Bar-sur-Aube, Petite Cité de Caractère®

Crossed by the River Aube, Bar-sur-Aube lies at the foot of a spur of the Côte des Bar, the hill of Sainte-Germaine, where the city?s patron saint was martyred by the Vandals. In Celtic times, this hill was home to an oppidum, of which ditches and earthworks still remain, near the chapel and the panoramic viewpoint from which you can admire a superb panorama. Under the Counts of Champagne, Bar-sur-Aube enjoyed fame and prosperity with its famous fairs. In the 12th century, it also witnessed the rise of the monastic economy of the neighboring Clairvaux abbey. From this medieval golden age, the town has preserved a rich architectural and historical heritage, including the remarkable Saint-Pierre church and its wooden gallery, probably used by merchants at the time of the great Champagne fairs. Of the château des comtes, destroyed after the League at the end of the 16th century on the orders of Henri IV, remains the keep, now the steeple of the church of Saint-Maclou. An architectural center of great interest, Bar-sur-Aube also boasts a high-quality environment, with the charm of its clear, fish-filled river. Stroll along the water's edge on the shady promenades of Mathaux, Chevillottes, Pont d'Aube and Gravière. The town is also a stopover on the Via Francigena.