Gurgy

The commune of Gurgy lies on fertile land bordered by the river, which justifies the early arrival of life on this sandy territory. The name of the commune is known from Gallo-Roman times, in the form of “Gurgiacus”. Colonization by Germanic tribes, including the Burgundians, led to the population’s conversion to Christianity, and 12th-century writings refer to the commune as “Gurgi”.

The first traces of settlement in the commune date back to the Neolithic period, between 6000 and 2200 BC. Exceptional archaeological excavations in Gurgy have revealed several major Neolithic sites, including one of the largest French Neolithic necropolises dating from 5000 BC to 4200 BC.

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Archaeological digs in Gurgy

Gurgy has a rich archaeological history. More than 40 hectares of Gurgy’s marshy subsoil have been quarried, and since 1960 more than 17 archaeological digs have been carried out. Archaeologists soon proved that Gurgy was an exceptionally well-preserved site, with archaeological traces of life from the Neolithic, Celtic and Gallo-Roman periods. In the Neolithic period, archaeologists uncovered a total of 128 burials between 2004 and 2007.

Another necropolis was discovered in the “La Picardie” area, covering a surface of almost 1 hectare. Funerary structures and burials followed one another from the end of the 9th century BC to the Roman period. The necropolis was occupied for more than eight centuries without interruption.

A hamlet called “La Ferme de Néron” in the Nouzeau area has revealed numerous traces of medieval buildings from the 9th century. Among the material unearthed were remains of animal bones, testifying to Gurgy’s livestock and agricultural activities. In the 8th century, the agricultural estate of Ferme de Néron was given to the monks of the Saint-Germain abbey by the bishop of Auxerre.

Excavations at “Les Noisats

Excavations carried out on site have uncovered a necropolis over 6,700 years old, in the area known as “Les Noisats”. Covering an area of around 600 m², the necropolis was in use from 5000 to 4200 BC. In all, archaeologists uncovered 126 burials on the site, including some Neolithic tombs with shapes previously unknown in the Paris Basin.

The archaeological digs of 2000 were accompanied by DNA sampling of the bones found. The vast amount of data collected, unprecedented on an international scale for prehistory, enabled us to give a face to all the members of a group buried in the “Noisats” necropolis.

Thanks to very well-preserved DNA, the researchers were able to reconstruct the largest family tree in prehistory, dating back to 6700 BC. In fact, genomic analyses of 94 individuals have enabled two family trees to be reconstructed. The first comprises 64 individuals over 7 generations. The second links 12 individuals over 5 generations.

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Saint-André Church

The original foundation of Saint-André Church in Gurgy dates back to the 9th century, with archival records mentioning it as early as 902. The church soon came under the protection of the Abbey of Saint-Germain in Auxerre, allowing the parish of Gurgy to benefit from increased funding and attention.

In 1206, the Bishop of Auxerre, Guillaume de Seignelay, decided to renovate the parish churches of the Auxerre diocese. He commissioned a new apsidal choir for the church and issued a deed of patronage granting the canons governance over twelve churches in his diocese, including that of Gurgy. Later, during the Wars of Religion in September 1568, the village of Gurgy was looted by the Huguenots. Cornered by Catholic forces, the Protestants took refuge in the church and fortified it, turning it into a stronghold.

The church consists of a single nave, like many churches of the time, with a wooden-paneled vaulted ceiling reaching a height of 5.5 meters. At the end of the nave, there is a timber-framed gallery furnished with two rows of benches, and a three-sided apse lit by lancet windows with pointed arches. The choir is rib-vaulted and features beautiful columns with foliage-decorated capitals.

Saint Andrew

Saint Andrew is very important in Burgundy, as he is the patron saint of the region. Andrew the Apostle, who was martyred on an X-shaped cross, was chosen by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, as the patron saint in 1430 when he created the Order of the Golden Fleece. By doing so, the Duke placed the Burgundian territory under the dual patronage of the Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew.

The reasoning behind this choice may be that Saint Andrew evangelized Scythia, the region believed to be the origin of the Burgundians. This political decision to place Burgundy under his patronage is reflected in the dedication of many parish churches throughout the region.

The Gravel Pits

The sandy banks of the Yonne River in Gurgy have often been chosen as settlement or burial sites since the Neolithic period. The nature of the soil was quickly exploited through gravel quarrying, which became industrialized around 1960. The sand and gravel extracted were mainly used for construction and roadworks.

Gravel extraction involved digging progressively deeper until reaching the groundwater table. The pits would then fill with water and transform into ponds.

The ponds of Gurgy are precious wetlands for the ecosystem and biodiversity. They serve as habitats, feeding grounds, and breeding areas. Numerous plant and animal species are connected to this wetland environment, and the ponds offer an important stopover zone for migratory birds.

Gurgy and the Yonne River

Gurgy boasts a rich river heritage, nestled along the Yonne River, which takes its name from the goddess Icauna.

As early as the 18th century, many timber rafts passed through Gurgy on their way to Paris. The wood came from the Morvan region via the Yonne and was assembled into rafts on the quays of Auxerre. These rafts, known as “trains de bois,” measured 72 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. Each carried around 200 steres of wood and was guided by two people called “flotteurs” (rafters).

At Gurgy, the Sinotte stream meets the Yonne River, creating a need to regulate the waterway to facilitate navigation. One of the pertuis (a type of lock or sluice gate) used for timber floating was built in Gurgy. Water was retained there and released on specific days, helping to carry boats and timber rafts downstream along the Yonne.

Technical advances in the late 19th century led to the construction of a diversion canal, designed by engineer Cambuzat between 1868 and 1874. Local residents were even enlisted to help dig it. Nearly 4.8 km long, this navigable canal starts in Gurgy and flows into the Yonne near the commune of Chemilly-sur-Yonne. In addition to regulating water levels, it facilitates modern navigation by allowing boats to bypass 9 km of meanders along the Yonne. The construction of a dam on the Sinotte stream in 1992 further strengthened the existing infrastructure.

The Fish Ladder

Alongside timber rafting, Gurgy was also a renowned river crossing point for salmon migration. Historically, the Seine was home to a large population of salmon, consisting of large specimens with an average weight of 10 kg. The migration period extended from December to June, and the main spawning areas were located in the Yonne basin.

During the 19th century, river development—including the construction of the Gurgy dam, the highest on the Yonne—certainly improved navigation but had disastrous consequences for fish populations. The dam blocked upstream migration, particularly for salmon, which could no longer reach their spawning grounds in the Cure River.

In 1865, a French law mandated the construction of fish ladders on certain structures to support the free movement of migratory species. These narrow, tiered basins allowed salmon to reach their spawning grounds during the breeding season, traveling from the sea or ocean. In 1885, a commission of inquiry gave a favorable opinion on building a fish ladder at the Gurgy dam, with work planned for the following year. However, salmon populations in the Yonne continued to decline—likely due to increasing river modifications and pollution. According to fishermen’s accounts, the last salmon were seen in the Yonne in the 1940s.