Everywhere, centuries of history are watching you!
It has already been said: the Carolingian, Romanesque and Gothic eras have left sumptuous traces in the region, some of them unique in the world. Thus, the crypt of Saint-Germain-d'Auxerre is one of the most famous masterpieces of Carolingian art in the world. Also noteworthy are Sainte-Bénigne-de-Dijon, the abbey of Sainte-Reine in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and the churches of Tournus and Sainte-Vorles in Châtillon-sur-Seine. The church of Saint-Etienne in Nevers is a model of Romanesque architecture, one of the "most perfect monuments left to France by the 11th century" according to Viollet-Le-Duc. On the Gothic side, we find - in the Yonne - the cathedrals of Saint-Etienne d'Auxerre and Sens, the abbey of Saint-Germain and the church of Saint-Pierre d'Auxerre, Notre-Dame de Tonnerre, or the cathedrals of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, Chablis, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux or Montreal. In Côte-d'Or, there are the cathedrals of Sainte-Bénigne, the Chartreuse de Champmol and the church of Notre-Dame de Dijon, but also Saint-Nicolas de Châtillon-sur-Seine, Saint-Genest de Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Sainte-Seine-l'Abbaye, Semur-en-Auxois, Seurre or Auxonne. In Saône-et-Loire, one should not miss the cathedral of Saint-Vincent of Chalon-sur-Saône and the churches of Cluny and Cuisery, without forgetting the frescoes of La Clayette and Paray-le-Monial. Finally, in the Nièvre region, the cathedral of Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte, which dominates Nevers, is also a superb example of Gothic art, as is the collegiate church of Saint-Martin in the heart of old Clamecy. But, apart from this first-rate religious architecture, the Middle Ages also saw the flourishing of superb buildings. Still in the Nièvre, let us note the medieval ruins of the castle of Passy-les-Tours. In Yonne, the one of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, as well as the castles of Chastellux-sur-Cure and Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines. In Côte-d'Or, those of Châteauneuf, La Rochepot, Mont-Saint-Jean, Thoizy-La-Berchère, Antigny-la-Ville, Montbard. And of course the fortifications of Semur-en-Auxois! Finally, in Saône-et-Loire, those of Berzé-le-Châtel illustrate perfectly the feudal architecture. Then, during the Renaissance, wooden houses appear, as well as stone hotels and some castles like those of Ancy-le-Franc and Tanlay (in the Yonne). Among the jewels of this architecture, the department can also be proud of its archiepiscopal palace of Sens, or of the old houses of Joigny, Auxerre, Sens and Noyers. In Côte-d'Or, let's mention the church of Saint-Michel and the courthouse of Dijon, the Philandrier house in Châtillon-sur-Seine, the Hôtel de la Mare in Beaune, the old houses of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Seurre or the castles of Bussy-le-Grand and Epoisses. And, in the Nièvre, the magnificent ducal palace of Nevers: the first Renaissance castle in the long list of Loire castles.
Glazed tiles, a gift from the Dukes to Burgundy
Then comes the classical art, coming from Versailles, which expresses itself in Dijon in the development of the Place Royale (the current Place de la Libération) but also in the construction of the Palace of the States of Burgundy. It was during this period, governed by the Dukes, that a good number of private mansions appeared, which can still be seen in all the major cities of the region. Above all, it was during this era that the famous roofs decorated with colorful geometric patterns appeared, which still characterize Burgundian architecture in the minds of those who discover it. Yellow, green, red, black, brown and gold, these glazed terracotta tiles adorn the roofs of many buildings along the route des grands crus, from Dijon to Meursault, from Beaune to La Rochepot. Among them, it is impossible to ignore the Hôtel-Dieu of Beaune, of course. Nor on the hotel of Vogüé and the cathedral Sainte-Bénigne in Dijon, the castle of la Rochepot or the town hall of Meursault.
