--- title: "Château de Fontaine-Française: Visit and Opening Times" description: "Rebuilt from 1754 near the field where Henri IV won in 1595, with a park of 372 clipped limes. Guided tours July to September, private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-fontaine-francaise lang: en updated: 2026-10-01 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/chateaux/chateau-de-fontaine-francaise.png --- # Château de Fontaine-Française > Château de Fontaine-Française: a classical château near the battlefield where Henri IV won a famous victory in 1595. Château de Fontaine-Française is in Fontaine-Française (Côte-d'Or), 1 h 09 by road (90 km) from Beaune. Guided tours only: 1 July to 31 August: Wednesday to Sunday, tours start between 10:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 18:00; 1 to 30 September: Saturday and Sunday, tours start between 10:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 18:00 · Guided tour: Adults €8 · 13th, 16th and 18th centuries · Private driver from Beaune: €245 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. Near the old frontier with Franche-Comté, Fontaine-Française combines a classical château, a formal park of 372 clipped lime trees and the memory of a famous battle. On 5 June 1595 Henri IV defeated the Catholic League and its Spanish allies nearby. The château is still lived in and opens in summer. ## Key facts - Type: Classical château - Location: 70 km north-east of Beaune · Côte-d'Or - Coordinates: 47.5269, 5.3685 - 1 h 09 from Beaune - Open to visitors, 1 July to 30 September - 13th, 16th and 18th centuries - Commune: Fontaine-Française · Côte-d'Or - Style: Classical (1754 to 1758) - Heritage: Listed historic monument - Official website: [chateau-fontainefrancaise.fr](http://www.chateau-fontainefrancaise.fr) - From Beaune: ≈ 1 h 09 · 90 km - €245 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 1 h 09 by road (90 km), €245 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History The medieval castle, probably built in the early 13th century, had a walled enclosure with corner towers and a keep. In the 16th century its co-lords included Cardinal Claude de Longwy de Givry and his niece Françoise de Longwy, wife of Admiral Philippe Chabot. The cardinal transformed the castle around 1540 to 1550, and King Francis I stayed here in 1534 and 1535. On 5 June 1595 Henri IV won the battle of Fontaine-Française against the League and the Spanish army. The fighting took place east of the village, and the king himself charged into the fray to rescue his outnumbered advance guard. Once Franche-Comté became French in 1678, the fortress lost its role on the border. In 1754 François-David Bollioud de Saint-Jullien, receiver general of the French clergy, decided to turn it into a more comfortable classical residence. The Parisian architect Souhard carried out the work over four years, reusing much of the old walls. Madame de Saint-Jullien welcomed writers from her Paris salon, including Voltaire, her friend and correspondent for twelve years, and Madame de Staël is said to have begun her novel Corinne here in 1805. The château later passed to the Chabrillan family, whose arms now decorate the pediment. It was classified in 1945 and its park in 2023. ## Architecture The château has a central block with two wings around a courtyard. Its windows, 4.5 metres high, are decorated with allegorical masks, and a dome with two clocks rises above the centre. Inside, a double stone staircase leads to a long gallery. The formal park has 372 lime trees trained as arcades, clipped yews and a monument to Henri IV. ## Opening hours and tickets - Guided tours only: - 1 July to 31 August: Wednesday to Sunday, tours start between 10:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 18:00 - 1 to 30 September: Saturday and Sunday, tours start between 10:00 and 12:00 and between 14:00 and 18:00 - Guided tour: Adults €8 Guided tours leave the reception about every 40 minutes. Checked on 1 October 2026 on [the official site](https://www.chateau-fontainefrancaise.fr/visits.html). ## Visiting The château and park are open from July to September: Wednesday to Sunday in July and August, and at weekends in September. The château can only be seen on guided tours, which leave regularly from the reception, while the park is free to enter. Allow about an hour and a half. ## Did you know? A small monument in the park, topped by a bust of Henri IV and a trophy of arms, recalls his victory of 5 June 1595 on the plain east of the village. ## Around Château de Fontaine-Française What to combine with Château de Fontaine-Française on the same day, nearest first. ### Châteaux - [Château de Rosières](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-rosieres) (4 km away): A well-preserved 15th-century fortified manor with machicolations near the Vingeanne. - [Château de Beaumont-sur-Vingeanne](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-beaumont-sur-vingeanne) (7 km away): A small 18th-century folly with a clever split-level plan, set in gardens by the Vingeanne. - [Château de Lux](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-lux) (12 km away): The château where Henri IV gathered his troops before the battle of Fontaine-Française. ## Questions about Château de Fontaine-Française ### How far is Château de Fontaine-Française from Beaune? Château de Fontaine-Française is about 1 h 09 from Beaune by road (90 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €245 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### Can you visit Château de Fontaine-Française? Yes, Château de Fontaine-Française welcomes visitors. Opening days and times change with the seasons, so check its official website before you go. ### Can a private driver take us to Château de Fontaine-Française? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=chateau:fontainefrancaise): €245 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - --- Canonical page: