Château d’Estours
A moated fortified house south of Mâcon, fought over by Écorcheurs and Mâcon militias.
- Manor
- 1 h 22 from Beaune
- Private, seen from outside
- 15th century
€295one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Commune
- Crêches-sur-Saône · Saône-et-Loire
- Style
- Moated fortified house
- Heritage
- Registered historic monument
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 22 by road (113 km), €295 one way for the whole car.
Or add it to our full-day wine tour plus two hours, €700.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The château of Estours stands south-east of Crêches-sur-Saône, between two arms of a stream, still ringed by water-filled moats. Only the north and west wings survive, with square towers, a hexagonal stair tower and a great round tower. It was listed in its entirety as a historic monument in 2018.
History
The first known lords of Estours, in the 15th century, were Duran and Renaud de Feurs, from a Lyon family. Between 1437 and 1443, despite a garrison of twelve men placed there by Mâcon, the bands known as the Écorcheurs got in and held the castle. In 1479 the Mâcon militias pillaged and burned it in revenge for a surrender to royal troops that they judged too hasty.
Partly rebuilt at the end of the 15th century, Estours stayed with the descendants of Renaud de Feurs until 1561. In 1713 it was bought by Louis Durret, who had the Lyon architect Michel-Ange Caristie repair and transform it in 1725. In 1870 and 1871 a later owner demolished the south wing and its chapel. From 1974 Jean Melinand restored the château himself.
Architecture
The château occupies an irregular quadrilateral surrounded by water-filled moats. The north wing has square towers at each end of its moat front, and a stone bridge leads to a carriage gate under the north tower. The west wing combines a 15th-century block with a round corner turret and a narrower range of outbuildings, ending in a great round tower that may be the original keep.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
Estours is a private home and is not open to visitors, so please respect the owners' privacy. It lies just south of Mâcon, a few minutes from the Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé vineyards, so you may pass it on the way to a tasting.
Around here
What to combine with Château d’Estours on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Château d’Estours is about 1 h 22 from Beaune by road (113 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €295 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? In the early 19th century Estours belonged to Louis Charrier de La Roche, bishop of Versailles, who still owned it when he died in 1827.
Sources
Château d’Estours with a private driver
€295 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests