--- title: "Croix de la Libération: How to Visit and What to See" description: "The Croix de la Libération stands on the summit of Mont Saint-Sébastien, a wooded hill just south of Autun, at 609 metres." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/croix-de-la-liberation-autun lang: en updated: 2026-10-08 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/croix-de-la-liberation-autun.png --- # Croix de la Libération > Croix de la Libération: a great stone cross raised in 1945 on a hill above Autun, with the widest view over the town. Croix de la Libération is in Autun (Saône-et-Loire), 49 min by road (56 km) from Beaune. Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour · Private driver from Beaune: €170 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. The Croix de la Libération stands on the summit of Mont Saint-Sébastien, a wooded hill just south of Autun, at 609 metres. Raised in 1945 to commemorate the Liberation, it looks over the whole town and, beyond it, the valleys and hills of the Morvan. It is one of the best viewpoints over Autun, reached by a short path from the road or on foot through the forest from Couhard. ## Key facts - Type: Heritage - Where: Autun · Saône-et-Loire - Location: 45 km west of Beaune · Saône-et-Loire - Coordinates: 46.9341, 4.2873 - 49 min from Beaune - Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour - Autun - Official website: [autun-tourisme.com](https://www.autun-tourisme.com/en/offers/la-croix-de-la-liberation-autun-en-3456725) - From Beaune: ≈ 49 min · 56 km - €170 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 49 min by road (56 km), €170 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History Autun was liberated on 9 September 1944 by French troops who had landed in Provence, the 2nd Dragoon Regiment, together with Resistance fighters of the FFI and the FTP. The following year a monumental cross was raised on Mont Saint-Sébastien, the hill from which the whole town can be seen, to commemorate the Liberation. A plaque on its base thanks the bishopric of Autun, which gave the cross to the town. The hill, one of the first summits of the Montjeu massif on the edge of the Morvan, is covered in forest, and today it is also a place for walks and outdoor sports. ## What you will see From the foot of the cross, the old town spreads out across the plain: the spire of the Cathédrale Saint-Lazare, the Tour des Ursulines and the line of the upper town, with the hills of the Morvan beyond. Marked trails lead down through the Montmain forest to the Brisecou waterfall and the Pierre de Couhard, the Roman pyramid on the hillside. The hill also has downhill mountain-bike runs and a take-off area for hang-gliding. ## Planning your visit A road climbs from the south of Autun towards the site, by the route de la Chicolle et de Montjeu, and a short path leads to the cross; access is free at all times. Allow 30 minutes for the view, or half a day on foot from Couhard through the forest. Choose a clear day, and wear shoes with a good grip for the paths. ## Did you know? A plaque on the cross quotes the Autun writer Paul Cazin, whose account of the battle for the town, published in 1946, ends with him looking down on Autun from this plateau and seeing 'the town saved'. ## Around Croix de la Libération What to combine with Croix de la Libération on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Maranges](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/maranges) (28 km away): Three villages on the last slopes of the Côte de Beaune, sharing one appellation for bright, fruity reds. ### Châteaux - [Château de Sully](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-sully) (17 km away): A moated Renaissance château where Marshal Mac-Mahon was born, still home to his family. - [Château de Morlet](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-morlet) (17 km away): A fortified manor near Épinac with a striking Renaissance gatehouse of 1584. - [Château d’Épinac](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-d-epinac) (18 km away): Nicolas Rolin's castle above the Drée valley, which gave its name to the town of Épinac. ### Things to do - [Remparts d’Autun et tour des Ursulines](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/remparts-d-autun-tour-des-ursulines) (1 km away): Six kilometres of Roman walls, two thirds still standing, ending at a medieval tower crowned by the Virgin. - [Saint-Lazare Cathedral, Autun (Cathédrale Saint-Lazare d’Autun)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/cathedrale-saint-lazare-autun), 2 km away: A Romanesque cathedral whose Last Judgement portal, signed by the sculptor Gislebertus, survived under plaster. - [Couhard Stone (Pierre de Couhard)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/pierre-de-couhard-autun), 2 km away: A mysterious Roman pyramid on the hillside above Autun, with a wide view over the town. ## Questions about Croix de la Libération ### How far is Croix de la Libération from Beaune? Croix de la Libération is about 49 min from Beaune by road (56 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €170 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Croix de la Libération take? For the visit, allow 30 minutes to 1 hour. ### When is Croix de la Libération open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (autun-tourisme.com) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Croix de la Libération? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:croixliberation): €170 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - --- Canonical page: