Montbard

Visit Montbard, Burgundy

Montbard is in the Cote d'Or department of Burgundy, east of Avallon and north of Semur-en-Auxois. The town is best known for its proximity to Fontenay Abbey, but there are a couple reasons why you might like to stop and explore Montbard itself.

Before visiting Montbard a historical note is necessary. The 18th century Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon (Count of Buffon) was born at Montbard and has a significant impact on the town and region. He was an important scientist, naturalist, mathematician and writer and had an influence on later scientists in these fields such as Charles Darwin.

Explore Montbard and the Parc Buffon

The highlight of your visit to Montbard is the Parc Buffon on the edge of the town. This is quite an extensive and well maintained parc that includes various features and historical buildings of interest:

- a tower (the Tour de l'Aubespin) that you can ascend for views over the town and region and a church

- the small clinic where Buffon carried out his work

- a second tower (the Tour Saint-Louis), originally Buffon's library

- an Orangerie (attractive stone and glass greenhouse type building), now a Museum dedicated to Buffon

- the grounds themselves. The gardens are a mix of formally planted sections, mostly on the terraces, and more informal woodland walks, and it is a pleasant place for a stroll.

Elsewhere in Montbard there is less of great interest, just a quiet town with a shopping street, a couple of churches and a Musee de Beaux Arts focussing on local artists near the Town Hall. At the town hall take a look at the carved characters in the tower above the clock, beating out the time.

Close to Montbard

Apart from the obligatory trip to Fontenay Abbey, not far from Montbard and in a pretty setting on the edge of the river, the village of Buffon contains the Grande Forge de Buffon (where iron works were carried out).

A second unmissable destination is the picturesque town of Semur-en-Auxois, a few kilometres south of Montbard.

Tourist classifications for Montbard: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 3*; Montbard falls within the Pays d'art et d'histoire de l'Auxois region

Suggested places to visit near Montbard, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Ancy-le-Franc castle 21km; Montreal 24km; Noyers-sur-Serein 27km; Tanlay castle 31km; Chatillon-sur-Seine 33km; Avallon 35km; Tonnerre 37km; Morvan Regional Park 39km; Saulieu 39km; Chablis 46km; Vezelay 48km; Chateauneuf-en-Auxois 51km; Pontigny 56km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Montbard

Montbard tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Abbaye de Fontenay (Montbard) - religious monument (0km) : Abbaye de Fontenay - remarkable garden (4km) : Potager du château de Lantilly - remarkable garden (9km) : Jardin du moulin de Athie - remarkable garden (9km) : Alesia - grand site of france (15km) : Basilique de Saint Andoche (Saulieu) - religious monument (39km) : Parc de Saint-Léger - remarkable garden (41km) : Jardin du prieuré - remarkable garden (47km) :

French version: see Montbard (Francais)