Forest trails, a mill tower with medieval origins and a church featuring a variety of architectural elements: Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche brings together landscape and local history in a compact area. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between trails through the commune and the individual historic buildings.
Forest and trails in Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche
Forest shapes the landscape: 28 percent of the commune is wooded. Long-distance hiking trails also pass through Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche. Footpaths connect the hamlets and provide safe, environmentally friendly routes to the town centre.
The Coulée verte crosses the commune and is suitable for walking, cycling and running. Near the town centre is the Chemin de Celle. It is suitable for family walks, bike rides and jogging. Alongside the long-distance trails, there are therefore routes with explicitly stated everyday and recreational uses to choose from.
Forest route and traces of the old railway
The “Evasion en forêt” route leaves the town centre and quickly reaches the forest. It follows the GR 13 long-distance trail into the forests of La Sinelle, then heads to the heights above Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche and back to the Ru de Baulche. Check the route’s current status before setting out.
Visitors can also discover the former route of the Tacot along the trail. This metre-gauge railway connected Auxerre to Joigny via Charbuy and Perrigny, with connections to Fleury and Aillant. This historic link gives the trail an additional local connection, without implying that the route today follows the entire railway line.
Another natural landmark is the ChĂŞne de Saint-Marien, a remarkable oak estimated to be about 500 years old. It can be reached via the GR 13 and a forest path. The age is an estimate; it makes the tree a special destination for anyone looking to combine nature and local history.
Church and historic buildings
The church of Saint-Georges was probably built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Its composite style brings together Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical elements. Inside is a remarkable statue of Saint George, on which traces of polychromy are still visible. The different styles and surviving traces of colour are among the church’s distinctive details.
The Tour de Celle was built in 1576 and was probably the tower of the first windmill in Saint-Georges-sur-Baulche. It stands on the site of the vanished Abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Celles, whose origins date back to the 13th century. The windmill associated with the tower was in operation until the 1850s. This allows several periods to be distinguished: the medieval abbey, the construction of the tower in the 16th century and the later operation of the mill.
The Château de Billy is also part of the town’s architectural history: from 1902, it was extensively remodelled by the Poterat de Billy family. The Priory, in turn, is a 17th-century building dating from the reign of Louis XIII. Together with the church and the Tour de Celle, these buildings illustrate different chapters of local history, without needing to be combined into a single sightseeing route.
Discover more destinations: Treigny, Chemilly-Sur-Yonne, Vézelay, Villefargeau, Chemilly-Sur-Serein, Mailly-Le-Château, Savigny-sur-Clairis, Villeneuve-la-Guyard.
For the broader travel overview: Yonne.
