Jully combines a church, Château history and forest landscapes. The Église paroissiale de l'Assomption stands in the hamlet of La Maine; the Forêt domaniale de Jully comprises two forest districts four kilometres apart. When planning a stay, you can organise the themes according to your interests: architectural and church history on the one hand, and the forest landscape in a village with five hamlets on the other. Jully thus offers a variety of points of interest – from the parish church’s location to the history of the Château and the layout of the forest.

The parish church in the hamlet of La Maine

The Église paroissiale de l'Assomption was built in 1830 and stands at the northern end of the hamlet of La Maine. The cemetery grounds and a small tree-lined square are right next to it. This makes it possible to place the church not only by its name but also by its precise location in the hamlet. Its construction date, location and surroundings together provide a concrete starting point for exploring Jully’s history. The tree-lined square and cemetery grounds are distinct features alongside the church building and give the place a clear spatial setting.

Château de Jully: former estate and surviving fragment

The grounds of the Château de Jully included several buildings, a chapel, a terrace, orchards and meadows. The former estate was therefore more than a single building: its buildings were accompanied by both religious and open spaces. All that remains of the Château itself is a partly ruined section of a building, constructed over a vaulted cellar. Its history also includes a planned religious use. Saint Bernard asked for the Château to be designated for a convent for women under the authority of Molesmes Abbey. The Château traces thus bring together the former extent of the estate and its intended monastic history.

The wayside cross and its depiction

The wayside cross at the Château de Jully also has a story of its own. It was erected and blessed in 1945 and stands to the right of the former Château de Jully. It depicts Christ on the cross, with Saint Bernard and Saint Hombeline at his feet. The wayside cross is thus defined both by its location and by the figures depicted. It is clearly distinct from the parish church: the focus of the cross is a single work featuring named figures, while the church’s construction date and location are its key points of reference. Visitors interested in sacred art will find the depiction on the cross a distinctive feature alongside the architectural history.

Forest districts and hamlets

The forest has a different spatial layout. The Forêt domaniale de Jully comprises two forest districts four kilometres apart. It lies at the heart of a village spread across five hamlets: Jully-les-Forges, Jully-la-Loge, Jully-Frace, Jully-la-Folie and Jully-la-Maine. These names make the village’s layout tangible, while the forest districts remain distinguishable by their own names and the distance between them. If you plan to include the forest landscape in your itinerary, check local paths and access conditions before travelling. The Canton du Chagnet borders a larger forest area made up of public and private woods. A wolf was recently seen there. Check current local wildlife information if you wish to take this into account when planning.

Discover more destinations: Sainpuits, Quarré-Les-Tombes, La Belliole, Coulanges-La-Vineuse, Villeneuve-Sur-Yonne, Villeneuve-L'archevêque, Ancy-Le-Franc, Merry-Sec

For the wider travel overview: Yonne.