As you travel from Sens towards Auxerre, the next place of any size on the Yonne is the modest town of JOIGNY, its elegant old houses ranged up the slope above the river. The first fort was constructed here at the end of the tenth century, with houses built beneath it, though much of the original settlement was destroyed by a fire in 1530. the town is not worth a prolonged visit, but makes a pleasant rest stop, particularly on market days (Wed & Sat). Buildings worthy of attention are the Château des Gondi, built by Cardinal Gondi in the sixteenth century and wilfully Classical, and the remains of the twelfth-century ramparts on Chemin de la Guimbard. The église St-Jean is a hybrid of styles, with Gothic piers and arches rising to an Italianate clerestory level, above which the elaborate vault was added in 1596. A few half-timbered houses that somehow escaped the 1530 fire can be seen on rue Montant-au-Palais, the street leading up to the church of St-Jean, including the best-known Maison du Pilori, combining Gothic and Renaissance styles, with some carvings strangely reminiscent of crocodile heads. On Place Jean de Joigny, the main beam supporting the Maison de l'Arbre de Jessé illustrates Christ's family tree, with worn, tendril-like branches adorned with figures from the Old Testament.The tourist office is at 4 quai Ragobert (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm & 2–7pm, Sun 10am–1pm; Sept–June Mon 2–5/6pm, Tues–Sat 9am–noon & 2–5/6pm; tel 03.86.62.11.05, otjoigny.chez.tiscali.fr), by the gare routière. There are no hotels in the old town, but the simple, adequate Relais de L'Escargot, 1 av Roger-Varrey (tel 03.86.62.10.38; under €30), is just back from the river, at the southeast corner of town, and the Relais Paris-Nice, Rond Point de la Résistance (tel 03.86.62.06.72, fax 03.86.62.56.99; €30–40; closed Sun evening & Mon) is on the south side of the river, near the train station. The nicest place, both to stay and eat, is 6km west of town, along the D182 towards St-Julien-du-Sault – Le P'tit Claridge, in Thèmes (tel 03.86.63.10.92, fax 03.86.63.01.34; €30–40; closed Jan & Feb), with a restaurant offering a very good-value menu (closed Sun evening, Mon, Jan & Feb). An interesting side trip from Joigny is the village of ST-SAUVEUR-EN-PUISAYE, the birthplace, in 1873, of Colette. The Musée Colette is in the Château (April–Oct daily except Tues 10am–6pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun 2–6pm; €4.30) and includes a reconstruction of her apartment in Paris, as well as personal items and original manuscripts.
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