--- title: "Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre: The 1293 Hospital, How Long to Visit" description: "Founded in 1293, its great hall runs nearly 100 metres under a wooden vault. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours near Chablis, with a private driver from Beaune." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/hotel-dieu-de-tonnerre lang: en updated: 2026-09-29 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/hotel-dieu-de-tonnerre.png --- # Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre > Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre: Said to be the longest medieval hospital in Europe, founded in 1293 by a queen of Sicily. Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre is in Tonnerre (Yonne), 1 h 40 by road (147 km) from Beaune. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours · Private driver from Beaune: €370 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. In the centre of Tonnerre, 20 minutes from Chablis, stands a vast medieval hospital founded in 1293. Its great hall runs nearly 100 metres under a wooden vault, and the building is said to be the longest medieval hospital in Europe. Since April 2026 it has offered a new immersive visit with light and sound. ## Key facts - Type: Heritage - Where: Tonnerre · Yonne - Location: 110 km north-west of Beaune · Yonne - Coordinates: 47.8562, 3.9754 - 1 h 40 from Beaune - Allow 1 to 1.5 hours - Tonnerre - Nearby: [Chablis](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/chablis) - Official website: [hoteldieu-tonnerre.com](https://www.hoteldieu-tonnerre.com/) - From Beaune: ≈ 1 h 40 · 147 km - €370 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) - Or add it to our [long-day wine tour, €880](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/long-day). ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 1 h 40 by road (147 km), €370 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 Marguerite of Burgundy, countess of Tonnerre and widow of Charles of Anjou, king of Sicily, began the hospital in 1293. The poor were cared for in one great hall, with a chapel at the far end so that patients could follow services from their beds. Marguerite died in 1308 and was buried in the choir. In 1454 a rich merchant gave a sculpted Entombment of Christ, one of the oldest in Europe. A newer hospital was built beside it in the 1640s, and the great hall served as a burial place until 1777. In 1785 and 1786 a Benedictine monk traced a meridian line on its floor to show solar noon. During the Revolution the hall became a market and a straw store. The building has been a listed historic monument since 1862. ## What you will see The great hall measures about 96 metres long, 21.5 metres wide and 20 metres high, under a barrel vault of oak with its beams left visible. Look for the meridian line on the floor, the 1454 Entombment in the former sacristy and the gilded Virgin of about 1305 above the altar. The tomb of Louvois, minister of Louis XIV, is also here. A new trail with light and sound effects leads through the hall, the dormitory and the gardens. ## Planning your visit Allow an hour to an hour and a half. Tonnerre is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune and 20 minutes from Chablis, so it pairs well with a Chablis tasting or the Fosse Dionne nearby. Individual visits run in season only, while groups can book all year. A visitor booklet is available in English, and a tasting of local Tonnerre wine can be added. Please check the official website for opening times and online booking. ## Did you know? The meridian line on the floor was traced in 1785 and 1786. A small hole in a blocked window casts a spot of sunlight that marks both true solar noon and mean noon. ## Around Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre What to combine with Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Chablis](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/chablis) (14 km away): Burgundy's northern outpost, where Chardonnay grows on fossil-rich limestone above the river Serein. - [Saint-Bris](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/saint-bris) (27 km away): Burgundy's Sauvignon village, built over a maze of medieval cellars. - [Irancy](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/irancy) (28 km away): The red wine village of the Yonne, set in a bowl of vines and cherry trees. ### Châteaux - [Château de Viviers](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-viviers) (7 km away): A 17th-century wine château on the high slopes east of Chablis, now farmed organically, with guest rooms. - [Château de Tanlay](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-tanlay) (9 km away): A moated Renaissance château of the Coligny family, with a trompe-l'œil gallery and a long canal. - [Château de Béru](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-beru) (9 km away): A family château above the Chablis vineyards, with a rare sundial and moon dial, and biodynamic wines. ### Things to do - [Fosse Dionne](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/fosse-dionne-tonnerre) (1 km away): A deep karst spring and 18th-century wash house at the heart of Tonnerre. - [Vignoble Dampt Frères](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/vignoble-dampt-freres-collan) (8 km away): Two brothers' estate in Collan spanning three valleys, from Chablis grands crus to the revived wines of Tonnerre and Épineuil. - [L’Obédiencerie, Domaine Laroche](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/obediencerie-domaine-laroche) (14 km away): A 9th-century monastic house in Chablis, with a medieval wine press and the cellars of Domaine Laroche. ### Events - **A weekend in early April.** · [Les Vinées Tonnerroises](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/vinees-tonnerroises): The wine fair of the Tonnerrois, held inside a vast 13th-century hospital. (Wine festival · Tonnerre) - **Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 October 2026 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Fête des Vins de Chablis](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/fete-des-vins-de-chablis): Chablis celebrates its new vintage every year on the fourth weekend of October. (Wine festival · Chablis) - **An autumn Sunday, usually in late October, sometimes followed by a second market in November.** · [Marché aux truffes de Noyers](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/marche-aux-truffes-de-noyers): Burgundy truffles, a giant omelette and a clanging bell in the medieval squares of Noyers. (Food & markets · Noyers) - **Saturday, 24 October 2026 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Marathon de Chablis](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/marathon-de-chablis): A festive marathon through the Chablis vineyards, run in costume on the Saturday of the wine festival. (Sport · Chablis) - **A weekend in early December.** · [Marché de Noël de La Chablisienne](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/marche-de-noel-de-la-chablisienne): A weekend of local crafts and festive wines at the cooperative cellar of Chablis before Christmas. (Christmas · Chablis) - **Sunday, 24 January 2027 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Saint-Vincent tournante du Tonnerrois](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/saint-vincent-tournante-du-tonnerrois): The winter wine festival of the Tonnerre growers, hosted by a different village each year. (Tradition · Vézinnes, 2027 host) - **Saturday 6 – Sunday 7 February 2027 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Saint-Vincent tournante du Chablisien](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/saint-vincent-tournante-du-chablisien): The winter wine festival of the Chablis vineyard, hosted by a different village each year. (Tradition · Maligny, 2027 host) - **The last Sunday of April.** · [Balade gourmande du Chablisien](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/balade-gourmande-du-chablisien): A spring walk of about ten kilometres through the Chablis vines, with food and wine stands along the way. (Food & markets · Chablis, route changes each year) - **A few evenings in July.** · [Festival du Chablisien](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/festival-du-chablisien): Summer evening concerts in the churches and barns of the Chablis vineyard. (Music · Chablis and nearby villages) - **Most of July.** · [Rencontres musicales de Noyers](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/rencontres-musicales-de-noyers): Chamber music and masterclasses in a walled medieval village, with local wines poured after the concerts. (Music · Noyers) - **A three-day weekend at the end of July.** · [Gargouillosium](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/gargouillosium-noyers): Twenty stone carvers, three days and a crop of new gargoyles at the old castle of Noyers. (Culture · Noyers) - **Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 August 2027 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Musiques en Tonnerrois](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/musiques-en-tonnerrois): A roving festival of chamber music and new works in Tonnerre, a Renaissance château and village churches. (Music · Tonnerre and nearby villages) ## Questions about Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre ### How far is Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre from Beaune? Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre is about 1 h 40 from Beaune by road (147 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €370 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre take? For the visit, allow 1 to 1.5 hours. ### When is Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre open? Opening days and times change during the year, so check the official website (hoteldieu-tonnerre.com) before you go. Your driver can plan the day around them. ### Can a private driver take us to Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre? 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. → [Long-day wine tour, €880](https://www.cote-privee.com/wine-tours/long-day) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:tonnerre): €370 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - - --- Canonical page: