Château de Cîteaux
A 19th-century château in Meursault, built over the cellars of the monks of Cîteaux.
- Manor
- 14 min from Beaune
- Hotel and restaurant
- 19th century (1865), on 12th-century cellars
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Meursault · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- Second Empire house over Cistercian cellars
- Official website
- chateaudeciteaux.fontenille-collection.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 14 min by road (9 km), €65 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The Château de Cîteaux stands in the centre of Meursault, in a wooded park. The house dates from 1865, but beneath it lie vaulted cellars dug by the monks of Cîteaux Abbey. Today it is a hotel with a restaurant and spa, and its old cellars are part of the experience.
History
The monks of Cîteaux became owners of vines in Meursault in 1098, through a gift from Duke Eudes I of Burgundy to Robert of Molesme, the founder of the abbey. In their vineyard, the Vieux Clos, they built cellars, storerooms and barns, known as the Maison de Cîteaux. The abbey kept the estate for almost seven centuries, until it was sold as national property in 1792.
The monks' buildings stayed largely unchanged until 1865, when the new owner, Jules Bernard, replaced them with the present château and set up as a wine merchant. Business went well until phylloxera struck, and the vines of the clos had to be pulled up. They were replanted from 1995. In 2026 the château reopened as a hotel of the Fontenille Collection.
Architecture
The château has a central block flanked by two pavilions, under slate roofs with mansard and pavilion shapes. A wide stone stair with two converging flights leads up to the terrace on the south side. By the street stands a brick and stone entrance pavilion with a hexagonal clock turret, and a round slate-roofed dovecote rises in the park.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The château is a hotel open all year, with a gourmet restaurant, a spa and seminar rooms. Its 35 rooms and suites are split between the château and the Vieux-Clos outbuildings opposite, which open in January 2027. The restaurant and spa are open to outside guests by reservation. Visitors can also book a wine tasting in the 12th-century Cistercian cellars: every Friday and Saturday at 17:30, the château's sommelier leads a small-group tasting of Burgundy wines (€60 per person, by reservation on the website or by phone, subject to availability), and private tastings for 15 to 20 people can be arranged on request. It makes a stylish base in the heart of Meursault, within walking distance of the town hall and the Château de Meursault. Check the official website for booking.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Cîteaux on the same day, nearest first.
Meursault
1 km awayMonthélie
2 km awayAuxey-Duresses
2 km away
- Tradition
La Paulée de Meursault
The Monday after the Hospices de Beaune auction, at lunchtimeMeursault - Music
Festival De Bach à Bacchus
Usually the first half of July, with a prelude of concerts on weekends in MayMeursault
Guides about Château de Cîteaux
Questions
Château de Cîteaux is about 14 min from Beaune by road (9 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €65 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The cellars under the house were dug by Cistercian monks in the 12th century to make and store the wines of their Meursault vineyards.
Sources
Château de Cîteaux with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests