Rachel's visit Auxerre to Sens

Rachel on Quercy at Sens

We said a fold goodbye to Rachel yesterday who had been with us for 4 days when we cruised down the Yonne towards the Seine from Auxerre to Sens.

Sens Railway Station at 4.30pm French time - one hour ahead.
She will be in London at 8.30pm London time.

Sens Cathedral the 'first' Gothic Cathedral. 

Modern altar and font in Sens Cathedral

Sens Cathedral was one of the loveliest Cathedrals we have visited.  We also enjoyed the museum that is housed in the adjacent former Palace of Archbishops.  Interesting prehistory, Metal Age and Roman collections as well as ancient textiles.




We have found River cruising quite different from the canals.  Large towns are more frequent.  Between Auxerre and Sens are: Migennes, Joigny, and Villneuve sur Yonne. The locks are bigger, and as we approach the area surrounding Paris the countryside seems slightly less remote and there are more modern industrial buildings. Although we have seen large old working barges moored up, we suspect these are live aboard boats rather that commercial vessels.

In the Crypt at Abbey of Saint Germain d'Auxerre

When you arrive in Auxerre by boat three churches sit impressively on raised ground on the west bank of the River Yonne.  To the North is the Abbey of Saint Germain d'Auxerre, now housing art exhibitions, a museum, cloisters and the crypt (above) where empty sarcophagi as well as the foundations of earlier phases of the building are visible beneath your feet.

Next it the Cathedral St Etienne, where you can also visit a crypt.

Auxerre Cathedral

Followed by Eglise St Pierre.  All of these churches are really quite similar in their construction so you can easily get them mixed up!