At the gates of the Morvan, the town of Avallon is surrounded by ramparts and overlooks the picturesque Cousin Valley. Perched on a granite rock spur, its historic quarter unfolds around the Collegiate Church of St. Lazarus, which dates back to the 8th century. This Romanesque building is characterised by its magnificent 12th-century portal decorated with remarkable arches and by its large pipe organ dating from 1850.
But the treasures of its town centre don't stop there! Be sure to go and admire the 49-metre high clock tower, built in 1456, and pay a visit to the Jean Després Museum of the Avallonnais, named after the famous Art Deco jewellery-maker. In addition to the exhibition of works by local artists, it presents rich and varied collections of paintings, sculptures, and gold and silverware from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Also not to be missed are the salt store, which belonged to the collegiate church in the 15th century, and the house of the Lords of Domecy, an elegant Burgundian residence listed as a historic monument and dating from the same period. The upper part of the door, which opens onto the forecourt of the Church of St. Lazarus, is decorated with a corbelled turret. Near Avallon town hall, on Rue Belgrand, a charming mansion houses the 12 rooms of the Costume Museum, which charts the history of clothing and fashion from the 18th century to the present day. The Carton sisters, who own and guide visitors around the museum, are passionate about their work.
Then head for the town ramparts for a little walk along the charming Promenade de la Petite Porte, where you can enjoy a scenic view of the valley. The terrace gardens surrounding the upper town are another place of peace and relaxation to appreciate as you stroll along...
The city of Avallon, "ABALLO" in the Celtic world, is located in the heart of Burgundy. Perched on its granite spur, it dominates the Cousin valley from its terraced gardens. The Clock Tower (XVth century) opens the doors to the historic district of the city, with its old houses, towers, bastions, watchtowers... and the collegiate church of Saint-Lazare, a witness to the architecture of the twelfth century, its two Romanesque doorways and wavy and fluted spiral columns.
Scenic belt of the city, the Cousin Valley and its multitude of trails clinging to the slope of the valley offer an infinity of different points of view on the Morvan. This valley was also the industrial and commercial heart of the city until the early twentieth century. Many mills and tanneries, now converted, bear witness to this past.
The city of Avallon is located in the Morvan Regional Nature Park and is labeled Green Station.
The city of Avallon has several religious buildings including the Cathedral Saint-Lazare built in the eighth century, rebuilt and enlarged in the twelfth century, and the church Saint Martin of the seventeenth century. In its historic heart, the House of Lords Domecy and the Office of Tourism reflect the Burgundian fifteenth century architecture. Another witness of this period, the Clock Tower, a former belfry 49 meters built between 1456 and 1459. By chance a walk in town, you can admire the statue of Vauban, the sculptor Bartholdi, author of the statue of Liberty in New York or the Lion of Belfort, which was inaugurated in 1873, but also the Memorial sculptured by Avallon Peter Hale, one of the few in France to have no warlike aspect. Finally reflects the architecture of the seventeenth century, the Municipal Museum of Avallon, the former college, and Costume Museum, a beautiful mansion of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, built before the Hotel de Conde, and Grenier a Sel, a warehouse for Gabelle the seventeenth century. Not to mention the small streets of the old Avallon, towers, bastions and turrets, to explore on foot by walking along the city walls. Le Grenier à Sel, former cider press Chapître: At its construction in the fifteenth, it houses the equipment needed to produce the wine. To the right of the front door hanger off the corner niche housed a statue of St. Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers. In the seventeenth, he would have used to store the salt from the salt tax, up to 980 cubic meters tell Archives.
A arrowed in the heart of the historic district gives free Avallon and discover all listed monuments. An explanatory booklet (2 €) is available at the reception of the tourist office Avallon.
Avallon also benefits from a green between its shaded walks (Les Terreaux Vauban, the Promenade des Capuchins, or the Soils of Small Gate) and its gardens as Houdaille Square, that of Jacques Schiever (behind the Museum of 'Avallonnais) without forgetting its terraced gardens so special.
Avallon offers various leisure activities, swimming pool, tennis covered and uncovered, municipal libraries, cinema, adventure course in the trees.
- Le Carnavallon (Carnival of Avallon) at the end of April at the beginning of May.
- The festival of the 3 Muses of the Municipal Conservatory of Music, Theater and Dance Jorge Ferreira d'Avallon in June.
- The party of Avallon the 3rd weekend of August.
