Château de Salmaise
A medieval castle on a rocky spur, cut off by rock-hewn ditches, in a hill village.
- Medieval fortress
- 54 min from Beaune
- Private, seen from outside
- 12th to 15th centuries
€190one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Commune
- Salmaise · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- Medieval fortress
- Heritage
- Registered historic monument
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 54 min by road (65 km), €190 one way for the whole car.
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About the château
Salmaise is a stone village of the Auxois, about an hour from Beaune. At its centre, on a spur protected by ditches cut into the rock, stands a medieval castle with a square tower and a restored Romanesque chapel. The castle is private and seen from the village streets.
History
The castle was built on a barred spur, protected on the east by two ditches cut into the rock. Works are recorded on the tower in 1373, on the bridge in 1408 and 1409, and on the upper floor and its machicolations between 1415 and 1417. In 1305 it belonged to Robert of Burgundy, and in 1371 to Marguerite de Frôlois.
Later owners included Philippe de Hochberg, to whom Louis XI granted Salmaise in 1478, and Françoise d'Orléans, to whom Henri III ceded it in 1578. In 1592, during the Wars of Religion, it was seized by Jean de Tavannes. By 1791 little habitable space remained. The chapel was dismantled and rebuilt between 1987 and 1993, and the owner continues to restore the castle.
Architecture
The castle is made up of a rectangular tower, a long building and a barn, standing on the rocky spur above the village. The two rock-cut ditches guard the east side. The castle chapel of Saint-Marc, a 12th-century building, was carefully rebuilt in the 1990s with fine stonework. The chapel and the remains of the castle were listed in 1928.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
The castle is private and the interior is not open. The exterior can be seen freely from the village streets. Groups of more than ten can book a guided tour of the village with the association Les Amis de Salmaise. Salmaise combines well with Frôlois, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Alise-Sainte-Reine. Ask the local tourist office for more information on the village.
Around here
What to combine with Château de Salmaise on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Château de Salmaise is about 54 min from Beaune by road (65 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €190 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Records at Salmaise are unusually precise: works on the bridge are dated 1408 to 1409, and between 1415 and 1417 a new storey was built and the machicolations of a tower were reworked.
Sources
Château de Salmaise with a private driver
€190 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests