Semur-en-Auxois is a medieval city in the Côte-d’Or department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France.
In Semur-en-Auxois is an old medieval town built of pink granite and partly surrounded by the Armançon River. The river’s current was used for tanning and milling, but its current has been weakened by the Lac de Pont, a dam built upstream in the 19th century to supply water to the Canal de Burgundy.
The city is located in the largest of the four valleys forming the Pays d’Auxois (region), at the crossroads of the foothills of the Morvan, the plains of the Châtillonnais and the outskirts of the Autunois. Located on the departmental D 980 between Montbard and Saulieu, Semur-en-Auxois is an exit from the A6 motorway.
A medieval city in the heart of the Côte d’Or, on the banks of the Armançon, Semur was once a fortified city, and although the castle has now been largely dismantled, the high towers and main wall still remain and surround the city’s interior.Discover the medieval city of Semur, a dynamic city, its municipal museum, the Orle d’Or tower, the signposted route of the 3 enclosures, in particular thanks to the guided tours organized by the Tourist Office.
Access : Coordinates: 47.4914, 4.3336 / Semur-en-Auxois cannot be reached by train. However, Mobigo bus lines connect Semur-en-Auxois with Montbard and Dijon, which are located on high-speed rail lines, as well as with other cities.
Highlights :
- You can see Semur-en-Auxois by following the road guide “Sans les armes sur la piste du lion” available from the tourist office for 1.50 euros.
- The race of the ring : There was 38,39, in Semur-en-Auxois, in 1566, during the Pentecost fair, a “Race of the breeches” which was a foot race. The governor’s wife reportedly demanded his replacement with a horse race. It was created in 1639. In 1651, this new race received a prestigious prize: a gold ring. This race still takes place. In 2019, the municipality organized the 381st edition. It is run on the mall, a wide pedestrian alley on May 31 of each year. It brings together experienced riders, wearing the colors of owners and breeders in the region. Riders must cover a distance of 2,112 meters in a straight line on clay. The race of the Ring does not last more than two minutes.
- Every Sunday morning there is a small open-air market near the church.
- The citadel with four towers, including the most imposing one, the Orlet d’Or. It is 44 meters high and has 5 floors open to the public, including a museum, a library, a technology collection and a conference room.
- Top sights in Semur-en-Auxois : The Porte Sauvigny, a former city gate / Notre-Dame collegiate church: built in 1225, it was later modified many times, particularly in the 19th century under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. However, the facade dates from the 14th century. / The four surviving round towers of the former citadel fortifications / Tour de l’Orle d’Or , amedieval tower. / The old general hospital / The bridges over the Armançon (the Joly bridge, the Pinard bridge and the Minimes bridge) / Le château de Montille. / The castle of Semur-en-Auxois, also called Dungeon, was rebuilt in the 13th century. Despite its dismantling in the 17th century, urban architecture retains some notable traces of its existence / Municipal Theater / Museum and library Installed in the former Jacobin convent dating from the 17th century.
Go next : Lac de Pont , the favorite destination for artists from here and elsewhere,Lac de Pont, located just a few kilometers from Semur-en-Auxois / Époisses , a small village in Burgundy. It is famous for its eponymous cheese. / The Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay , listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
