Food Guide to Vézelay - A Famous Village in The French Countryside

Discover what to do in our food guide to Vézelay in France, with a taste of its local specialities and wines.

With only about 2 hours from Paris, this famous hilltop village in Burgundy is definitely worth a visit with a stunning abbey in the heart of the French countryside.

A Note from your Guide: Every time we head to the south by car, we stop off around here for the night. It's the ideal stop-over with over 2 hours drive from Paris and not a huge detour from the motorway (autoroute). So, as we visit often en route to visit family in the Luberon (post finally coming!) and Marseille, it's about time I shared one of France's favourite 'hidden' gems.

What is Vézelay Famous for?

Perched on top of 'the eternal hill' is the impressive Roman basilica that dominates the skyline around the surrounding regional Morvan countryside in Burgundy. This is what makes the location so surprising: a sleepy village leading to its gigantic basilica!

Vézelay is a famous pilgrimage site, south of Paris. It's one of the major four starting points in France on the iconic pilgrimage to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. As a result, you'll see bronze scallop shells (coquilles de saint-jacques) throughout the town. Follow the scallops in the ground!

Vézelay Map

Located in the region of Bourgogne, Burgundy, in the département of l'Yonne, 45km (28miles) of Auxerre, Vézelay's location also makes it an ideal weekend getaway from Paris or a perfect stop-over en route to France's south.

Don't be fooled by its sleepy exterior. This village, classed as one of the plus beaux villages de France, has a busy network of nuns and monks working behind the scenes.

Vezelay Abbey - Basilique Sainte Marie-Madeleine

Vézelay's impressive Benedictine Abbey was built in the 12th century and famous for its annual pilgrimage. Known as the 'Pèlerinage de Marie-Madeleine' in France, it takes place every 22 July and the abbey is open every day free of charge.

Saved from ruin by Viollet-le-Duc (1840-60), the abbey has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for over 40 years.

More Things to do in Vézelay

After a visit to the basilica, we suggest a few more activities to whet your appetite.

• The 15th century gate, la Porte Neuve. Location of the famous scene from the classic film, la Grande Vadrouille (1966) with Bourvil and de Funès, two legendary French comedy actors.
• A walk to the rose gardens behind the basilica and its panoramic view.
• La Maison Jules-Roy free art museum at the top of the hill.
• Meander around the quaint shops for antiques, art and photography, artisanal candles and religious relics.
• Taste, sit back and enjoy the local specialities.

Local Foods to Try - Pastries to Cheese

Don't miss a taste of the local specialities. Here are just a few ideas to whet your appetite.

Stop for some pastries from the Boulangerie-Pâtisserie on the main street to enjoy as a French afternoon snack or goûter. Try:

• le Cassissier, a puff pastry filled with almond and local cassis or blackcurrants.
• Jésuite aux amandes: normally a speciality of Bordeaux like canelés, these triangular Jesuit hat shaped puff pastries are filled with frangipane.
• Gougères, their giant cheese choux puffs (which reminds me: I still have some in the freezer!)

les Macarons de Charlou - artisanal macarons without the vibrant pastel shades made in nearby Avallon: try the cassis (blackcurrant), raspberry, hazelnut, orange, pistachio or vanilla. Enjoy in the tea room on the main street of rue Saint Pierre (also a gîte). We particularly love their homemade savoury tarts.

Ice Creams (Glaces) at Pedone Glacier where they've been making artisanal ice cream since 1959. Italian Pascal Pedone has passed on making the best ice creams to his son, Christophe and here's one of the locations to try their creations using top quality ingredients. You'll no longer call vanilla plain!

Biscuiterie de Bourgogne - Family owned boutique with many tasty treats. Try regional specialities such as pain d'épices, (French gingerbread) from Dijon. Or a huge variety of different flavours of buttery financier cakes.

