Mélisey combines a specific hiking connection with the building history and architecture of Saint-Aventin Church. This gives you two distinct points of focus when planning your trip: the GR 654 as a walking route and Saint-Aventin as a cultural and historical landmark. If you are looking for a holiday rental, you can first consider which interest you want to shape your stay.

The GR 654 and its regional route

The GR 654 from Mélisey forms part of the Namur–Vézelay pilgrimage route. In the Yonne département, the section runs for 134 kilometres from the Aube at Mélisey in the Tonnerrois to the area near Fontenay-près-Vézelay. The Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre is responsible for the route section from Mélisey to Auxerre. The 134 kilometres refer to the route in the Yonne département; responsibility applies to the Mélisey–Auxerre section. This means that a regional route framework and a specifically managed section sit side by side. Route management and conditions can change; check the latest route information before your hike.

Saint-Aventin: building history and architecture

Saint-Aventin Church was built between the fourth quarter of the 15th century and the first quarter of the 16th century. Its porch was destroyed in the fire of 1663. The year of the fire therefore concerns a specific structural element, while the longer period refers to the construction of the church. Saint-Aventin is listed as protected cultural heritage; the protection order is dated 4 October 1967. The construction period, fire and protection date place the church in three distinct historical contexts.

The architecture can also be distinguished by specific structural elements. Two portals have Doric pilasters; there are also two stone altarpieces, one in the Ionic order and the other in the Composite order. Pilasters are flat, wall-attached pillars. At Saint-Aventin, they are associated with the two portals, while the Ionic and Composite orders characterize one altarpiece each. This allows you to consider the church’s historical setting and its different architectural features as two ways into its cultural history.

A private house on the route to Santiago

The private house “l'échoppe du sabotier” is in Mélisey, on the route to Santiago de Compostela. The name can be understood as “the clog-maker’s workshop” and adds a craft element. Alongside the GR 654 and its connection to the Namur–Vézelay pilgrimage route, this adds another named pilgrimage-route connection. The GR 654 is part of the Namur–Vézelay route; the house is on the route to Santiago.

Hiking or cultural history as a focus

When planning, you can choose between the regional route connection of the GR 654 and the cultural and historical focus around Saint-Aventin. For the route, its course through the Yonne département and current trail conditions are important points of reference. For the church, the construction period, the fire that destroyed the porch, the protection date and the architecture take centre stage. The private house adds the Santiago connection. If you are looking for a holiday rental, first decide which of these themes matters most to you during your stay, and tailor your search accordingly.

Discover more destinations: Mailly-Le-Château, Appoigny, Vergigny, Aillant-Sur-Tholon, Maillot, Villeneuve-la-Guyard, Lucy-sur-Yonne, Périgny.

For the main travel overview: Yonne.