Croix de la Libération
A great stone cross raised in 1945 on a hill above Autun, with the widest view over the town.
- Heritage site
- 49 min from Beaune
- Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Autun
€170one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- autun-tourisme.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 49 min by road (56 km), €170 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
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.
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.
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.
Planning your visit
Tips for 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.
Around here
What to combine with Croix de la Libération on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
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.
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'.
Sources
Croix de la Libération with a private driver
€170 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests