Discover Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye

Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye brings together several themes from its literary and local history. Colette is at the heart of it: her birthplace, the Musée Colette and the Sentier Colette dedicated to her shed light on different aspects of her life and work. The town is also home to a medieval keep and an annual arts event. If you are looking for a hotel in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, you can plan your stay around whether you want to focus on Colette, historic buildings or an outdoor trail. If you want to explore several of these themes, allow time for each during your stay.

Colette and the town’s literary history

Colette was born at La Maison natale de Colette and lived there until she was 17. The house became the setting for many of her novels and has been awarded the French “Maisons des Illustres” heritage label. La Maison de Colette welcomes visitors to a bourgeois home from the second half of the 19th century. It is arranged as though its residents still lived there. After an extensive restoration and reconstruction project, the house opened to the public in 2016. Its biographical connection and interior design offer different perspectives on the theme of Colette.

The Musée Colette is housed in a 17th-century château in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. Its collection includes manuscripts, photographs and personal belongings of Colette or people in her circle. The museum offers sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the writer’s birthplace. The town’s history thus brings together stages in her life, literary connections and collection pieces; the view from the museum adds the landscape to these themes.

Medieval history at the keep

The Donjon de Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, also known as the Tour Sarrasine, is a fortified, oval-shaped defensive tower dating from the late 12th century. It served the Counts of Auxerre-Nevers as a lookout and defensive post. The Tour Sarrasine was also part of the medieval fortifications that protected the village, and formerly served to protect the Abbey of Moutiers and the Priory of Saint-Sauveur. The tower thus connects local history with its former military function.

The Tour Sarrasine is currently closed to the public, but can be viewed from the outside. Check this access information before your visit. This lets you appreciate the keep as a visible part of local history without planning to go inside.

Sentier Colette: marked trail and geocaching

The Sentier Colette starts at the Musée Colette car park on Place Blanche. The easy trail is 5.8 kilometres long and marked. Dedicated to Colette, it was opened in 1993 by students from Collège Colette in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. This cultural walking and geocaching trail can be enjoyed in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Its length and easy rating give you practical details for planning a stay that includes outdoor activity. Its cultural dedication offers a different focus from the museum’s collection or the history of the keep.

An arts event throughout the village

Art dans les Cours & Jardins takes place annually. At the event, artists and craftspeople exhibit throughout the village of Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. Dates and programme may vary, so check the specific event dates for your trip. The event adds its own focus on art and crafts to the literary and historical themes.

Discover more destinations: Junay, Champigny, Savigny-sur-Clairis, Villeneuve-Sur-Yonne, Andryes, Étais-La-Sauvin, Vergigny, Cézy

For the broader travel overview: Yonne.