--- title: "Château de la Velle, Meursault: History and Wine Estate" description: "A 16th-century fortified house on the edge of Meursault, restored by the Darviot family from 1973, listed in 1989. Private, seen by private driver." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-la-velle lang: en updated: 2026-09-29 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/chateaux/chateau-de-la-velle.png --- # Château de la Velle > Château de la Velle: a 16th-century fortified house on the southern edge of Meursault, with its own wine estate. Château de la Velle is in Meursault (Côte-d'Or), 15 min by road (10 km) from Beaune. Private, seen from outside · 16th century, on older foundations · Private driver from Beaune: €70 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. The Château de la Velle stands at the southern edge of Meursault, where the village meets the vines. Towers, living quarters and farm buildings frame a courtyard that opens onto the street on one side and the vineyards on the other. It is the home of the Darviot family's wine estate. ## Key facts - Type: Manor - Location: 8 km south-west of Beaune · Côte de Beaune - Coordinates: 46.9719, 4.7687 - 15 min from Beaune - Private, seen from outside - 16th century, on older foundations - Commune: [Meursault · Côte-d'Or](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/meursault) - Style: Burgundian fortified house - Heritage: Registered historic monument - Official website: [chateau-de-la-velle.com](https://www.chateau-de-la-velle.com) - From Beaune: ≈ 15 min · 10 km - €290 for a [half-day wine tour](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/half-day) from Beaune, up to 4 guests ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 15 min by road (10 km), €70 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 château is said to date back to the 13th century, although most of what stands today is from the 16th. It passed through the hands of many lords, and in the 16th century it was held by Protestants during the Wars of Religion. At the end of the 18th century it belonged to Guéret de Villeneuve, which is why it was also called the Castel de Villeneuve. In 1973 Bertrand and Bernadette Darviot moved their wine cellars here and patiently restored the buildings. The château was listed as a historic monument in 1989, including its bread oven and its well. Wine production paused in 2015, and today their children, Benoît and Marie Darviot, the tenth generation of a family of wine growers, are bringing the estate back to life. ## Architecture The buildings stand around a courtyard open to the street to the west and to the vines to the east. On the north side, the tall main range rises two or three storeys above its cellar, with arrow-slit windows and round-arched carriage doors. At the entrance to the courtyard, a well keeps its stone pulley frame. At the back stands a bread oven roofed with stone slabs. ## Visiting The château is a private home and family wine estate, with no regular public tours. You can see its courtyard front from the rue de la Velle, a pleasant walk from the centre of Meursault. The estate is being revived, so contact it directly about tastings. Check the official website for news. ## Did you know? Inside one of the buildings stands an old wine press, and the bread oven in the courtyard is protected as part of the historic monument. ## Around Château de la Velle What to combine with Château de la Velle on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/meursault) (1 km away): The great white-wine village of the Côte de Beaune, with a glazed-tile town hall and 19 premiers crus. - [Auxey-Duresses](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/auxey-duresses) (2 km away): A quiet valley village of supple reds and bright whites, set between wooded hills west of Meursault. - [Monthélie](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/monthelie) (2 km away): A small hillside village between Volnay and Meursault, once compared to a village in Tuscany. ### Châteaux - [Château de Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-meursault) (1 km away): A wine château with vast vaulted cellars, a walled Chardonnay clos and a forest garden. - [Château de Cîteaux](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-citeaux) (1 km away): A 19th-century château in Meursault, built over the cellars of the monks of Cîteaux. - [Château fort de Meursault (Hôtel de ville)](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-fort-de-meursault-hotel-de-ville), 1 km away: Meursault's town hall, a 14th-century castle keep under a bright glazed tile roof. ### Things to do - [Domaine Boyer-Martenot](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-boyer-martenot-meursault) (1 km away): A Meursault family estate since 1917, with a tasting cellar open on weekdays, with or without an appointment. - [Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/eglise-saint-nicolas-meursault) (1 km away): Meursault's Gothic church, whose 57-metre stone spire rises above the village and its vineyards. - [Domaine Jean Monnier & Fils](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-jean-monnier-et-fils-meursault) (1 km away): A Meursault family estate with roots in 1696 and a tasting cellar on the town hall square. ### Restaurants - [Auprès du Clocher](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/aupres-du-clocher-pommard) (5 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): Pommard's newly starred table, where the butcher's son cooks beside the church - [Ed.Em](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/ed-em-chassagne-montrachet) (5 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): A starred couple's table in the heart of Montrachet country, with 600 wines to match - [Maison Lameloise](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/maison-lameloise-chagny) (7 km away · 3 MICHELIN stars): Burgundy's only three-star table, in a former coaching inn twenty minutes south of Beaune. ### Events - **Monday, 16 November 2026 (Expected dates, not yet confirmed)** · [La Paulée de Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/paulee-de-meursault): Burgundy's most generous harvest lunch, where every guest brings their finest bottles. (Tradition · Meursault) - **Saturday, 17 October 2026 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [La Paulée du Château de Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/paulee-du-chateau-de-meursault): The Château de Meursault's autumn harvest dinner, cooked each year by a guest chef. (Tradition · Meursault) - **Usually a Saturday evening in mid-March** · [La Paulée de Printemps de Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/paulee-de-printemps-meursault): Meursault's spring banquet, where some 500 guests bring their best bottles to share. (Tradition · Meursault) - **Usually the first half of July, with a prelude of concerts on weekends in May** · [Festival De Bach à Bacchus](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/festival-de-bach-a-bacchus-meursault): Meursault's summer festival of music and wine, with concerts in the village and tastings with the musicians. (Music · Meursault) ## Questions about Château de la Velle ### How far is Château de la Velle from Beaune? Château de la Velle is about 15 min from Beaune by road (10 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €70 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### Can you visit Château de la Velle? Château de la Velle is private and not open to visitors. You can see it from the road or the village, and your driver can stop there on the way. ### Can a private driver take us to Château de la Velle? 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. → [Half-day wine tour, €290](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/half-day) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=wine-tour&option=half&place=chateau:velle): Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - --- Canonical page: