For a trip to Nailly, the village’s history offers more than a glimpse of historic buildings: alongside the Church of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Urbain and the Château de Bois-le-Roi, the Ru des Salles stream and former vineyards recall other aspects of the past. A designated hiking trailhead adds practical guidance for walking. If you are considering a visit to the Château, check visiting arrangements in advance.
Church and Processional Cross
The Church of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Urbain in Nailly is dedicated to Saint Peter and placed under the patronage of Saint Urban. It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries on the site of a 12th-century building. Those interested in religious architecture can place Nailly’s church within a history spanning several centuries, rather than associating it with a single date of construction.
One object connects the church with a history reaching beyond Nailly: the processional cross from Saint-Pierre et Saint-Urbain. Its front is decorated with silver-gilt foliage on a black niello ground. After 1906, the cross entered the treasury of Sens Cathedral, where it remains. Its connection with the church in Nailly and its location in Sens are two different aspects of the same object’s history.
Château de Bois-le-Roi
Several periods of construction come together at the Château de Bois-le-Roi. Most of it dates from the time of Louis XIII; individual buildings date from between the 15th and 18th centuries. By decree of 5 October 1981, the façades and roofs were listed as historic monuments. This protection therefore applies specifically to those elements, while the building’s history places the estate across several periods.
The Château stands in a 3-hectare park and is surrounded by dry moats. Thus, the park and moats, as well as the architecture, form part of the estate’s description. If you are planning a visit, check visiting arrangements in advance.
Landscape Traces and Hiking Trailhead
The Ru des Salles stream recalls the existence of a château in Nailly that has now completely disappeared. The village’s history therefore includes not only named buildings, but also the memory of a château that no longer exists.
Viticulture is part of the landscape’s former use: in the past, Nailly had up to 120 hectares of vineyards. This historical scale adds the area’s former agricultural use to the story of its church and château.
For hiking, the municipality designates a starting point at a playground near the school. Before setting out, check the signposting and current trail conditions. This lets you take the named starting point into account when planning and orient yourself according to the conditions on site.
Discover more destinations: Diges, Irancy, Jussy, VĂ©zelay, VĂ©zinnes, Champs-Sur-Yonne, Andryes, Cravant
For the broader travel overview: Yonne.
