Opening hours and tickets
- Opening hours
- 11 July to 21 August: Tuesday to Sunday, 14:00 to 18:30
- Admission
- Adults €5
Checked on on terres-auxois.fr.
Donjon de Semur-en-Auxois (Tour de l’Orle d’Or)
Four huge towers of the dukes of Burgundy's castle still guard the old town of Semur.
- Medieval fortress
- 1 h 06 from Beaune
- Open to visitors, 11 July to 21 August
- 13th to 14th centuries
€230one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Commune
- Semur-en-Auxois · Côte-d'Or
- Style
- Medieval fortress
- Heritage
- Listed historic monument
- Official website
- ville-semur-en-auxois.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 06 by road (84 km), €230 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the château
Semur-en-Auxois stands high above the river Armançon, about an hour from Beaune. At the heart of the old town, four massive towers are all that remain of the dukes of Burgundy's castle. The tallest, the Tour de l'Orle d'Or, now holds a small museum and opens for guided visits.
History
In the Middle Ages Semur was the chief town of the Auxois, one of the districts of the Duchy of Burgundy. The castle, or donjon, was rebuilt in the 13th century, and the town gives 1274 as the date of the Tour de l'Orle d'Or. In the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, Duke Philip the Bold strengthened its defences. With its four great towers, the donjon was a formidable seat of ducal power.
After the Wars of Religion the fortress lost its purpose. In 1602 an ordinance of Henri IV decided that the fortifications should be dismantled, and most of the castle disappeared. The four towers survived, woven into the streets of the town. Since 1904 the Tour de l'Orle d'Or has housed the collections of the town's historical and natural sciences society. The castle remains have been listed since 1862.
Architecture
The four surviving towers are the Tour de l'Orle d'Or, the Tour de la Géhenne, the Tour du Pin, also called the Prison tower, and the Tour Margot. The Orle d'Or is the giant: more than 40 metres high, with walls about five metres thick at the base. Inside, four floors of collections lead to views over the roofs of Semur, and a restored gate in the basement shows how the town's entrance was defended.
Visiting
Tips for your visit
Guided visits of the Tour de l'Orle d'Or run mainly in summer and on special dates, booked through the Terres d'Auxois tourist office, with small groups. The rest of the towers are seen on a walk through the old town, the Porte Guillier and the collegiate church. Allow half a day for Semur.
Around here
What to combine with Donjon de Semur-en-Auxois (Tour de l’Orle d’Or) on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Donjon de Semur-en-Auxois (Tour de l’Orle d’Or) is about 1 h 06 from Beaune by road (84 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €230 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The Tour de l'Orle d'Or was built with walls about five metres thick at the base and two metres at the top. After more than 700 years it still dominates the town.
Sources
Donjon de Semur-en-Auxois (Tour de l’Orle d’Or) with a private driver
€230 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests