The Duke of Burgundy's castle at Santenay, now a large wine estate with glazed tile roofs.
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
Private driver from Beaune: 24 min by road (21 km), €95 one way for the whole car.
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At the northern end of Santenay, a medieval castle with glazed tile roofs stands inside a dry moat cut into the rock. It is named after Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who took possession of it in 1372. Today it is the seat of a large wine estate that welcomes visitors for tastings.
The castle was probably built in the 14th century. Of that fortress, the keep and part of the outer wall survive. In 1372 Philip the Bold, founder of the Burgundian state, took possession of the lordship and the castle, and it stayed with the Valois dukes of Burgundy until the duchy returned to the French crown after 1477. The castle was remodelled in the 16th century, when the dovecote was built.
Noble families then held the estate until the Revolution, and by 1796 an inventory recorded two wine presses at the château, a sign that wine was already made on site. A right wing and the gateway had been added in 1770. The castle was restored between 1970 and 1976. Crédit Agricole bought it in 1997, converted the vineyard to organic farming from 2021 and renamed the estate Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi.
The castle is U-shaped and entered from the north over a fixed bridge across a circular dry moat cut into the rock. Its main front, roofed in lead-glazed Burgundy tiles, looks down over the village. The west side is a massive square tower of three storeys with a corner turret. A round dovecote stands on the park wall, among old plane trees.
Checked on on the official site.
The estate is open from Monday to Saturday from late March to mid-November, and on weekdays only in winter. It is closed on Sundays. Visitors can see the courtyard, the moats and the plane trees, and visit the cellars with a tasting. Groups should book ahead.
What to combine with Château de Santenay (Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi) on the same day, nearest first.
Château de Santenay (Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi) is about 24 min from Beaune by road (21 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €95 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Legend says King Henri IV allowed the lord of Santenay to plant the plane trees in the park in 1599. Two of them are now listed as remarkable trees.
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Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests
