Discover Escolives-Sainte-Camille

Escolives-Sainte-Camille offers several specific points of interest for travelers interested in history, architecture and art. These include the remains of a Gallo-Roman complex, the Church of Saint Pierre et Saint Paul and the Musée Pierre Merlier. The topics range from an ancient site and the development of a church building to the works of an individual artist. You can therefore shape your stay around whichever subject interests you most.

Gallo-Roman site and everyday life

In Escolives-Sainte-Camille, visitors can explore the remains of a remarkable Gallo-Roman complex. Preserved walls, structures and traces of everyday life give the archaeological site several tangible dimensions. In Gallo-Roman times, an imposing villa and its agricultural outbuildings, the pars rustica, extended over more than four hectares near the Via Agrippa.

The term pars rustica refers to the agricultural outbuildings and makes clear that the villa comprised more than just the main building. When exploring the complex, you can therefore look both at the architectural remains and at traces of everyday life. Its documented extent of more than four hectares also conveys a different scale than viewing individual walls and structures.

The Church of Saint Pierre et Saint Paul

The church’s history can also be placed in a timeline. It developed from a 5th-century oratory dedicated to Saint Camille and was transformed into a Romanesque church in the 12th century. This transition from an early oratory to a Romanesque church offers a different perspective on local history than the Gallo-Roman villa.

Features for which Saint Pierre et Saint Paul is known include the crypt, the narthex and the octagonal red-brick bell tower. The 12th-century Romanesque porch-narthex has a quatrefoil rose window with a relief of the Lamb of God. There are also stone depictions of an Atlas figure and a griffin. The combination of architectural forms and sculptural details gives you several specific points of reference if you are interested in the church’s design.

Art and history at the Musée Pierre Merlier

The Musée Pierre Merlier presents the works of Pierre Merlier at the Moulin du Saulce in Escolives-Sainte-Camille. Pierre Merlier and his wife acquired the former mill in 1973; he lived and worked there until 2015. The museum thus brings together the artist’s works and the building’s history as a former home and workplace.

Guided tours are offered at no extra charge at the Musée Pierre Merlier. Parking and step-free access are also available. Check the museum’s practical visitor information before your visit, as facilities may change.

Wine cellars and tastings

At Domaine Borgnat, visitors can tour the wine cellars built one above another and taste red, white and rosé wines from Coulanges-la-Vineuse. This focus differs from the archaeological and art-historical topics: here, the cellar tour and tasting different types of wine take center stage. If you are planning a visit, check the opening arrangements in advance, as they may change.

The different focuses are easy to distinguish when planning your visit: the Gallo-Roman remains lead to the ancient site and traces of everyday life, the church to the development of Romanesque architecture, and the Musée Pierre Merlier to the work of an individual artist. At Domaine Borgnat, the wine cellars and tastings are the main attraction. You can use these differences to decide which of these subjects you want to shape your stay around most.

Discover more destinations: Champs-Sur-Yonne, Auxerre, Courlon-sur-Yonne, La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne, Épineuil, Lainsecq, Châtel-Gérard, Champignelles

For the regional travel overview: Yonne.