Château de Dracy
A castle of 1547 on a hillside near Couches, with a long 18th-century wine cellar.
- Wine château
- 33 min from Beaune
- Tastings on site
- 16th, 18th and 19th centuries
€360for a half-day wine tour plus one hour, from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Dracy-lès-Couches · Saône-et-Loire
- Style
- Castle of 1547 with Gothic Revival remodelling
- Heritage
- Registered historic monument
- Official website
- chateaudedracy.eu
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 33 min by road (32 km), €120 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The Château de Dracy stands on a hillside above the village of Dracy-lès-Couches, in the Couchois wine area. Rebuilt in 1547 on the site of a medieval fortress, it was remodelled in Gothic Revival style in 1860. It is a family home and wine estate, and its cellars open for visits and tastings by reservation.
History
A fortress stood at Dracy by 1298. In 1547 Morin de Cromey rebuilt the castle on its site, keeping the keep and the corner towers. In 1593, during the Wars of Religion, the castle was besieged and taken. Over the following centuries it passed through several families, including the Berbis, Grammont and Villers-La-Faye families. In 1728 a long cellar was built to link two of the towers.
In 1860 the château was transformed. Walls, a corner tower and farm buildings were pulled down, the façades were remodelled in Gothic Revival style, new outbuildings went up and a park was laid out by the Bühler brothers. In 1965 the estate was bought by Baron Joseph de Charette, and his family still lives here and runs the wine estate. It was listed in 2016.
Architecture
The castle once formed a large quadrangle around a square keep. Its north and east sides were cut down in the 19th century, opening the main courtyard onto the park. The keep and a round tower still close the long range of the 18th-century cellar. The west wing shows a lively 19th-century mix of towers, turrets, steep roofs and tall gabled dormers.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The château itself is a private home, but the estate offers cellar visits and tastings of its Couchois and Côte de Beaune wines by reservation, all year. Allow about an hour. It pairs well with the Château de Couches, a few minutes away. Check the official website for opening times.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Dracy on the same day, nearest first.
- Nature and viewpoint
Mont de Sène (Hill of the Three Crosses) Mont de Sène (Montagne des Trois Croix)
8 km away
Questions
Château de Dracy is about 33 min from Beaune by road (32 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €120 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The cellar and winery built in 1728 have never stopped being used, and the Couchois tourist office counts them among the rare 18th-century examples still working in Burgundy.
Sources
Château de Dracy with a private driver
Half-day wine tour plus one hour from Beaune: €360 for the car, up to 4 guests