Auxerre France • Auxerre Cathedral | European Waterways
Auxerre, France - Auxerre Cathedral - During our cruise aboard hotel barge L’Art de Vivre we enjoy an excursion to the medieval town of Auxerre. Originally the capital of Lower Burgundy, the town prides itself on its lavish Renaissance houses, fine churches and particularly its magnificent cathedral situated close to the river.
The Gothic Cathédral St-Étienne was completed in 1560, taking over three centuries to build. The interior is lit up by 13th century stained glass. Flying buttresses lend support and architectural interest. The Musée St-Germain houses an exhibition of Gallo-Roman finds. It occupies a 12th century abbey founded by the wife of the first Christian king of France. The crypts are decorated with the oldest frescoes in France (9th century).
At the junction of the Canal du Nivernais and the River Yonne, Auxerre is a beautiful city and a pleasant port, with elegant buildings gracing its waterfront. Auxerre was an important spiritual centre and a big market town for timber and wine. The River Yonne made Auxerre's fortune. When rivers were the only viable means of transport in Europe, a good navigable river flowing towards interesting markets was the secret of wealth. Its town centre has a pedestrianized main square, timber-framed buildings and a 15th century tower with a richly-decorated 17th century clock. Cobblestone streets line the old quarter, and an open-air market beckons. Spires of three churches form an impressive skyline.
Auxerre France • Explore Enchanting Auxerre and its Magnificent Cathedral | European Waterways
During our cruise we visit the medieval city of Auxerre France. Originally the capital of Lower Burgundy, the town prides itself on its lavish Renaissance houses, fine churches and particularly its magnificent cathedral situated close to the river.
At the junction of the Canal du Nivernais and the River Yonne, Auxerre is a beautiful city and a pleasant port, with elegant buildings gracing its waterfront. Auxerre was an important spiritual center and a big market town for timber and wine.
The River Yonne made Auxerre's fortune. When rivers were the only viable means of transport in Europe, a good navigable river flowing towards interesting markets was the secret of wealth. Its town center has a pedestrianized main square, timber-framed buildings and a 15th century tower with a richly-decorated 17th century clock.
Cobblestone streets line the old quarter, and an open-air market beckons. Spires of three churches form an impressive skyline. The Gothic Cathédral St-Étienne was completed in 1560, taking over three centuries to build. The interior is lit up by 13th century stained glass. Flying buttresses lend support and architectural interest. The Musée St-Germain houses an exhibition of Gallo-Roman finds. It occupies a 12th century abbey founded by the wife of the first Christian king of France. The crypts are decorated with the oldest frescoes in France (9th century).
Paris to Auxerre
The waterways taken from Paris to Auxerre are the rivers Seine and Yonne. The River Seine rises in Burgundy and winds northwest through the Ile-de-France. The Seine flows through the heart of Paris dividing the Left Bank, south of the Seine, from the Right Bank, north of the Seine.
From Paris the Seine flows northwest through a farmland region and past Rouen to the port of Le Havre, where it empties into the English Channel. It has been an important commercial waterway since Roman times and has figured significantly in the histories of Paris, Rouen, and Le Havre.
Through its main tributaries, the Marne, Aube, Loing, Yonne and Oise rivers, and canals linking it to the Loire, Rhine, and Rhône rivers, it is possible to get to Paris from the Atlantic, from Belgium and Holland, from Germany, or even from the Mediterranean.
The canalized River Yonne, feeding into the Paris basin, is one of the most important rivers in Burgundy. The Yonne extends from Auxerre, where it joins the Canal du Nivernais, to its confluence with the Seine at Montereau. It begins its journey in the central granite highlands of the Morvan Natural Park traveling through Clamecy to Auxerre, Joigny and on to Sens before flowing into the Seine.
The Nivernais Canal
The Nivernais Canal (111 miles - 119 locks) passes through western Burgundy, crossing the Yonne Valley and from time to time merging with the Yonne River itself. North of the summit at Baye, the River Yonne serves as a navigation channel for most of the way between Auxerre and Clamecy.
Where the canal is artificial, the Yonne serves as a feeder. Opened in 1843 after sixty years of chaotic work, the Nivernais Canal was built to transport firewood from the Morvan forests to Paris. From the 16th century, the Yonne was used for flottage de bois, i.e., a system for floating logs. As the firewood demands increased, there was a need to transport logs from further away.
The Nivernais Canal was first proposed in 1708 but abandoned due to opposition from the Duke of Orléans who, not coincidentally, was proprietor of the nearby Loing Canal. At the end of the 18th century, a project was started to extend the floatable part of the river towards the forests of Bazois by building a little channel under the hills of Collancelle.
However, since this was the era of canals, instead of a small channel for floating timber, a navigable canal was built. Work started in 1784 (based on a plan devised in the 17th century) and was finally completed in 1841. The wood trade was the region's main source of income until the 1920's, even though timber had to be carried on barges when flottage was outlawed in 1881.
Although originally built for commercial use, the canal saw the last of its merchant traffic in the 1970's. A shallow draft and small gauge locks limit the size of barges that can use it.
Now the Nivernais Canal is known for its peacefulness, its beautiful valleys and hills, and its historic and picturesque villages and vineyards. Its path through the hills of Morvan, the wild valley of the Yonne, and the green meadows of Bazois makes it one of the most beautiful canals in France. For canal enthusiasts, the Nivernais is a showcase for a great variety of lock gates and paddle gear.
Auxerre at night [CC]
Auxerre is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy, France.
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Time lapse - Sur le Canal du Nivernais et l'Yonne de Tannay à Migennes (Le Boat)
Mit Smigitours Unterwegs.
Eine Woche auf dem Hausboot auf dem Canal du Nivernais und der Yonne mit einer Countesse der Firma Le Boat.
Von Tannay nach Migennes. 100km und 50 Schleusen
Streckenabschnitte:
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Samstag, Tannay -- Asnois (Zeitmarke 0:00)
Sonntag, Asnois -- Châtel-Censoir (Zeitmarke 4:05)
Montag, Châtel-Censoir -- Vermenton (Zeitmarke 9:10)
Dienstag, Vermenton -- Vincelles (Zeitmarke 14:10)
Mittwoch, Vincelles -- Auxerre (Zeitmarke 17:29)
Donnerstag, Auxerre -- Monéteau (Zeitmarke 22:13)
Freitag, Monéteau -- Migennes (Zeitmarke 26:31)
Die Vermietung
Das Boot