Car Hire Avallon

A quick guide to Avallon

Avallon is one of the best-loved and most visited places in Burgundy due to its rich history, relaxed atmosphere and bustling Saturday morning market. This fascinating town is perched at the entrance to the unspoilt Morvan Forest and National Park, acting as a gateway to the great outdoors.

Discover the Château de Chastellux

A 15-minute drive into the forest from Avallon is the 1,000 year-old Château de Chastellux and its 20 acres of grounds.

The castle is privately owned, which is unusual for France, but its doors have been open to the public since 2008. This majestic fortress has eight large towers, lending it a fairytale feel.

It’s been embellished several times over the years, but still exudes all the imposing charm that it no doubt carried when it was constructed back in the 11th century.

If you can, try to take in a guided tour. Your host? None other than Count Philippe de Chastellux himself, the château’s current occupier. He gives a full and fascinating insight into not only the castle, but his family’s colourful history too.

Into the wilds

The Morvan Regional Natural Park can be found along the A6 between the valleys of the Saône and the Loire. Covering almost a quarter of a million hectares, it offers visitors a huge wealth of different activities from the adventurous to the more relaxed.

Nature lovers can enjoy wandering the unspoilt hilly expanse and vast, lush forest. Hikers will relish trekking along the woodlands’ many walkways and paths while watersports fans are able to kayak, raft or sail on one of the area’s many lakes, including Setton Lake, Chaumecon Lake and Pannecière Lake.

Morvan really is more than just a forest, it’s the natural gem in Burgundy’s already heavily-jewelled crown.

Getting cheesy in Époisses

Lying 22km east of Avallon is the village of Époisses. A 25-minute drive on the D606 transports you to this sleepy village that’s famed for a certain aroma.

Époisses de Bourgogne is one of the world’s most pungent cheeses – yet it’s also known for being one of France’s most delicious. It’s been made in Époisses since the beginning of the 17th century when it was produced by local monks – which explains why it’s usually paired with Trappist beer.

These days the baton has been passed to the townsfolk, who will be only too happy to tell you all about the processes involved in creating the final product. Needless to say, you’ll find it sold in plenty of the local stores.  

Car hire in Avallon allows you the freedom and convenience to see the best of the town and its beautiful surrounding areas at your own pace, as well as journey deeper into the wider Burgundy region.

Driving in and around Avallon

Explore the crisscrossing canals, picture perfect vineyards and grand châteaux dotted around Burgundy by hiring a car in Avallon.

As with most European countries, the French drive on the right-hand side of the road. The speed limits are also fairly typical of mainland Europe, generally ranging from 50 km/h in built-up areas to 130 km/h on major highways, while limits on standard two-lane highways are capped at 80 km/h.

In terms of nearby gems to visit, Vézelay is only a 16km drive west on the D957. The village may only be a tiny dot on a road map, but it’s home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites – the Benedictine monastery known as Vézelay Abbey and the ornate 11th century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene Cathedral. It’s well worth the 20-minute excursion in your hire car.

You can also reach the city of Auxerre, the capital of Yonne, in around 50 minutes by taking the D606 north. Here you can gaze inside the Gothic cathedral with its stained glass windows and 11^th century crypt houses, or the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, which was used as a hospital during the French Revolution.

Take a trip east to the charming city of Dijon, full of elegant and elaborate medieval and Renaissance architecture, known for its vineyard tours and gastronomic fairs.

The allure of one of Europe’s most iconic capitals is a two-and-a-half hour drive north on the A6. But if Paris isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of romance to be had in and around the Yonne Valley.