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Château de Gevrey-Chambertin

A 13th-century fortress built by the abbots of Cluny above the old village of Gevrey.

  • Medieval fortress
  • 33 min from Beaune
  • Private, seen from outside
  • 13th century

€360for a half-day wine tour plus one hour, from Beaune, up to 4 guests

Book a driver here 
Photo: GO69, CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

Location 25 km north-east of Beaune · Côte de Nuits
See it on the full map
Style
Medieval fortress
Heritage
Registered historic monument

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

This compact fortress stands at the top of the old village of Gevrey-Chambertin. It was built by the powerful Abbey of Cluny, which owned Gevrey and its vines for almost eight centuries. The château is private and closed to visitors, but its towers and the view from the square in front are worth the short walk.

History

In 1015 and 1019, Hugues de Chalon, bishop of Auxerre, and his sister gave the estate of Gevrey to the Abbey of Cluny, then led by Abbot Odilon. Between 1257 and 1275 two abbots of Cluny born into the Vergy family, Yves de Poisey and his nephew Yves de Chazan, gave the castle its main form: a large rectangle surrounded by moats, with a fortified gatehouse and corner towers.

Wars, looting and fire later reduced the fortress. At the French Revolution it was sold as national property in 1791. In 1858 it was bought by Jacques Masson, whose descendants kept it for more than 150 years. In 2012 the château and its 2.3 hectares of vines were sold to Louis Ng, a businessman from Macau, who entrusted the vineyard to a local domaine and has carried out major restoration work.

Architecture

Only part of the medieval castle survives. You can still see the gatehouse with its fixed stone bridge over the moat, though it has lost one of its two square towers and its drawbridge. The large square keep and the living quarters beside the gate also remain. The listing covers the château, the bridge, the grounds and the keep of what was a fortified wine estate.

Visiting

Tips for your visit

The château is private and has not been open to visitors since 2012. You can see it from the Place du Château, which also gives a fine view over the old village, the plain and the vineyards. Look for the statue of a monk by the artist Laëtitia de Bazelaire nearby. A stop of 15 to 20 minutes is enough.

Around here

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Questions

Château de Gevrey-Chambertin 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? In 2012 a group of Burgundy winegrowers offered 5 million euros for the château and its vines, but it was sold for around 8 million to Louis Ng, a gaming executive from Macau.

Sources

Château de Gevrey-Chambertin with a private driver

Half-day wine tour plus one hour from Beaune: €360 for the car, up to 4 guests

Book a driver here