Auxerre

Auxerre rises above the Yonne River as one of Burgundy’s old episcopal towns, shaped by Roman roots and centuries of church power. Its skyline is still defined by the Gothic Saint-Étienne Cathedral (13th–16th cc.), while the medieval street plan of timbered houses and tight lanes recalls pilgrims, merchants, and the wine traffic of the surrounding valleys. The Clock Tower marks the civic center, and river crossings such as the 19th c. Pont Paul-Bert underline how the town has long balanced sacred authority with everyday urban life.