Château de Monthelie
An 18th-century château with a glazed tile roof, home of the Suremain family's wine estate.
- Classical château
- 13 min from Beaune
- Tastings on site
- 16th and 18th centuries
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Commune
- Monthelie · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- Classical (18th century)
- Heritage
- Registered historic monument
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 13 min by road (8 km), €65 one way for the whole car.
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About the château
The Château de Monthelie stands in the heart of the small hillside village of Monthelie, between Volnay and Meursault. Rebuilt in 1746 beside an older 16th-century building, it is roofed with glazed Burgundy tiles. It is the home of the Domaine Eric de Suremain, which receives visitors for tastings by appointment.
History
For centuries the lordship of Monthelie and its vines depended on the Abbey of Cluny. In 1722 François Fromageot, an apothecary from Beaune, bought the lordship and gave it as a dowry to his daughter Jeanne, who married François Brunet d'Antheuil in 1723. The couple rebuilt the château in 1746, keeping a 16th-century building and a square stair tower from the earlier house.
The Brunet de Monthelie family kept the château for about 150 years. It then passed through several related families, and in 1903 came back to the Suremain family with Albert de Suremain. His descendants still live here. Eric de Suremain has run the wine estate since 1978, and it has been farmed biodynamically since 1996. The château was listed as a historic monument in 1988.
Architecture
The château is U-shaped, with a courtyard to the south and a street front to the north. Its mansard roofs are covered in lead-glazed flat tiles. A semicircular entrance with stone pillars, vases and a wrought-iron grille opens onto the courtyard, which keeps an old well with a square rim. Inside, the protected staircase with its handrail and the dining-room décor survive from the 18th century.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The estate is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday, and tastings of the Suremain wines are by appointment only, for small groups. Book ahead by email or phone. Allow about an hour. The courtyard gate and tiled roofs are easy to see from the village street. Ask for the current opening times when you book.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Monthelie on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Château de Monthelie is about 13 min from Beaune by road (8 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €65 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The protection covers more than stone: the listing of 1988 includes the dining-room décor, the staircase handrail and even the well with its square rim.
Sources
Château de Monthelie with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests