Château de Mercey
An early 17th-century manor with square towers and a dovecote, above the Maranges vineyards.
- Manor
- 29 min from Beaune
- Private, seen from outside
- Early 17th century
€360for a half-day wine tour plus one hour, from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Cheilly-lès-Maranges · Saône-et-Loire
- Style
- 17th-century manor with towers
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 29 min by road (27 km), €105 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
The Château de Mercey stands in the hamlet of Mercey, about two and a half kilometres west of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, at the southern tip of the Côte de Beaune. Built in the early 17th century, it has square corner towers, an octagonal stair tower with a carved doorway and a tall dovecote. It is a private property.
History
Mercey is a hamlet of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, a wine village just across the border from the Côte-d'Or, two kilometres from Santenay. The château dates from the first quarter of the 17th century and was recorded in detail by the regional heritage inventory. The same commune also had a fortress at Cheilly that belonged in the 15th century to Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy.
The vineyards around Mercey belong to the Maranges appellation, created in 1989 for the three villages of Cheilly, Dezize and Sampigny. It covers about 162 hectares, half of them classified Premier Cru, and makes mostly red wine from Pinot Noir. A local wine estate has traded under the name of the Château de Mercey, a sign of how closely house and vineyard are tied here.
Architecture
The rectangular main house is flanked by two square towers at its south-east and south-west corners, and by an octagonal tower on the north front. All wear slate roofs with upturned eaves. The octagonal tower's doorway has a basket arch with an ogee top and small columns, crowned by a carved coat of arms and helmet. A terrace with a stone stair leads to the park.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The château is private and not open for visits. You can see it from the lanes of Mercey, on a drive through the Maranges vineyards between Santenay and Cheilly. The Maranges villages make a quiet end to a day on the Côte de Beaune, with small family domaines to visit.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Mercey on the same day, nearest first.
- Nature and viewpoint
Mont de Sène (Hill of the Three Crosses) Mont de Sène (Montagne des Trois Croix)
4 km away
Questions
Château de Mercey is about 29 min from Beaune by road (27 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €105 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The dovecote at Mercey rises three storeys under a pepper-pot roof. Before 1789, keeping a dovecote was a privilege of the lord, and its size reflected the estate's importance.
Sources
Château de Mercey with a private driver
Half-day wine tour plus one hour from Beaune: €360 for the car, up to 4 guests