Auxerre


Auxerre is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in the Burgundy historical region southeast of Paris. Auxerre's population today is about 35,000; the urban area comprises roughly 111,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are referred to as Auxerrois.
Auxerre is a commercial and industrial centre, with industries including food production, woodworking and batteries. Nearby areas are also noted for the production of Burgundy wine, including Chablis. In 1995 Auxerre was named a "Town of Art and History".

Geography

Auxerre lies on the river Yonne and the Canal du Nivernais, about 150 km southeast of Paris and 120 km northwest of Dijon. The A6 autoroute passes northeast of the city. Auxerre-Saint-Gervais station has rail connections to Dijon, Paris, Corbigny and Avallon.

History

Auxerre was a flourishing Gallo-Roman centre, then called Autissiodorum, through which passed one of the main roads of the area, the Via Agrippa which crossed the Yonne here. In the third century it became the seat of a bishop and a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. In the 5th century it received a cathedral. In the late 11th-early 12th century the existing communities were included inside a new line of walls built by the feudal counts of Auxerre.
Bourgeois activities accompanied the traditional land and wine cultivations starting from the twelfth century, and Auxerre developed into a commune with a Hôtel de Ville which was completed, in its original form, in 1452.
The Burgundian city, which became part of France under King Louis XI, suffered during the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion. In 1567 it was captured by the Huguenots, and many of the Catholic edifices were damaged. The medieval ramparts were demolished in the 18th century.
In the 19th century numerous heavy infrastructures were built, including a railway station, a psychiatric hospital and the courts, and new quarters were developed on the right bank of the Yonne.

Archaeology

In June 2024, the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research announced the discovery of a large Roman cemetery in Place du Maréchal Leclerc, Auxerre, France. The cemetery contains more than 250 burials of infants and stillborn babies. Some remains were buried in ceramic vessels and wooden coffins, while others were wrapped in textiles.
In June 2025, a vast Roman villa complex spanning over 4,000 square meters was discovered during excavations by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research. Known as Sainte-Nitasse, the site, first identified in the late 19th century, is now recognized as one of the largest Roman villas in Gaul. Dating from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE, the complex features a central garden, perimeter wall, and various rooms including substantial private baths.

Main sights

  • Cathedral of St. Étienne. In Gothic style, it has three doorways with bas-reliefs. There are stained-glass windows in the choir and the apsidal chapel. The 11th-century crypt houses the remains of the former Romanesque cathedral.
  • Abbey of Saint-Germain, existing from the 6th century. The crypt has some of the oldest mural paintings in France, and houses the tomb of the bishops of Auxerre. There is a chapter room, a cellar and a cloister.
  • The Clock Tower, in the Old Town
  • The church of St. Pierre en Vallée, established over a 6th-century abbey. In late Gothic style, it has a tower similar to that of the cathedral. Portions of the decorations and inner chapels were financed by local winegrowers.
  • Church of St. Eusèbe, founded in the 7th century. The nave was rebuilt in the 13th century, while the tower is in Romanesque style.

Notable people

Specialties

Regional wines

The whole region of Burgundy produces over 200 million bottles per year.

Twin towns – sister cities

Auxerre is twinned with: