Discover Auxois-Morvan.
Take the wheel of your 2CV and set off to discover hidden treasures at the gateway to the Morvan Regional Natural Park. Saulieu, Epoisses, Semur, Thil, discover the remains of a well-preserved heritage, and cross breathtaking landscapes!
Saulieu, Capital of Morvan
At the gateway to the Morvan Regional Natural Park, Saulieu is a small town in the CĂŽte-d'Or renowned for its gastronomy. This is demonstrated by its famous restaurant, the Relais Bernard Loiseau, crowned with two stars in the Michelin Guide.
Discover in these picturesque places, one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Burgundy, the Basilica of Saint-Andoche. Right next door, housed in a 17th century mansion, the François Pompon museum. Most of the museum focuses on the life of the artist who sculpts animals in motion. He is known for his famous Polar Bear which seduces with its modernism as far away as New York at the MoMA.
Epoisses is not just a cheese!
You can't stay in Terres d'Auxois without making a detour to the pretty village of Epoisses, labeled "Cité de CaractÚre". In addition to the famous Epoisses cheese and the castle where Madame la Marquise de Sévigné stayed, you can visit the charming little church dating from the 12th century located within the castle grounds.
Listed as a Historic Monument, a double enclosure of fortifications surrounds 15th century houses, a church and a dovecote with 3,000 huts. The castle, flanked by large towers, is surrounded by moats. A beautiful park full of flowers surrounds the castle.
Epoisses also owes its fame to the Berthaut family who revived Ăpoisses cheese in 1956 when it was in danger of disappearing; and today perpetuates its demand for quality and its respect for the land, in the service of the Ăpoisses AOP.
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Semur-en-Auxois, capital of Auxois.
From a remarkable natural defensive site, men will build an exceptional city: Semur-en-Auxois, a heritage site remarkable for its alleys, its keep, its church and the exceptional collections of its museum. Discover the Capital of Auxois, a true medieval jewel. Walk the streets of the medieval city and discover the spectacular topography and the magnificent landscapes that the city offers.
Dominating the Semur landscape, the Church of Notre-Dame de Semur is an admirable example of Burgundian Gothic architecture with delicate ochre nuances.
An inseparable part of the city, the Semur-en-Auxois Municipal Museum is also a must-see to understand the wealth of the city's geological, architectural and heritage features.
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Thil Fortress
"The oldest fortified castle in France" A. Malraux.
The ChĂąteau de Thil, or Forteresse de Thil, is a majestic, timeless ruin, located on an isolated promontory. It offers an exceptional panorama of the Morvan and Auxois.
Today, it is via a superb avenue of century-old lime trees that one reaches the majestic ruins of the fortress of Thil. The site's heyday is linked to Jean II de Thil, then Constable (head of the armies) of the Duke of Burgundy Eudes IV and Advisor to King Philippe de Valois. He endowed the site with its most beautiful architectural elements.
Of all these modifications, the following remain: superb cellars with Roman and Gothic vaults; the 14th century keep; the âEspionne de l'Auxoisâ: a 5-storey watchtower over 25 metres high, and the remarkable âMaison des Gardesâ. The visit is free and explanatory panels are placed at various points. You can also discover the medieval flower garden.
Thil Hill
The hill of Thil, from its height of 480 meters, offers one of the most beautiful viewpoints of the Auxois territory. At its feet, the village of Précy-sous-Thil and at its summit, the watchtower of the old medieval fortress (9th-14th century), 25 meters high and five floors, dominates the valleys of Armançon and Serein.
