An old medieval town located at the confluence of the Yonne and the Beuvron, bordering the Nivernais Canal, the small town of Clamecy was once the capital of wood-floating to Paris. A rich heritage remains from its feudal past and the glorious age of wood-floating, which lasted for around four centuries - from 1549 to 1923.
Its old centre, a listed protected area, is an invitation to discovery, with its old timber-framed houses, such as the Weaver's House, and its Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin, a gem of Gothic art, topped with a majestic tower. After wandering the banks of the Beuvron and strolling along the picturesque streets of the historical quarter, head towards the River Yonne to admire the unusual Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bethléem, which carries the 20th century Heritage label. Not far from there, you can walk along the towpath of the Nivernais Canal.
As the birthplace of Romain Rolland, a famous writer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915, it is only natural that Clamecy should be home to the Romain Rolland Museum of Art and History, which is based at the Bellegarde Mansion and includes a space dedicated to the man of letters who was born in Clamecy. It also features exhibits on wood-floating, which once made the town prosperous.
