A ruined fortress and a Gothic collegiate church on a lone hilltop, visible for miles across the Auxois.
€205one way from Beaune with a private driver
Private driver from Beaune: 59 min by road (72 km), €205 one way for the whole car.
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The Butte de Thil rises to about 480 metres above the valleys of the Serein and the Armançon, about an hour from Beaune. On its summit stand the ruins of a medieval fortress and, at the other end, a 14th-century collegiate church. The tall watchtower can be seen from far away, including from the A6 motorway.
A fortress on the hill of Thil is mentioned as early as the 11th century. The lords of Thil held it from the dukes of Burgundy, and in 1307 Guillaume de Thil acknowledged the duke as his overlord. Around 1340 Jean de Thil founded a collegiate church at the far end of the hill, served by a chapter of canons.
The castle was already ruined by the late 16th century, when the Comte de Tavannes seized it during the Wars of Religion. In the 17th century the Sayve family acquired the lordship and kept it until 1777. The ruins were listed as a historic monument in 1905. Today the fortress is privately owned, and its owner opens it to visitors. The collegiate church is also a listed monument.
The fortress stretches along the crest of the hill. Its most striking element is the square watchtower, about 25 metres high and five storeys tall, which local tradition calls the 'Spy of the Auxois'. Around it survive a 13th-century cellar, parts of the curtain wall and later openings for guns. An avenue of old lime trees links the castle to the Gothic collegiate church, whose walls are pierced with arrow slits.
Entry is €7 in July and August, when family games are added, and last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Checked on on terres-auxois.fr.
The owner opens the fortress from May to August, at weekends and on public holidays in May and June, then every day except Monday in July and August. Information panels explain the site, and games and family activities are added in summer. A medieval festival is held on the hill each year. The hilltop has marked footpaths and wide views. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours, plus a walk to the collegiate church.
What to combine with Château de Thil on the same day, nearest first.
Château de Thil is about 59 min from Beaune by road (72 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €205 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The writer and culture minister André Malraux is said to have called Thil the oldest fortified castle in France, according to the local tourist office.
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€205 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests
