One of the most beautiful towns in Burgundy lies to the west of Avallon. This is Vézelay, a medieval town and UNESCO world heritage site on what is known as the ‘eternal hill’. It was from here that the Crusades set off in the 12thC for the Holy Land lead by Richard the Lionheart. Pilgrims still gather there today to embark along the road to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

At the heart of the town is the Basilica Sainte Madeleine, one of the most magnificent examples of Romanesque-Gothic architecture you will find anywhere. If you visit at midday, you can sit and listen to the monks and nuns chanting as the light pours in.

Visit the town at sundown in summer and the buildings take on a honey-glow. Throughout the year there are concerts of religious music in the Basilica, and a steady flow of tourists enjoy the ambience of the little town. Up the steep incline, the shops are a mix of religious artefacts and chic boutiques; tourist cafes and restaurants are interspersed with art galleries.

This is the place to take visiting friends and relatives. From the ramparts there are views across the countryside over the river Cure to the Morvan National Park.The villages around Vézelay such as Asquins, Domecy-sur-Cure, Pontaubert and Vault-de-Lugny are the places to look for your home.

Below Vézelay is the little village of St Père-sous-Vézelay with its famous restaurant - Marc Meneau’s L’Espérance. Drive a little further and you find one of the most fascinating archaeological remains in Burgundy: Les Fontaines Salées. This natural sulphur and helium spring still bubbles away as they have over the centuries and you can see the remains of the Roman thermal baths.

 

South of Vézelay is the Morvan National Park, a wooded region teaming with wild life and interesting flora and fauna. Leisure activities include white water rafting and kayaking, walking, riding and birdwatching. Here too you will find Château de Bazoches. Visitors will enjoy the décor but there is the added interest for the guys; this originally was the home of military strategist, Marshal Vauban, someone little known outside of France, and the great hall was his ‘ops’ room.