The home of a disgraced courtier in exile, painted wall to wall with portraits and mottoes.
€230one way from Beaune with a private driver
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 05 by road (83 km), €230 one way for the whole car.
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Bussy-Rabutin stands in the countryside of the Auxois, about 75 minutes from Beaune. It is famous for its interiors, which Roger de Bussy-Rabutin covered with portraits and sharp mottoes during his long exile from court. Today the château is a national monument run by the Centre des monuments nationaux, with formal gardens and a large park.
A medieval castle stood here first. It was transformed in the early 16th century, when Renaissance galleries were added, and again in the 17th century. Its most famous owner, Roger de Bussy-Rabutin, was born in 1618 and became one of the most colourful courtiers of Louis XIV. He was also a cousin of the letter writer Madame de Sévigné, and a gifted writer himself.
Around 1660 Bussy wrote the Histoire amoureuse des Gaules, a mocking account of love affairs at court. When it was printed without his consent in 1665, the scandal sent him to the Bastille. The king then exiled him to his Burgundy estate, where he spent about seventeen years. He passed the time decorating his rooms with portraits and allegories. The State bought the château in 1929, and it has been a listed monument since 1862.
Bussy grew out of a medieval castle, and Renaissance galleries were added in the 1520s. The real treasure is the 17th-century decoration inside. The Salle des Devises is painted with Latin mottoes and views of royal châteaux, and the Cabinet de la Tour Dorée has a richly painted and gilded ceiling. Other rooms are lined with portraits of the kings of France, great military commanders and ladies of the court.
Last entry is one hour before closing, and guided tours in French start at set times from April to September and in the school holidays.
Checked on on the official site.
Visitors tour the painted rooms, then walk in the formal gardens, traditionally attributed to André Le Nôtre and labelled Jardin remarquable, and in the wooded park. Temporary exhibitions are held in some years. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Bussy combines well with Flavigny-sur-Ozerain or Alise-Sainte-Reine.
What to combine with Château de Bussy-Rabutin on the same day, nearest first.
Château de Bussy-Rabutin is about 1 h 05 from Beaune by road (83 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €230 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? More than 300 paintings cover the walls of Bussy-Rabutin, from the kings of France to the ladies of Louis XIV's court. Beneath many portraits, Roger de Bussy-Rabutin added short and often biting captions.
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€230 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests
