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Voykit pocket guide · France
Saulieu
Saulieu is a 2–3 hour stop for the basilica and a meal, not an overnight base: skip unless you are driving the A6 and want a lunch break.
Saulieu is a small Burgundy town on the A6 motorway, known for its Gothic basilica and the three-star restaurant Le Relais Bernard Loiseau. Most travellers pass through in under half a day: see the basilica, eat, and continue to Dijon, Beaune or the Morvan. A night makes sense only if you are dining at the Loiseau table.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (many restaurants close, cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- 2 h 45 min by car via A6; nearest major international airport
- LYS · Lyon-Saint Exupéry
- 2 h 30 min by car via A6
Typical fares
- A6 toll Paris–Saulieu
- about €25 (check)
- A6 toll Lyon–Saulieu
- about €20 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre. A car is needed for Lake Chamboux and the Morvan.
See and do
Known for
- Basilique Saint-Andoche
- Le Relais Bernard Loiseau (three-star restaurant)
- Lake Chamboux
- A6 motorway stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dijon | Car via A6, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Beaune | Car via A6, about 40 min | About 50 min |
| Semur-en-Auxois | Car via D980, about 25 min | About 35 min |
| Châtillon-sur-Seine | Car via D980, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Époisses | Car via D980 and D954, about 20 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Walk to the basilica and restaurants; limited options, mostly hotels attached to restaurants.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syon, seel voo pleh |
| Where is the basilica? | Où est la basilique ?oo eh la ba-zee-leek |
| I would like to eat | Je voudrais mangerzhuh voo-dreh mahn-zhay |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Le Relais Bernard Loiseau requires booking weeks ahead for dinner.
- The basilica may be closed for services; check hours on the town website.
- Many shops and restaurants close on Monday and Tuesday.
Saulieu is very safe. The main risk is driving on the A6 in bad weather.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saulieu yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Basilique Saint-Andoche
- Le Relais Bernard Loiseau (three-star restaurant)
- Lake Chamboux
- A6 motorway stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Saulieu official website: saulieu.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Saulieu, revision 5053319 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5053319
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/saulieu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.