Crossed by the Yonne from east to west, the town of Joigny owes its name to Flavius Jovinius, Prefect of the Roman Militia in 369. The river has always been the driving force behind the commercial development of the city and the region. Wood extracted from the vast Othe forest was transported to Paris by river, while Burgundy wine increasingly followed the same path and became a significant source of income for the locals. Before the construction of locks, the Yonne had an unpredictable course and experienced many floods. From 1861 to 1872, two diversions were dug from Joigny, one to Saint-Aubin-sur-Yonne, the other to Courlon.