Collemiers: Hotels and Local History

Collemiers combines a clearly defined landscape feature with a layered local history. The Ru de Collemiers runs through the village; its architectural history, sacred art and memories of 1940 offer further ways to understand the place. If you would like to choose a stay based on the subjects that interest you most, you can explore several historical themes: Saint-Martin Church, memorial connections associated with André Malraux and Villa Henri. These themes relate to different periods and can each be considered on their own.

The Ru de Collemiers and the village landscape

The Ru de Collemiers runs through the village. This makes the watercourse a specific geographical feature of Collemiers, complementing the history of its buildings and memorials with a landscape perspective. Its name directly links the Ru to the village. This gives you different ways to understand the destination: the stream’s course through the village and the historical landmarks, separated by long stretches of time, at the church, residences and memorial sites.

Saint-Martin Church: architecture and art

Saint-Martin Church is dedicated to Saint Martin. Construction began in the 12th century; the choir and apse date from the 13th century, and the nave was remodelled in the first third of the 16th century. These dates trace different stages in the building’s history rather than assigning a single construction date to the entire church. They help place the building’s development over several centuries.

A stained-glass window adds to this architectural history. Created around 1530, it depicts Calvary, also known as the Crucifixion. The window is attributed to a design by Jean Cousin. Its subject, approximate date and attribution each provide a distinct connection to the history of Saint-Martin, making it another point of interest alongside the building phases.

The church bell Marie-Toussainte is another historical feature with a specific date: it was baptised on 1 August 1695. Together, the building’s history, the window and the bell offer different perspectives on the church. If you are interested in local history, this is a place where the development of a building can be considered alongside individual works of art and historical objects.

Memories of André Malraux and 1940

The Maison du Général at 6, rue Haute, housed André Malraux and ten companions in 1940 while they were imprisoned in Collemiers. This connects the village’s history with a specific house and a group whose wartime experience was shaped by their time in Collemiers.

In the summer of 1940, Malraux turned a house used to accommodate prisoners into a centre for reflection. According to a local eyewitness account, it was called the Maison des Dix. Place des Dix commemorates the group of ten prisoners who shared their wartime experience in Collemiers; the square became a symbol of their shared experience. These historical connections highlight different aspects, taking you from Malraux and his imprisonment to the memory of the group’s shared experience.

Villa Henri and more recent architectural history

Villa Henri offers a glimpse of another period: this large residence was built towards the end of the 19th century at the initiative of Henri Chénier, a Parisian florist. The building project connects local history with a specific person and his work in Paris. Compared with Saint-Martin Church, the villa belongs to a much later building period: construction of the church began in the 12th century, while the villa was built towards the end of the 19th century. This time span shows how far the area’s architectural history extends beyond the church’s medieval beginnings.

Planning your journey

On-demand city buses connect Collemiers with the railway station and town centre. Before travelling, check the current transport connections if you plan to use the buses to get there or to plan your journeys; the service arrangements may change.

Discover more destinations: Joigny, Saint-Agnan, Sougères-En-Puisaye, Rogny-Les-Sept-Écluses, Vézinnes, Quarré-Les-Tombes, Junay, Thory

For the broader travel overview: Yonne.