12 December 2014

Avallon (1)

Our first real stop in Burgundy proper was at Avallon. It's a large town, pop. 8200, located south of Auxerre and north of Autun. Avallon is perched on top of a granite outcropping, overlooking the valley of the Cousin river. The gîte we had rented for three nights was just 30 minutes north, and we had time to stop before continuing the drive.


However, it was still raining on and off, so we didn't feel like we could wander far from the car. We drove through the central shopping street and into the old fortified city, with its clock tower and old houses. It was nice weather for frogs, apparently. Maybe it rains a lot in Avallon.




This part of the town is called La Promenade de la Petite Porte, which is at the other end of the street. The arch you see here is called la porte de la Boucherie (15th century).

17 comments:

  1. Despite the windows being messed around with the yellow house is just gorgeous. I love the staircase tower with visible steps above the front door.

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  2. Love that frog sculpture...
    it would suit our meadow.
    It appears to be modelled on the little green tree frog.
    But...
    someone's stolen the window cleaner's ladder...
    he needs help!!

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  3. Although we missed Avallon, we did get to Auxerre and Autun. There is a Roman ampitheatre at Autun and on the day we were there is was 40 degrees. There is also a roman arch to the old city.

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  4. Ken, if you had to pick two spots to visit among these three -- Avallon, Auxerre, and Autun-- which would you pick? Leon, I think you probably hit the better two :) Depending on what you're looking for, of course :) I absolutely loved Autun, but not for the town, just for the famous Romanesque cathedral, and I'd feel the same about Auxerre. Avallon looks to have had a nice old section that I don't think that I appreciated when I went there with my au pair family for occasional visits.

    I missed commenting on your Vézelay post, Ken (more pressed for time lately), but what a shame that it was raining and you didn't get to go into the cathedral again. Still, I'm really enjoying reading about the trip you three (avec Walt et Callie!) took, because I know that you too often have to travel separately.

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    1. Judith

      Agree with you about Autun. Very interesting cathedral ( with its intricate porch) to visit as well as the Roman amphitheatre.

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    2. Judy, I liked Avallon but because it was rainy we didn't really see much. I've been to Auxerre numerous times -- Catherine's grandmother came from Auxerre, and we went there a few times back in the early 1980s. I haven't ever been to Autun but hope to one day. As for Vézelay, since we had been there before (20 years ago) and I had been there one time previously, we weren't too disappointed. These places are not too far, really, from Saint-Aignan, and we'll go back again one day.

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  5. That frog looks pretty smug about something. Pauline

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    1. I think the frog was enjoying the rainy weather.

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  6. Those Bourguignon towns always look neat as a pin -- a bit like towns in Touraine, I must say. My husband was born in Auxerre, which is truly a gorgeous small city.

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    1. Walt and I have talked about Auxerre as a possible location when the day comes to leave this house and the countryside. An apartment or small house without much of a garden to maintain might be nice. Auxerre is not far from Paris and it is beautiful. It's a lot bigger than Avallon.

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    2. You could certainly do worse than Auxerre, and the proximity to Paris would be a plus.

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