The Morvan, Burgundy, May 2008 (1): Culture in Vézelay & Saint-Père

The view south from the top of the "eternal hill" at Vézelay

Heading south-west from Forêt d'Orient, the wet weather stayed with us all the way to Burgundy. A couple of hours drive across country took us through lovely scenery, Chaource village (don't forget to stop for the fantastic local cheese) then across the border into the Yonne department and the town of Chablis. Here we saw some sun and stopped for a glass of the local produce, followed by a wander round some of the many cellars for tasting. A stop at the Domiane Vocoret cellar on the D235 on the way west out of town saw us pick up a case of their Forêt Premier Cru.

After an enjoyable but showery exploration of Auxerre's cathedral and riverside, we headed for the ancient town of Vézelay on the edge of the Morvan Regional Nature Park. Founded in the ninth century with a monastery atop a prominent hill with inspiring views, the town lies on a major pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.
Looking up to the monastery & basilica at Vézelay
(photo by Heather)

In the tenth century, the town's monks brought relics of Mary Magdalene to the town from southern France, leading to a further influx of pilgrims that continues to this day despite the fact that later discoveries in southern France undermined Vézelay's position as Europe's main Magdalen shrine. In the magnificent Basilica of St Magdalene, built in the 11th century, you can visit the crypt where the Vézelay relics still reside. The town and the basilica are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Basilica of St Magdalene (Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madelaine), formerly Vézelay Abbey: on the left the exterior facing the town, on the right the beautiful Romanesque nave.

The town itself sits around the foot of the hill and winds its way to the top along narrow streets often thronged with visitors during the day. If you are just visiting, it is definitely best to park at the bottom! My Alfa 156 scraped its way up to the top and our hotel, the charming Les Glycines.

Downhill along Rue des Écoles, Vézelay

As the afternoon draws on and the buses depart, the town quietens considerably, leaving just those staying overnight to enjoy the evening views and some good restaurants. From our two nights here, we can recommend the food and service at the Hôtel de la Poste et du Lion d'Or - especially the local cheese board! They have a well-priced set menu.


Vézelay made a great base to explore the north of the Regional Nature Park - more on that in the next post. But, continuing the theme of history and culture, the nearby village of Saint-Père (sometimes written as Saint-Père-sous-Vézelay) and a local archaeological site are well worth a visit.

In 1934, whilst searching for the potential site of King Arthur's battle at Valbeton along the River Cure, Professor René Louis discovered a ruined Celtic temple and Gallo-Roman baths on the same site, both linked to the heavily salted mineral springs found here and known today as Les Fontaines Salées. The use of the site goes back to Neolithic times as a place of worship and one of the most important healing sanctuaries in Gaul.

The Roman baths at Les Fontaines Salées, with the water channels (above)

and remnant suspended floor (below right) still clearly visible

The oak 'pipes' used to create the wells were hollowed out by fire and date to around 3000BC. As well enjoying the soothing properties of the water, the site users collected the high salt content through evaporation for food preservation and tanning. But whilst the slow bubbles clearly visible in at least one well were presumed by the Celts to be the spirit of the Gods, today we know it is in fact natural helium gas. A handpump is located on one well so you can taste the water - I can't recommend it (left)!

This is a peaceful and well-cared for site, with good interpretation and maps (albeit in French). We were the only visitors on a Thursday afternoon. The River Cure flows lazily nearby, bordered by an avenue of tall poplars. The site is also a haven for wildlife: in addition to the numerous Marsh Frogs that were sunbathing in the springs (below, photo by Heather) and Common Lizards bathing on the stonework, a Golden Oriole was singing from the adjacent wood and a Black Woodpecker swooped between mature trees.

The nearby village of Saint-Père has a small museum that houses all the finds from the site - mainly ceramics, coins, jewelry, statuettes and religious offerings - since excavation began in 1935 and is worth a quick stop after your visit to the site. The village's gothic church dates from the thirteenth century, has a 50m high bell tower and also merits a look.