Noyers

Noyers is a medieval village in Burgundy with defensive structures, half-timbered houses, and stone buildings arranged along cobblestone streets beside the Serein River. The settlement features a dense network of lanes with thick stone walls, timber framing, 19 towers for defense, and a church located apart from the main residential area.

The settlement was founded as a fortification in the 11th century at a strategically important location and later suffered partial destruction during conflicts in the 14th century. Following this period, it remained a hub for trade and residence, with the church being constructed later during the Renaissance period.

The village reflects how ordinary people once lived and worked through its layout and the objects displayed in its museums. The way streets, houses, and markets function today shows how those old traditions still shape daily life here.

The village is best explored on foot, with paths winding through narrow lanes and around the defensive towers, and orientation is easy thanks to the riverside location and the church. Markets occur regularly during autumn months offering local products, but the architecture and street layout reward exploration at any time of year.

The Notre-Dame church stands deliberately outside the fortified settlement and displays late Gothic architecture with detailed carved figures built between the late 1400s and early 1500s. This spatial separation reflected common practice of the time, keeping sacred spaces physically distant from defensive structures.

Location: canton of Noyers

Location: Yonne

Location: arrondissement of Avallon

Elevation above the sea: 232 m

Shares border with: Grimault, Annay-sur-Serein, Censy, Fresnes, Jouancy, Moulins-en-Tonnerrois, Nitry, Sainte-Vertu, Sambourg

Phone: +33386828372

Email: mairie-de-noyers@wanadoo.fr

Website: http://noyers-en-bourgogne.com

GPS coordinates: 47.69694,3.99389

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:01