Local Cheeses - spot the semi-sphered goat's cheeses in the area. This lot from fresh to semi-hard and mature were spotted in Chablis, delicious paired with the local wines, which brings out the flavours of honey.

Local Honey from the Morvan hills: from acacia to miel de pissenlit (dandelion honey) to miel de ronce (bramble).

Vézelay Wine from Burgundy

The town has its own Appellation d'Origin Contrôlée (AOC de Vézelay). This includes the local wines of Chablis and sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne, excellent in the classic Kir Royal.

There are a few wine shops in the village and we particularly recommend Le Caveau de Vezelay, la Chablisienne. They stock a great variety of reds (e.g. Irancy), delicious with the regional classic, Boeuf Bourguignon, but their local speciality is white wine.
Our personal favourite is the typical chardonnay flavours of La Voluptueuse from Domaine La Croix Montjoie. Since 2021 they now produce organic wines and organise visits and tastings directly between April to October. Otherwise, out of these dates, book in advance.

According to expert Burgundy sommeliers, white Vézelay wines have a complex taste. They typically have notes of acacia flowers, fresh grapes, lemon, pear and peach with undertones of brioche, almond and grapefruit. The slightly acidic taste of lemon pairs well with the local goat's cheese.

Beer enthusiasts will be happy to hear there's even local organic bières. Try the light and dark lagers on draught (known as 'pression' in France.)

Where to Eat and Stay

Luckily there are many eateries to enjoy, either indoors or on the terrace in summer. During high season, try to book in advance, as they fill up quickly.

Auberge de la Coquille - I giggle when I see their sign saying 'Complet' (meaning full), as this is a popular crêperie where they serve la complète. This is a galette or thin buckwheat pancake filled with ham, cheese and an egg. Otherwise enjoy crêpes or chocolate crêpes.

La Terrasse - the best spot for a drink or full-menu lunch or dinner in the shadow of the abbey. Generous portions and excellent value with a good choice of local Burgundy wines and draught Vézelay beer. We have often stayed here (part of Hôtel Les Glycines) and each time we are never disappointed. However, previously they've been understaffed (still a general problem in France following Covid) and close Thursdays and Fridays.

Hôtel de la Poste et du Lion d'Or - Although we haven't yet stayed here, it's recommended and was where the film crew stayed for the making of la Grande Verdrouille.

Where to Visit Near Vézelay

• Avallon - Like the scallop signs on the road in Vézelay, follow the town's mascot of frogs (grenouilles) in the medieval town of Avallon. Walk around the ramparts and enjoy the panoramic view from the Vauban park.
  We also love to stay here, as it's even closer to the Autoroute but far enough to enjoy the French countryside. We recommend the Hôtel de la Poste, newly renovated (2024) and where Napoleon Bonaparte stayed as well as Picasso.
• Ancient Saltwater springs at Fontaines Saleés

• Chablis - this wine town on the river Serein is also worth a trip. There's only one grape varietal in their four AOP wines: chardonnay. Enjoy lots of quaint eating places (Marguerite de Chablis, le Cellier de Vignerons Bourguignons), a fabulous grocery (épicerie) on the main street and of course, wineries! Try both the Chablis Grand Cru and Premier Cru for something totally memorable.
• Vauban's Château Bazoches - his wee 'demeure' or hilltop castle is testimony to his fame as Louis XIV's French military engineer and architect in the 18th century.

How to Get There

En route towards the south or a getaway from Paris, Vézelay is worth the visit whether a stop-over or weekend destination. Here's how to get there:

By Car or Train: 230km (142 miles) - about 2h30 minutes drive from Paris via the A6 autoroute (N.B. French autoroutes carry tolls). Direct trains from Paris take about the same time - more information from SNCF trains.

Burgundy Visit - If planning a tour around Burgundy, Vézelay is 130km (80 miles) from Dijon, 1.5 hours drive away. For more on a visit there, see my article on Dijon - More than Mustard!

None of this post is sponsored.