Château de Gamay
A medieval fortified house in the hamlet that gave its name to the Gamay grape.
- Manor
- 19 min from Beaune
- Private, seen from outside
- 13th to 15th centuries, remodelled in the 18th and 19th
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Saint-Aubin · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- Burgundian fortified house
- Heritage
- Registered historic monument
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 19 min by road (15 km), €80 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The Château de Gamay stands on the slope above Saint-Aubin, in the small hamlet of Gamay, which gave its name to the Gamay grape. It is a classic Burgundian fortified house, with a square keep, a main house and a stair turret around a courtyard. It is a private home.
History
The keep and probably the main house were built in the 13th century, when fortified manors like this spread across Burgundy. The house was remodelled in the 15th century, when a low wing was added, and the stair turret followed around 1500. Among its lords were the Du May family: Paul Du May, a councillor at the Parliament, was lord of Saint-Aubin and Gamay in 1511.
The main house was heavily remodelled at the end of the 18th century. During the Revolution the estate was seized and sold as national property, and the castle became a farm, surrounded by rural buildings. At the end of the 19th century the Chauvigny de Blot family bought it and began a long restoration. It was listed as a historic monument in 1991.
Architecture
The buildings form a quadrangle, surrounded on three sides by ditches. The square keep has a ground floor with ribbed vaults resting on a central pillar. An octagonal turret with a spiral staircase stands in the corner of the courtyard. Carved coats of arms survive on the turret and on the door of the low wing, and gargoyles in the form of fabulous animals decorate the main house.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The château is a private home and is not open for regular visits. It has opened for guided tours during the European Heritage Days in some years, so check local listings in September. Otherwise you can see it from the lanes of Gamay, a short detour between Saint-Aubin and La Rochepot.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Gamay on the same day, nearest first.
Guides about Château de Gamay
Questions
Château de Gamay is about 19 min from Beaune by road (15 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €80 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The Gamay grape takes its name from this hamlet, yet Duke Philip the Bold banned it from the duchy in 1395 to protect Pinot Noir.
Sources
Château de Gamay with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests