The history of the knight monks on this land is preserved in the heritage of Aube in Champagne,

The Commandery of Avalleur: Located on a plateau, the Commandery of Avalleur dominates the plain of the seigneury of Bar-sur-Seine. The charter of its foundation disappeared in the 17th century, but handwritten sources mention numerous donations, sources of enrichment of the Templar domain, during the 12th and 13th centuries …

Temple Forest – Templar Hike

The Orient Forest, in the heart of the Regional Natural Park of the same name, makes up part of the mythology woven around the Order of the Temple. It includes a territory of 1,200 hectares bought by the Knights Templar in 1255 – the large forest estate the Knights Templar possessed in the West.

The Clairvaux Cistercian Abbey

This Cistercian abbey, founded in the 12th century by Saint Bernard, is a French masterpiece of monastic architecture. This famous abbey was transformed into a prison by Napoleon … Located about fifty kilometers from Troyes, in the commune of Ville-sous-La-Ferté, Clairvaux Abbey is where the rule of life of the Order of the Temple was reflected upon and codified.

St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral

Built over the course of more than 400 years, the cathedral contains a remarkable treasure trove, constituted starting in 1204 (the Crusader’s pillage of Constantinople). It includes an exceptional set of reliquaries (including the partial skull of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux), relics, enamels, and metalsmith works, such as a Byzantine box in purple ivory (11th century) and purses of the Counts of Champagne (13th – 14th century)

Museum of the Hugues de Payns Templars

In the Seine Valley, enthusiasts have created a museum where visitors can return to the forgotten history of the Order of the Temple. The museum features numerous curator aids for a simplified and complete understanding, whether you are an expert or a novice.

The Aube gives birth to an exceptional wine, a golden and sparkly wine whose name is synonymous with celebration: Champagne.

All lovers of authenticity and fine bubbles will appreciate the Aube and its Champagne Tourist Route. With its wine terroir and picturesque villages, its exceptional vineyards, its vaulted cellars and its typical cadoles, you will discover a unique region filled with character!

Champagne is our universe.

The Regional Natural Park of the Orient Forest and its great lakes testify to the richness of the natural heritage of Aube. With its immense Regional Natural Park of the Orient Forest, Aube is a green and blue oasis to be breathed in deeply. Water is everywhere. And for good reason: in this country of streams and ponds, three large artificial lakes have been built: Orient Lake, Temple Lake, and Amance Lake.

Designed to regulate the flows of the Seine and the Aube, they blend in perfectly with the environment and are now spaces conducive to a wide variety of escapes and sensations. They also beckon visitors to explore the fauna and flora and their preservation.

Families are bound to enjoy Nigloland, set in an area of exceptional natural beauty and one of France’s largest amusement parks. Immerse yourself in 4 breathtaking worlds where 39 attractions and shows await both children and adults.

Welcome to Great Lakes Country, featuring leisure, nature and heritage!

Troyes has an irresistible aura thanks to its distinctive mansions. But its refurbished wells, its serpentine paved streets lined with half-timbered houses, its finely decorated wooden doors, its museums rich in local and original heritage, its apothecary, and its restaurants famous for local gastronomy like no other … will not leave you unmoved.

Troyes, a medieval town and the historic capital of Champagne, will seduce you with its half-timbered civil architecture, narrow cobbled lanes, stained glass windows, nine listed churches, and numerous museums.

Troyes is also the historic capital of factory outlets, the place to be for those who love finding good deals. During the summer and winter sales, the prices are even more attractive.

Troyes in Champagne is the birthplace of Rashi, the famous Troyen rabbi of the 11th century, the greatest of the commentators on the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud.  Discover the program of visits and cultural reflections traced to Rachi House and transport yourself to the heart of the history of a thousand-year-old community. Rediscover the key figure in the history of the Jewish community of Troyes: Rashi, famous Troyen exegete rabbi of the 11th century. Now the reference for commentaries of the Bible and the Talmud, Rachi is still taught today to Jews throughout the world from the age of 5, to help illuminate the meaning of the text and better assimilate it. Come discover the story of Rachi and his disciples, which radiated far beyond the borders of Champagne over the following centuries!

The painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, one of the great masters of Impressionism, lived some of the most beautiful seasons of his life in Essoyes. That is where he discovered the atmosphere, setting, light, and colors for his paintings.

Like the painter, come immerse yourself in beautiful landscapes, discover the bucolic atmosphere of the village of Essoyes and visit, among other things, the artist’s studio, the House of the Interpretation Room, and the cemetery where the painter and some of his family are buried.

Located at the foot of the Cross of Lorraine, the Charles de Gaulle Memorial, inaugurated in October 2008 by the President of the Republic and the German Chancellor, compliments a true journey of remembrance comprised of the family home and the grave of General de Gaulle.

Well beyond a traditional presentation of the man of June 18, or the first president of the Fifth Republic, the Charles de Gaulle Memorial is a visit to the history of the 20th century and an encounter with the private life of this man.

The admission of the young Bonaparte to the school of Brienne was the culmination of many steps: in addition to a security deposit from the Count of Marbeauf, governor of Corsica, his parents had to provide a certificate of poverty and proof of four quarters of nobility.

Napoleon was a pupil at Brienne from April 1779 to August 1784, and whatever the rigors of those five years, he remained deeply grateful to this little town all his life.

The Campaign of France brought Napoleon to Brienne one last time at the end of January 1814 when he fought two of the last battles of his long military career, that of Brienne (29 January 1814) and, two days later and 5 km away, that of La Rothière (February 1st, 1814).

The Camille Claudel museum in Nogent-sur-Seine pays tribute to this artist of international stature. All stages of Camille Claudel’s journey are represented in this new museum: from her beginnings in the naturalist vein with her first teacher, Alfred Boucher, to the period of learning and then of total collusion with Rodin, of whom she became the closest collaborator. In this museum we also discover the works of Paul Dubois, Alfred Boucher, and the painter Boeshwillwald.

Lavau (near Troyes): an exceptional princely ensemble from the 5th century before our era, ranked in the top 10 global discoveries of 2015 by the American Archaeological Institute.

The first artifacts have been on display in preview throughout the 2018-2019 ArkéAube cultural season.

On the route of Burgundy oppidums, in the upper valley of the Seine, Châtillon-sur-Seine is host to a fabulous archaeological treasure of the first Iron Age. The famous Krater of Vix is the largest vase from the Age of Antiquity. Measure yourself against it!

Côte-d’Or Tourisme © M. Baudoin

Côte-d’Or Tourisme © R. Krebel

You will love the Côte d’Or at the gates of Burgundy, where vine and wine are the “blood of the earth” and whose vineyards are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Its thousand year history is widely told and above all shared: medieval villages perched on hills, abbeys, castles and cabottes* set in the heart of vineyards … All under the watchful eye of the mythical hero Vercingetorix.