The World at Your Fingertips

Semur-en-Auxois, France

Semur-en-Auxois, Burgundy, France.

Semur was once a fortified town, and though the castle has now been mostly dismantled, the tall towers and main wall still remain and surround the inner part of the town. Visitors enjoy walking the quaint cobblestone streets, shopping and dining in the pedestrian area, and taking in the magnificent views from the two medieval bridges across the Armançon — the Pont Joly and the Pont des Minimes.

Get in

Semur-en-Auxois is not accessible via plane or train.

By car

There is an exit off the A6 Autoroute. When you approach, you will recognize Semur by seeing the cracked tower on the hill.

By bus

Transco connects Semur-en-Auxois with Montbard and Dijon which are both located on high speed rail lines, as well as other towns. A one way ticket for the bus currently costs 1.50 € regardless of distance.

Get around

The town is easily walkable; many of the streets within the medieval walls are open to pedestrians only. There is also a tourism office located by one of the historic gates to the city, which now leads to the tourist area.

What to See in Semur-en-Auxois

• Collégiale Notre-Dame (church) (in the centre of the town). This church is well worth a visit.

Notre-Dame Church, Semur-en-Auxois.

• Tour de l'Orle d'Or (medieval tower). Afternoons in July and August (closed on Mondays) and some weekends in May, June, and September. Gives tours of the only tower that you can climb in the city in both French and English. Provides excellent views at the top as well as a museum for the Society of Science and Natural History inside. €3.

Tour de l'Orle d'Or.

• Hotel de Chassey (townhouse), 21140 Rue de l'Hopital. Open afternoons in the summer. This 18th century townhouse is privately owned but the grounds are open at times for tours. The gardens offer beautiful views of the medieval fortifications. Free.

Hotel de Chassey.

What to Do in Semur-en-Auxois

Discover Semur-en-Auxois by following the roadbook called "Sans les armes sur la piste du lion", available at the tourist information office for €1.50). Very funny. Take good shoes as the path brings you out of the city for a 2- to 3-hour walk.

Buy

• There is a little open-air market on each Sunday morning, near the church. Local vegetables, cheese, honey, etc. Everything is fresh and delicious.

• Le coin du Monde (grocery), rue du Vieux Marché (near the church). See the jam "Trinquelette" (maybe the best in the world). Various teas and some fresh vegetables are also sold. If you are staying for an extended period of time, you can order artisanal bread to pick up on Fridays (as the locals do).

• Charcuterie Notre-Dame (near the church), +33 380970617. Marvellous terrines and cooked ham. Very good free-range chicken.

Eat

• Le Mermoz (in the Hostellerie d'Aussois), Route de Saulieu (just out of the town towards Saulieu), +33 380 97 28 28, e-mail: info@hostellerie.fr. The little menu (€25) is disappointing, but à la carte meal is fine. Beautiful wine list. 3-course meal with very good wine €85.

• Les Minimes (near the Pont des Minimes, along the Armançon). A typical auberge.

• Cafe Mont-Drejet, Rue Buffon (In the pedestrian area). Best location in town for a typical, basic cafe. The food is not gourmet but is inexpensive and good. The ice cream is fantastic, and the owners are friendly. Closed Mondays, but on other days, between lunch and dinner as well as the usual times.

Drink

• Carpe Diem (wine bar), rue du Vieux-marché (near the church). They serve good Burgundy wine by the glass. Good live jazz music once a week.

Sleep

• La Maison sur l'Armançon (along the Armançon river). A charming renovated mill along the river. Comfortable living room, nice main sleeping room, good fireplace in the kitchen. Terrace and little garden on the river. Very nice. €950 - €1275 a week.

• Hotel Des Cymaises, 7 rue du Renaudot, +33 3 80 97 21 44, fax: +33 3 80 97 18 23, e-mail: hotel.cymaises@wanadoo.fr. Beautiful two star hotel down a quiet road right off the tourist area within the old medieval city. It is close to the tourist office, main bus stop, and many restaurants. Comfortable and clean rooms renovated in an 19th century mansion with a lovely private patio area in the rear, breakfast is offered for €9. €63 - €116 a night.

Go next

• Époisses (13 km to the west), a village famous for its eponymous cheese.

• The Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (about 15 km north), listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. (Wikivoyage)

Alonnisos or Alonissos is the island least frequented by tourists in the Sporades Islands. It is 3 km E of the island of Skopelos. Alonissos is also the name of a village on the island. The island at its widest is 4.5 km from northwest to southeast and at its longest is 20 km from southwest to northeast.

Clermont-Ferrand, France

Clermont-Ferrand is famous for the chain of extinct volcanoes that ring the city, including the highest, Puy-de-Dôme, some 13 km away from the city centre. One of the oldest cities of France, its first mention was by the Greek geographer Strabo, who called it Nemessos, a Gaulish word for a sacred forest.

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is Thailand's largest island. It is 48 km in length, 21 km at its widest, and is in Southern Thailand, on the west-facing Andaman Sea coastline, suspended from the southern tip of Phang Nga province by a pair of short but substantial road bridges.

Santillana del Mar, Spain

Santillana del Mar is a picturesque town in Cantabria, Spain, renowned for its medieval architecture.

Create a Free Web Page for Your Business on Titi Tudorancea Travel Info

If you own or manage a travel-related business such as a hotel, a bed-and-breakfast, a restaurant, a pub or a cafeteria, you can create a web page for your business for free on Titi Tudorancea Travel Info. »

© 1991-2024 Titi Tudorancea Travel Info | Titi Tudorancea^® is a Registered Trademark | Terms of use and privacy policy
Contact