Discover Thory: Church, Château and Lavoirs

A range of interests may draw you to Thory: the village has two lavoirs, each with its own street address; the Église Notre Dame combines local heritage protection with a dated building history; and the Château de Thory is associated with historic defensive features. The surrounding area also includes the cave system of the Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure. The attractions range from practical points of reference in the village to architecture and a regional destination to visit.

Lavoirs as points of reference

The Lavoir de la Réchotte is located on Rue de la Dame. The Lavoir Daguin is in Thory on Rue de Vau, just before the small playing field. The directions differ in their level of detail: Rue de la Dame is given for Réchotte, while the directions for Daguin also include the small playing field as a landmark. If you are looking for these places, their names will help you tell the two lavoirs apart. Municipal directions may change, so check them before your visit.

Église Notre Dame and its building history

The Église Notre Dame is part of Thory’s locally protected heritage; a CCAVM list dated 5 October 2020 includes it in this context. The bell tower and spire should be distinguished chronologically: the bell tower was built in 1885, and the spire in 1887. According to a historical account, the spire was funded by a donation from Louis Tissier and built to plans by the architect Baudoin d’Avallon. These dates therefore refer to two different parts of the building, not to a single construction year for the church.

Château de Thory: defensive features and landscape

Historical descriptions of the Château de Thory mention thick walls with crenellations, moats and a drawbridge at the gate. These features can be distinguished by location: the walls and crenellations are part of the structure, while the moats and drawbridge are at the entrance. A historical architectural description also mentions 23 loopholes that are still visible; check locally what can be seen at the site today. The planting provides a different aspect: an ENGIE Green project description dated 4 July 2024 reports that tall-standard trees were planted around the château and in its courtyard to screen wind turbines.

Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure nearby

The Grottes d’Arcy-sur-Cure are located near Thory, in the wider Avallon-Vézelay area. On a tour of the Grande Grotte, you can see calcite formations and prehistoric cave paintings dating back about 28,000 years. There are also paths along the river. The cave formations and prehistoric paintings offer a different focus from Thory’s building history, while the riverside paths provide another regional attraction. Check current visiting arrangements separately.

Discover more destinations: Montillot, Avallon, Jussy, Chaumot, Arthonnay, Fontenay-Sous-Fouronnes, Sacy, Épineuil.

For the broader travel overview: Yonne.