- Avallon also offers a rich and varied cultural season in events from March to December: classical and lyrical concerts, theater, exhibitions in particular of contemporary art, sporting and festive events.
Paysages de l'Organique - Joël Etendard
- From 6 to 29 september 2024
- Grenier à Sel
- Originally a sculptor, I divide my time between volume and graphic representation. For the colouring, I use conté square chalk, a medium used as close as possible to the body, an extension of the fingers in a primitive technique. The pigments of various colours nourish this skin that I crumple to give it thickness and volume. All of this is pasted onto a previously sculpted form or canvas.
Zhang Zhihe, Pandas Symboles d'une Nature qui Nous Protège
- From 7 to 29 september 2024
- 8 rue Bocquillot, Maison des sires de Domecy
- Giant Pandas are a rare species. They are found in the mountains near Ya'An, in China's Sichuan province. They strengthen the bond between our two countries, having been discovered by the naturalist Armand David in 1869. A century and a half later, they remain symbols of Sino-French friendship and of a nature that not only needs protecting, but also protects us ! As a defender of wildlife and a global promoter of giant panda culture, Dr Zhang Zhihe has been involved for over thirty years in the research and conservation of rare and endangered wild species, including the giant panda. He won the first prize for his contribution to scientific research and conservation of the giant panda and received a special allocation from the Chinese State Council for his expertise.
Paroles d'ici et d'Ailleurs - Exposition des Oeuvres du RASM
- From 5 to 20 october 2024
- Maison des Sires de Domecy
- The works on display were produced during creative expression workshops run by the Réseau Avallonnais de Soutien aux Migrants, between 2022 and 2024. They reflect the intimate experiences of migrants welcomed to our region. A group of children, teenagers and adults met regularly to work together, collectively and individually, on collage, painting, drawing and modelling projects. - This initiative was supported by the town of Avallon and the Caisse d'Assurance Maladie, as well as the associations EVEA and Kiev-Avallon.
Festival Contes Givrés - Le Facteur Humain
- On 9 october 2024
- 2 bis, rue du général Leclerc, Médiathèque Le Polygone
- An event scheduled as part of the Contes Givrés festival in Burgundy-Franche-Comté with Vincent Berthelot. - Vincent Berthelot - The creator of a poetic postal agency Vincent Berthelot, from Redon in Brittany, started his business as a human postman in 2015. It was at the Roc Castel festival in Larzac in 2019 that the idea of a postal agency on a bicycle was born. Vincent's enthusiasm led to the idea being copied by more than 150 postmen and postwomen across France, and sometimes even further afield. - The Human Factor - Winged Hermes : specialist in important but not urgent messages - Vincent Berthelot is a dynamic, inexhaustible man who talks about the unexpected and unusual encounters he has during his rounds as a Human Postman. Like a winged Hermes, he rides his bike for miles to hand-deliver letters to strangers. At a time when handwritten letters are becoming increasingly rare and messages are being digitised, the link is the key word in his adventures. - Imagine an invasion of human postmen in Burgundy, just to tickle what remains of the letter-writer in every Burgundian. - Tales of Vincent's encounters & film by Alexandre Lachavanne.
Robin Maxime
- On 18 october 2024
- 11 Rue Bocquillot, Collégiale Saint-Lazare
- Robin Maxime, a virtuoso guitarist with a deep sensitivity, takes us on a marvellous journey in concert, in exceptional acoustics. Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, Paraguay… As usual, he offers us a varied programme : an explosive cocktail of passion, joy and gentleness. Spanish guitar masterpieces, transcriptions of the finest film scores and classical works, South American guitar favourites… Close your eyes and share a moment in the intense, powerful or delicate emotions and nuances of the greatest composers… Tarrega, Barrios, Bach, Pachelbel, Couperin, Albeniz, Zequinha Abreu, Sanz…
ROBIN MAXIME - Concert de Guitare Espagnole et sud-Américaine
- On 18 october 2024
- 6 Rue de Lyon, Collégiale Saint-Lazare
- Robin Maxime, a virtuoso guitarist with a deep sensitivity, gives concerts of South American, classical and Spanish guitar. - Spanish guitar masterpieces, transcriptions of the finest film scores and classical works, South American guitar essentials… Close your eyes and share a moment in the intense, powerful or delicate emotions and nuances of the greatest composers… Tarrega, Barrios, Bach, Pachelbel, Couperin, Albeniz, Zequinha Abreu, Sanz… - A marvellous musical journey, an explosive cocktail of passion, joy, tango and gentleness ! - Tickets on site and online
