the spotlight.
Concerts are organized in the city as well as throughout the region.
The JazzàBar festival takes place at Bar-sur-Aube at the beginning of September. Concerts are organized at different sites in the city, as well as in bars in the center.
The first weekend in September, the medieval fair takes place in the streets of the old town. Organized over two days, it presents visitors with more than a hundred exhibitors and associative groups, thus recalling the city's former annual meeting, the Champagne fair.