How to Take a Day Trip From Paris to Auxerre (Burgundy)
auxerre, FRANCE
Visiting Auxerre as a Day Trip from Paris
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is auxerre worth visiting
What We Thought of Auxerre and Whether or Not Auxerre is Worth Visiting
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how to get from paris to auxerre
Taking the train from Paris to Auxerre
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how much time you’ll need in auxerre
Spending the Day in Auxerre
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things to do and see in auxerre
The Best Things to Do and See On Your Day Trip to Auxerre
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where and what to eat in auxerre
Where We Ate Lunch in Auxerre and What We Ordered
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Bonjour!
If this is your first time on The Weithouse - welcome! My name is Taylor and I’m the girl behind the screen and camera bringing you resources to help you plan the trip of your dreams.
In January of 2022, my husband and I left our home in Atlanta, packed our bags and moved to Paris! Every day we wake up in disbelief that we get to call this incredible city our home, a city full of rich history, world-renowned food, and beauty hidden around every corner.
In this Paris to Auxerre Day Trip Guide we will give you all the information you need to plan a day trip from Paris to the city of Auxerre.
Bon voyage!
Auxerre, france
If exploring beautiful cathedrals is your ideal day, then a day trip from Paris to Auxerre is sure to bring you joy. Auxerre is the fourth-largest city in the Burgundy region of France. Auxerre is bursting with history, with a handful of stunning churches to visit, cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses and a beautiful clock tower in the town’s center.
The city itself is also situated along the river Yonne where you can see reflections of the churches of Auxerre and sit along the water on a warm and sunny day.
The Paris to Auxerre train takes just under two hours, allowing for a full day of exploring Auxerre and grabbing a bite to eat before heading back to Paris.
Is auxerre Worth Visiting?
If you’re wondering whether or not Auxerre is worth visiting, it depends on your interests and how much you’ve traveled in France. Living in Paris, we’ve had the opportunity to travel all over France and had yet been to the Burgundy region. So when a friend said she was going for the weekend, we decided to join her for one day just to get out of the city.
If you’re interested in visiting the Burgundy region, or have a love for French cathedrals, then Auxerre is definitely worth visiting. However, if you’re short on time in France, or if you haven’t explored some of Paris’ other popular day trip destinations such as Chantilly, Giverny or Versailles, we recommend visiting those first.
HOW TO GET from Paris to auxerre
Auxerre is a great day trip from Paris by train, as it’s just under the two hour train journey (anything over that might be hard to do as a day trip). The fastest train from Paris to Auxerre is 1h30m, however all direct trains fall under the two-hour time journey. The trains are also direct, meaning you don’t have to make any connections on the journey.
The direct and fastest trains from Paris to Auxerre leave from Paris Bercy Bourgogne-Pays d’Auvergne train station. It’s a 20-minute walk from the Auxerre-St-Gervais train station to the center of Auxerre. Book your Paris-Auxerre train tickets.
how much time you’ll need in auxerre
As this is a day trip guide to Auxerre, you can obviously spend a day visiting the city. We spent roughly 7 hours exploring the cathedrals of Auxerre, having lunch and sitting along the river before catching our train back to Paris.
things to do in auxerre
The main thing we did while in Auxerre was explore the beautiful cathedrals the city has to offer, so that will be the focus of our guide. However, Auxerre is in the heart of the Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) region and is also a famous destination for visiting vineyards and trying the regional wine.
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d'Auxerre
We started our cathedral hopping in tour in Auxerre with a visit to Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d'Auxerre. The cathedral can be seen from the river when walking from the train station, and is impressive both inside and out.
Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre
The second stop on our cathedral tour in Auxerre was to the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre. The Abbey opened in 1398 and was a former Benedictine monastery.
You could spend hours exploring the abbey, which includes a church, crypts, and even a museum of art and history. We spent our time strolling through the glowing church and wandering through the dark crypt.
Église Saint-Pierre d'Auxerre
The final stop on our cathedral tour in Auxerre was the Église Saint-Pierre d'Auxerre. The church was once a former abbey built between 1530-1540, and the interior is a stunning blend of white stone and dark wooden ornamental features and chairs.
walk through the old streets and see the bell tower
We actually started our day in Auxerre by meeting our friend at the Bell Tower, which sits slap in the middle of the old town of Auxerre. The Bell Tower was built in the 15th century and on it’s facade has an astronomical clock. The clock is surrounded by local boutiques, boulangeries and bookstores and is a great area of the city to explore upon arrival (especially if you need a little snack)!
sit along the river
Auxerre sits along the Yonne River, which you’ll walk across as you’re coming from the train station to the center of town. When we visited Auxerre in May, the weather was perfect for grabbing a spot along the river and enjoying the sunshine as we people watched.
Where and What to Eat in Auxerre
During our day trip to Auxerre, we had lunch at Restaurant Au Grandgousier, where we tried some of the local/regional cuisine. We ordered the beef bourguignon which was absolutely delicious. And of course, be sure to try the Burgundy wines if you drink!
STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE
Looking for other Paris day trip inspiration?
If you need more Paris day trip inspiration, you can find a roundup of our favorite day trip destinations in this Easy Day Trips from Paris by Train guide, or check out our day trip guides to Chantilly, France or Fontainebleau, France.
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In this Paris Day Trip Guide: Château de Chantilly, we’re sharing all the details of what you can do during your time in Chantilly, including touring Europe’s largest horse stables, the largest collection of antique paintings in France after the Louvre, a stunning Chateau and extensive grounds to spend the day in. Only 20-minutes outside of Paris by train, read more to discover all that Chantilly has to offer.