A walled medieval fortress on a rocky ridge, watching over the Auxois from its village of stone houses.
€560for a full-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
Private driver from Beaune: 34 min by road (34 km), €120 one way for the whole car.
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Châteauneuf, often called Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, crowns a ridge about 45 minutes from Beaune, with a small fortified village beside it. Its towers and curtain walls survive in remarkable condition. The fortress belongs to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, which has restored it and opens it to visitors.
Tradition says the first castle was built in 1132 by Jean de Chaudenay for his younger son, who took the name of Châteauneuf. His family held it until the 15th century, when the line ended in tragedy. In 1456 Catherine de Châteauneuf, the last heiress, was burned alive after being convicted of poisoning her second husband. In 1457 Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, gave the fortress to his knight Philippe Pot.
Philippe Pot, a knight of the Golden Fleece, turned the fortress into a comfortable residence in the taste of the Burgundian court. His chapel was consecrated in 1481. After his death in 1493 the castle passed to his brother Guy, then through marriages to other families, including the Vienne and the Vogüé. In 1936 Count Georges de Vogüé gave it to the French State. It has belonged to the Region since 2008, and a major restoration was carried out from 2022 to 2024.
The castle follows the shape of the rock: an oblong enclosure about 75 metres long, with five round towers linked by curtain walls. A square keep survives from the earliest castle. Inside stand two late Gothic residences, the Grand Logis and the Logis de Philippe Pot, and the chapel of Notre-Dame and Saint John. The entrance, cut through the south-east wall, is closed by a drawbridge.
Last entry is 45 minutes before closing.
Checked on on the official site.
Visitors explore the courtyard, the ramparts, the restored rooms, the chapel and the gardens, with guided tours and activities offered through the season. The castle is open all year except on Mondays. Take time to walk the village lanes and enjoy the view over the Auxois. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the castle.
What to combine with Château de Châteauneuf on the same day, nearest first.
Château de Châteauneuf is about 34 min from Beaune by road (34 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €120 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Philippe Pot's motto, 'Tant L vault', still appears in the castle he rebuilt. His famous tomb, carried by eight mourners, is now in the Louvre in Paris.
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Full-day wine tour from Beaune: €560 for the car, up to 4 guests
