Top of the canal! The summit!

Pouilly-en-Auxois is considered to be the summit of the Burgundy canal. It is a small market town that once bustled with agricultural and market activity. The arrival of the canal increased the local wealth considerable, but with the arrival of the railways and then the freeways Pouilly has receded into the background.

The Tunnel passes below the heart of the town and is a worthwhile visit for people who are on board boats, barges or passing through by car, cycle...

The town offers all the amenities that you need with hotels, cafes, restaurants, shops,  pharmacies, banks, supermarket, hardware stores, bakeries and a market.

The local tourism office is installed in the old pigeon tower: 03 80 90 74 24

There are a number of small restaurants with good menus, such as at the Hotel de la Poste in the centre of the town.

This is a view from on top of the tunnel looking towards the port. The tall trees on the left and right offer a shaded path. The canal has steep-sided stone walls rising higher and higher as the tunnel entrance approaches.

The old port, just on the town limits is a welcomed rest place for navigators, it is easy to do repair work, refuelling, painting etc. The moorings are deep, and you can tie up your boat along the quay. Just beside the port are some very practical DIY and hardware stores. During harvest time the cereal silos on the other side of the port can be noisy, but it is a special time of the year.

Old postcards of Pouilly-en-Auxois

The tile factory in 1925 which burnt down in the 1960s

View of Lock number at the port of Pouilly, the other side of the hill it is downstream to the Rhone.

Day cruises and excursions

Will you find information about the excursion through the tunnel in the local tourism office or at the port. There is a passenger boat which can take you on a voyage through time and the tunnel from Pouilly to Escommes.

Years ago this was an important canal port, with a tile and brick factory and important grain silos. The port is well managed and there are all facilities nearby.

The tunnel passing through the Auxois hills opens the access to the river Saone, once on the other side, you cruise downstream to Escommes.

Canal position

Riverside Yonne: from lock 1 to 8

What you can find in Pouilly en Auxois

• Post office
• Shop(s)
• Bakery
• Pharmacy
• Bar/ cafe
• Restaurants
• Hotels

Mooring facilities

• Water supply
• Electrical point
• Turn a 38-meter barge
• Bollards