Auxerre is a historic city in the Burgundy region of France, serving as the capital of the Yonne department and renowned for its production of Chablis wine. With roots as a Gallo-Roman center called Autissiodorum, it became a bishopric in the 3rd century and later suffered through the Hundred Years' War and Wars of Religion, being captured by Huguenots in 1567 before joining France under King Louis XI. Today, it is celebrated as a "Town of Art and History" (1995), featuring landmarks like the Gothic Cathedral of St. Étienne (11th–16th centuries) and the Abbey of Saint-Germain, which contains some of France's oldest mural paintings. Recent archaeological excavations have yielded spectacular finds: a 2024 discovery of a Roman cemetery with over 250 infant burials, and a 2025 uncovering of the Sainte-Nitasse villa, a 4,000-square-meter complex recognized as one of the largest Roman villas in Gaul. Situated on the Yonne River, this city of about 35,000 residents (111,000 in the urban area) remains a vibrant commercial and industrial center, blending its ancient heritage with modern life.