A particularly rich world heritage
Did you know that? Burgundy is the French region that has the most sites classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. No less than 10 if we include those located in Franche-Comté, 5 in Burgundy alone. Let's start with the church and the priory of La Charité-sur-Loire, listed as apilgrimagesite. From the bell tower of Bertranges, you can admire the pinkish-brown serrations of the priory's portal, restored in 2012. On the Place Sainte-Croix, that is to say on the very place of the old parish chapel and its cemetery, houses have taken place, transforming this site into a unique and fascinating place. The ancient rubs shoulders with the contemporary in such perfect harmony that La Charité has also been awarded the "City of Art and History" label. Fontenay Abbey, in the Côte-d'Or, is the oldest preserved Cistercian abbey in the world. Founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the building was classified as a historical monument as soon as this classification was established in 1862. Further south, the Côte-d'Or has a second site classified as a World Heritage Site. A site whose reputation and prestige also extend throughout the world: climats du vignoble de Bourgogne. Nothing to do here with the weather: the climats of Burgundy are parcels of vines precisely delimited and so named for centuries. Each of the 1,247 climats, though located next to each other, produces a wine with a unique taste, and this astonishing mosaic has also given birth to a rich heritage that can be discovered on the side of the Côtes de Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges as well as in the wine villages of the Dijon area up to the south of Beaune. Finally, in the Morvan icaunais, Asquins has seen its church classified since 1998 as a "Chemins de Compostelle" (as for the church of La Charité). And for good reason, the church of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur (its relics of Saint-Jacques and its murals dated from the 16th century) was, some 1,000 years ago, the starting point of one of the 4 great roads leading to Compostela. Moreover, this church offers to the visitors a panoramic view on the other classified site of icaunais: the basilica of Vézelay and its eternal hill. A monument of Christianity, a masterpiece of Romanesque art restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, the village is also worth visiting for its medieval houses. Not to mention the unforgettable landscapes that it majestically overlooks.
Stones and lava from Burgundy mark the region
Burgundy is France's leading quarry for natural limestone, and has long been home to all the expertise in the stone and ornamental rock trades. Whether they come from the quarries of Massangis, Ampilly, Coulmier, Lanvigny or Magny (among others), there are a total of 83 varieties of Burgundy stone that are referenced, spread over 5 main basins: those of the Tonnerrois, the Nivernais, the Mâconnais, the Châtillonnais, and the Côte (between Beaune and Dijon). All these basins have provided the materials which, today, allow Burgundy to have a particularly rich heritage. Impossible to mention them all, but in the Côte d'Or, let us mention the abbey of Fontenay, the castle of Clos-Vougeot and its old village as well as those of Gevrey-Chambertin. The old town of Beaune also, and the center of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Pommard, Meursault, Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, Châtillon-sur-Seine and its museum, or the gateway to the medieval city of Semur-en-Auxois. In Saône-et-Loire, don't miss Cluny and Brancion, the rocks of Solutré and Vergisson, the Chapelle aux Moines in Berzé-la-Ville, the beautiful village of Semur-en-Brionnais and the Mont Saint-Vincent. In the Nièvre region, we focus on the ramparts and the Ducal Palace of Nevers, but also on the cities of Clamecy, Donzy and Prémery. In Yonne, the building of the Post Office of Auxerre is a good example, but of course we will also mention Noyers, Montreal, the castles of Tanlay and Ancy-le-Franc, the old cities of Sens and Joigny. Finally, let's not forget the numerous vaulted cellars that can be visited in the wine villages of the region. Most of them are magnificent examples of these old-fashioned constructions which used Burgundy stone.
Sometimes innovative and (very) surprising sites
Created in 1982, the Maison de l'Architecture de Bourgogne (MAB) is an association under the French law of 1901 which gathers the actors of architecture and construction. Its objective: to promote contemporary architectural culture in Burgundy through visits, conferences, exhibitions, publications and meetings directly on the sites concerned. Like for example the "Fantastic Picnic" organized in 2020. During this picnic rich in discoveries, the MAB proposed to the public to visit the amazing Domaine de la Pierre Ronde, on the banks of the Lake of Chamboux (one of the 6 big lakes of the Morvan Park), in Saint-Martin-de-Mer (Côte-d'Or). In 2016, Yannick Boisfard and Gaëlle Lajugée launched a participatory financing on the internet to create a village around the universe of Tolkien. With success, since, on 25 ha, this absolutely incredible village now offers accommodation in houses of Hobbits, elves and wizards. The men and women who built it came that day to share the secrets of their crazy adventure with the most curious. But, apart from the atypical, the MAB also highlights other remarkable places. Like the Carmel de la Paix, in Mazille. When the Carmelite Community of Chalon-sur-Saône approached the architect José-Luis Sert (an eminent figure of the Modern Movement) in 1967, he had just completed the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Here, he erected a village of raw concrete, reduced to the essential, around a cloistered garden. As for André Wogenscky's Maison Bandelier in Saulieu, it honors the first work of the architect who was Le Corbusier's first collaborator. Or when Burgundy is also a land of the avant-garde.
