If you look at the city of Avalon (or Avallon) on the map of Europe, it is easy to see that it is located almost in the center of France . More precisely - in the heart of Burgundy, one hundred kilometers west of Dijon and almost a couple of hundred to the east of Orleana . And if you assume that Avalon is the most provincial city, you will be absolutely right . There are never many guests here: the town stands far from the main tourist routes . And few travelers usually find themselves here through, for example, following from people in Dijon on the car . Therefore, those who are looking for shine and gloss, there is nothing to offer the city . But if you are interested in real life in a sleepy French outback, you definitely will like it here .
How to get to Avalon
The city is located on the Paris-Lyon railway line. On your own car you can get here on the highway A6. In addition, you can get here by bus, for example, by the National Express from Paris
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- Go to the Bar le Relax on Lyonska Street. It's usually served by local business people, so there are always enough local people in the cafe, but this is the best guarantee of quality.
- Visit the "terrace of Vauban" - a pedestrian zone with a balustrade in the center of Avalon - and stroll along the "Capuchin path" - a tree-lined avenue north of the center.
A bit of history
This little town with the legendary name straight from the legends of the Knights of the Round Table is located on a rocky hill, to the right and to the left of which, in the gorges made by the Cusen River, the picturesque valley . Romantic historians, based on the name, try to tie the town to the biography of King Arthur, but there is no serious evidence of communication between them . First there lived the Gauls, then - the Romans, in the 5th century - Burgundians and in the same century, but later - Franks . And then the town was constantly under those, then under these masters, but as a nondescript postal station of special interest for none of them represented .
In the Middle Ages a castle was erected at this place, which made it center of the same county, later became part of the Burgundy Duchy. At the very beginning of the 10th century, the castle was besieged and captured by the French king, and finally Avalon, together with a substantial piece of Burgundy, left for the French in the second half of the 15th century.
I must say that, despite all the possible vicissitudes of history and the current population of plus or minus 8000 people, for Burgundy Avalon is still quite a large city . True, the center can be walked around on foot for an hour or two . But it will be more than a pleasant walk . Day in the streets there is almost no one, and the restless tourist will solely own cobblestone cobblestone streets and lovely views of medieval houses with turrets under the roof-cones . The peak of revival comes in the city, of course, on Saturday morning, when on the square General de Gaulle, a farmer's market opens with honey from the Morvan forests, local cheeses and wine from Osoa .
Avalon's entertainment, excursions and attractions
The Late Church of Saint-Lazare was built in the 12th century on the site of an earlier building dedicated to Our Lady, which dates back to the 5th century. From the church you can go down to the crypt that has been preserved since then. The church tower was rebuilt later, in the 17th century. Two wooden doors of the church are decorated with very interesting carvings depicting zodiac symbols, the daily works of local residents and immediately - the horsemen of the Apocalypse. The nave of the church is also decorated with ornaments and reliefs.
The watch tower of the 11th century is remarkable, which, according to medieval tradition, was also a kind of gate under which the central street was erected . Today the second floor of the tower houses the museum of the history of the region, and the street connects the central square with the old quarters . In addition, it is worth exploring the remains of medieval fortifications, including the seven turrets . The ruins of the city wall with gates dating back to the 15th century . The town hall in the main square was built in the 18th century and can also seem remarkable, like the old town St Martin's Abbey with a church in the suburbs of Avalon: the interior of the church attracts interesting stained-glass windows .
Avalon, among other things, can be considered a gateway to the Morvan National Reserve, whose vast areas of 173,000 hectares begin immediately south of the city . Therefore, for lovers of nature, the city can serve as an excellent base in the study of this amazing protected area of forests, lakes and traditional farms. Slightly more than 30 kilometers of direct road is separated from Avalon from Saint-Brisson, where the main center for visitors to the natural park is located. Here is one of the six museums in the reserve, Ecomuse Morvan.
in 2013. And very close to St. Brinson and also 30 km from Avalon in Morvan, there is an ancient Benedictine abbey where up to Nowadays there are monks who make famous cheese and clay products. The monastery was founded in 1850, and 13 years later a beautiful facade was added to it. Today you can see an unusual combination of modern architecture with old high granite walls and stained-glass windows, and in the store at the monastery buy food, books and music.
Another exciting route from Avalon runs west to Abbey Wezle . It is located in the same town about 15 kilometers from Avalon . Abbey is definitely considered one of the real treasures of Burgundy . The building was made of sandstone color coffee with milk in the 9th century under de Roussillon . Monastery dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and it was even claimed that it was here that she was buried . In 1120 g . the fire destroyed the building along with a lot of pilgrims, but during the subsequent centuries of construction restored , and in 1215 g . to the inte The Roman-Gothic choirs and the transept . were added to the renaissance. The wars and revolutions of the last centuries also severely damaged the abbey, but the building was again saved in the 9th century . Today its interior decoration is still striking: the carvings of the arches and columns of the main entrance and the naves basilicas are a true masterpiece .