Bar-sur-Seine is a town in the Aube, in the Grand Est region, 33 km south-east of Troyes.
The vast territory of 27 km² is crossed by the Seine and dominated by a hill where a first village was formed during the High Middle Ages. The city developed in the plain over the centuries.
Seat of a county, Bar-sur-Seine enjoys a certain independence before passing under the domination of the duchy of Burgundy at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Fired by the royal armies in 1475, the city paid a heavy price during the Wars of Religion.
However, known for its fairs from the twelfth century, Bar-sur-Seine found a certain prosperity and if his castle is destroyed, the city will preserve an old heart of high architectural quality. To this historical heritage, is added a green environment whose main characteristic is to understand some of the southernmost vineyards of the Champagne appellation.
With nearly 3,200 inhabitants, the city highlights its rich heritage and landscapes. It is a must stop near other major sites such as the forest of Orient Lake.
A visit of the city can begin with a circuit of discovery of its interesting heritage, in the heart of old and its half-timbered houses, on the left bank of the Seine, or on the nearby heights.
A first step is imposed on the church Saint-Étienne, of vast dimension, built from 1505 to 1616. Thus, one observes elements of Renaissance architecture and flamboyant Gothic style. Inside, in addition to the windows dating from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century, the statuary is remarkable and ornamentation very worked, like alabaster bas-relief of the sixteenth century. Note also the classical organ of the eighteenth century.
On the religious level again, the chapel of Our Lady of the Oak, neo-gothic style, built in 1867 on an old place of pilgrimage near a tree sheltering a statuette of the Virgin, deserves a glance, all as obviously the Templar Chapel of Avalleur, which testifies to the strong presence in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries of this order founded after the capture of Jerusalem. If the Commandery did not "survive" the Revolution, the chapel was classified in 1921 and one notices in particular its ogival arches which rest on capitals decorated with vegetable reasons. In addition, polychrome ornaments of the thirteenth century have been uncovered. The oak wood frame, of the same period, is very well preserved.
The Saint-Jean Baptiste Chapel, now a showroom, and the 16th-century Passion Chapel, with Corinthian-style pilasters and capitals, are still worth a visit.
After admiring the most notable old houses, including the Renaissance house whose cornice is adorned with a statue of Saint Roch and his dog and whose gable is dated 1580 with, engraved, the motto of the city, "Better a little with justice that big income without equity ", we will chain by the clock tower, only vestige of the castle of the counts of Bar.
To see finally, the gate of Chatillon, which dates from the XVIIe century.
Leaflets are available for those wishing to follow this walk in the city marked by its monuments and remarkable buildings. Information on +33 3 25 29 94 43.
This urban walk includes the park of the Val de Seine Castle, a former bourgeois residence turned into a health center but whose gardens are open to the public, with play areas and picnic areas. It also includes the Croc Ferrand promenade, along the Seine, from where you can admire cadoles (former small winemakers' houses) surrounded by gardens.
Crossed by the GR2 linking Le Havre to Dijon and the GR654 linking Namur (Belgium) to Montreal-du-Gers from where you can reach Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, the municipal area is ideal for many hiking trails or mountain bikes for which "bike-ways" are arranged. Some routes allow to discover the vineyard, others to follow the Seine or to borrow wood and orchards. Finally, some circuits go towards the Regional Natural Park of the Forest of Orient, in the north. Maps and information on +33 3 25 29 94 43.
As for sport and nature, fishermen can contact the local association on +33 (0) 3 25 29 80 24 to find out about suitable sites and regulations, and tennis fans can reserve a court at the Bar club at +33 6 32 22 99 30.
Finally, in terms of culture, note that the library and media library has a fund dedicated to the vineyard and wine with more than 1250 books, and a fund created in tribute to the brothers Goncourt who were long linked to the city. Information on +33 3 25 29 05 10.
