--- title: "Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre: How to Visit and What to See" description: "The church of Saint-Pierre stands in the old winegrowers' quarter of Auxerre, near the river Yonne." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/eglise-saint-pierre-auxerre lang: en updated: 2026-10-08 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/eglise-saint-pierre-auxerre.png --- # Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre > Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre: the winegrowers' church of Auxerre, with a flamboyant tower, a classical façade and a Renaissance gateway inspired by Naples. Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre is in Auxerre (Yonne), 1 h 51 by road (167 km) from Beaune. Allow 30 minutes · Private driver from Beaune: €415 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. The church of Saint-Pierre stands in the old winegrowers' quarter of Auxerre, near the river Yonne. Paid for by the winegrowers of the parish, it combines a Gothic body, a 16th-century tower and a façade of stacked classical orders. You reach it through the carved Renaissance gateway of the abbey that once stood here. ## Key facts - Type: Abbeys & churches - Where: Auxerre · Yonne - Location: 130 km north-west of Beaune · Yonne - Coordinates: 47.7948, 3.5748 - 1 h 51 from Beaune - Allow 30 minutes - Auxerre - Nearby: [Saint-Bris](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/saint-bris) - Official website: [auxerre.fr](https://www.auxerre.fr/leglise-saint-pierre) - From Beaune: ≈ 1 h 51 · 167 km - €415 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) - Or add it to our [long-day wine tour, €880](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/long-day). ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 1 h 51 by road (167 km), €415 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 A church dedicated to Saint Peter has stood on this spot since at least the 6th century, outside the Roman walls of the town. It was later served by canons, and around 1170 the bishop turned the community into an abbey, Saint-Pierre-en-Vallée, to distinguish it from another Saint-Pierre inside the walls. One building of the abbey survives, with its chapter house, and is now used by a community arts centre. The present church dates mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries. The square tower, in flamboyant Gothic style, was begun in 1530 or soon after, and in the 17th century the parishioners took charge of rebuilding the church. Its façade, with three classical orders set one above the other, still shows the influence of the Renaissance. The church and the abbey gateway were on the 1862 list of historic monuments. ## What you will see Enter from rue Joubert through the abbey gateway, probably built around 1530 to 1540 and inspired by the triumphal gate of the Castel Nuovo in Naples. Its two figures are Ceres and Noah, a pairing of myth and Bible typical of the Renaissance, and apt for a winegrowers' quarter. Inside the church, look for the statues of Saint Vincent and Saint Cartaud, patron saints of the quarter's two main trades, the winegrowers and the butchers. The vessel is almost 59 metres long, with vaults more than 20 metres high. ## Planning your visit Allow about 30 minutes. Saint-Pierre is near the bottom of rue Joubert, close to rue du Pont and the quays of the Yonne, about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune, and a few minutes' walk from the clock tower and the cathedral. It is a parish church, so please be discreet during services. Ask the Auxerre tourist office for opening times. ## Did you know? The abbey gateway shows Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest, beside Noah, the first man in the Bible to plant a vine. ## Around Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre What to combine with Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Saint-Bris](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/saint-bris) (8 km away): Burgundy's Sauvignon village, built over a maze of medieval cellars. - [Irancy](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/irancy) (11 km away): The red wine village of the Yonne, set in a bowl of vines and cherry trees. - [Chablis](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/chablis) (17 km away): Burgundy's northern outpost, where Chardonnay grows on fossil-rich limestone above the river Serein. ### Châteaux - [Château de Maligny](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-maligny) (16 km away): A castle above the Serein north of Chablis, whose name lives on in the Durup family's wines. - [Château Long-Depaquit](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-long-depaquit) (17 km away): An 18th-century château in the heart of Chablis, home of the grand cru La Moutonne. - [Château de Béru](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-beru) (23 km away): A family château above the Chablis vineyards, with a rare sundial and moon dial, and biodynamic wines. ### Things to do - [Saint-Étienne Cathedral, Auxerre (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne d’Auxerre)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/cathedrale-saint-etienne-auxerre), 1 km away: A Gothic cathedral above the Yonne, with 13th-century glass and a rare painting of Christ on horseback. - [Auxerre Old Town and Clock Tower (Auxerre, tour de l’Horloge et vieille ville)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/auxerre-old-town), 1 km away: Half-timbered streets, a medieval clock that tracks the moon, and church spires above the river Yonne. - [Église Saint-Eusèbe d’Auxerre](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/eglise-saint-eusebe-auxerre) (1 km away): A church on the site of a 7th-century monastery, with a Romanesque bell tower and a bright Renaissance choir of stained glass. ### Events - **The weekend before Christmas.** · [Marché du Réveillon](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/marche-du-reveillon-saint-bris-le-vineux): A Christmas food market held in the medieval cellars beneath Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. (Christmas · Saint-Bris-le-Vineux) - **A weekend in January, close to the feast of Saint Vincent on 22 January.** · [Saint-Vincent de Chitry](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/saint-vincent-de-chitry): Chitry honours Saint Vincent with a parade, mulled wine for all and a Sunday of tastings. (Tradition · Chitry) - **Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 May 2027 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Fleurs de Vigne](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/fleurs-de-vigne-auxerre): The wine festival of the Yonne, held on the Auxerre quays as the vines come into flower. (Wine festival · Auxerre) - **A long weekend in late August.** · [Rues Barrées](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/rues-barrees-auxerre): Three days of free street theatre, circus and dance in the old streets of Auxerre. (Culture · Auxerre) ## Questions about Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre ### How far is Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre from Beaune? Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre is about 1 h 51 from Beaune by road (167 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €415 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre take? For the visit, allow 30 minutes. ### When is Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (auxerre.fr) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Église Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre? 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. → [Long-day wine tour, €880](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/long-day) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:stpierreauxerre): €415 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - --- Canonical page: