--- title: "Volnay, Burgundy: Wine Tasting and 29 Premier Crus" description: "A hillside village prized for fine, perfumed red Pinot Noir, with 29 premier crus such as Clos des Ducs. 10 min from Beaune by private driver." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/volnay lang: en updated: 2026-09-29 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/villages/volnay.png --- # Volnay > Volnay: a hillside village high above the vines, loved for the finesse of its red wines. Volnay is a wine village (Côte de Beaune), 10 min by road (6 km) from Beaune. Red wine · 29 premiers crus · Private driver from Beaune: €60 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. Volnay sits high on the slope between Pommard and Meursault, backed by the small Chaignot hill. Its wines are red only, from Pinot Noir, and are prized for their finesse and perfume. They are often described as the most feminine reds of Burgundy. The village itself is small and easy to explore on foot. ## Key facts - Type: Wine village - Region: Côte de Beaune - Location: 5 km south-west of Beaune · Côte de Beaune - Coordinates: 47.0008, 4.7819 - 10 min from Beaune - Red wine - 29 premiers crus - Appellations: Volnay - Grapes: Pinot Noir - From Beaune: ≈ 10 min · 6 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): 10 min by road (6 km), €60 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 Volnay's vines have been worked for many centuries. Before the French Revolution they were harvested by the Knights of Malta, by the abbeys of Saint-Andoche in Autun and of Maizières, and by the estate of the Dukes of Burgundy, which later passed to the French crown. The particular style of Volnay wine was already well recognised in the 18th century. The church of Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte was built in the 13th century. It was restored in 1442 under Duke Philip the Good and partly rebuilt after fires in the 15th and 16th centuries. The small chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Pitié dates from the 16th to 18th centuries. Volnay received its appellation in 1937, together with Volnay-Santenots, a red wine grown just over the boundary in Meursault. ## The wines Volnay has 29 premier crus, including Santenots, which lies in neighbouring Meursault. Limestone dominates: very chalky soil at the top, white Argovian limestone lower down, then stony, iron-rich Bathonian limestone, with deeper gravelly soils at the foot, between 230 and 280 metres. The wine is red only, from Pinot Noir. Expect bright ruby colour, violet, redcurrant and cherry, a delicate texture and fresh fruit, with spice and game as it ages. It often opens early. **Well-known premiers crus (29 premiers crus)**: Les Caillerets, Clos des Chênes, Taille Pieds, Champans, Les Brouillards, Frémiets ## What to see ### Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte The village church dates from the 13th century and is a listed historic monument. Its bell tower has paired openings on all four sides beneath a gabled roof. ### Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitié A small chapel built between the 16th and 18th centuries. It is a peaceful stop on a walk through the village lanes and the vineyards around them. ### La Voie des Vignes The cycle route from Beaune to Santenay passes through Volnay. Walk or ride a stretch towards Pommard or Meursault for close views of the premier cru vineyards. ## Good to know Allow about 45 minutes in Volnay. Pair it with Pommard and Monthélie, which are only minutes apart, and continue to Meursault if you would like to add famous white wines to the day. ## Did you know? Three Volnay premier crus still recall the Dukes of Burgundy in their names: Clos des Ducs, Clos du Château des Ducs and Clos de la Cave des Ducs. ## Around Volnay What to combine with Volnay on the same day, nearest first. ### Villages - [Pommard](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/pommard) (1 km away): A red-wine village between Beaune and Volnay, known for deep, firm Pinot Noir. - [Monthélie](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/monthelie) (1 km away): A small hillside village between Volnay and Meursault, once compared to a village in Tuscany. - [Meursault](https://www.cote-privee.com/villages/meursault) (3 km away): The great white-wine village of the Côte de Beaune, with a glazed-tile town hall and 19 premiers crus. ### Châteaux - [Château de la Commaraine](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-la-commaraine) (1 km away): A towered château in the heart of Pommard, set in its own walled Premier Cru vineyard. - [Château de Pommard](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-pommard) (1 km away): A Régence château of 1726 and a 20-hectare walled vineyard at the entrance to Pommard. - [Château de Monthelie](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-monthelie) (2 km away): An 18th-century château with a glazed tile roof, home of the Suremain family's wine estate. ### Things to do - [Domaine Christophe Vaudoisey](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-christophe-vaudoisey-volnay) (1 km away): A Volnay family estate since 1804, now in its ninth generation, receiving visitors by appointment in the village. - [Domaine Lejeune](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-lejeune-pommard) (1 km away): A Pommard estate held by the same family since 1783, now farmed organically by a new generation. - [Domaine Michel Lahaye](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-michel-lahaye-pommard) (1 km away): A family estate on Pommard's church square, with a tasting room in its old stable and a log fire in winter. - [Domaine Michel Rebourgeon](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/domaine-michel-rebourgeon-pommard) (1 km away): A small family estate in Pommard, with premier cru vines ploughed by horse and a tasting cellar open every day. ### Restaurants - [Auprès du Clocher](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/aupres-du-clocher-pommard) (1 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): Pommard's newly starred table, where the butcher's son cooks beside the church - [Le Carmin](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/le-carmin-beaune) (5 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): Christophe Quéant's poised, product-first cooking in a Renaissance house on place Carnot - [Clos du Cèdre](https://www.cote-privee.com/restaurants/clos-du-cedre-beaune) (5 km away · 1 MICHELIN star): A winemaker's mansion by Beaune's ramparts, with a starred kitchen and a cellar of over 1,000 wines ### Events - **Saturday 30 – Sunday 31 January 2027 (Confirmed by the organiser)** · [Saint-Vincent Tournante](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/saint-vincent-tournante): Burgundy's winter wine festival, hosted by a different village each January. (Tradition · Volnay, 2027 host) - **Usually the last Saturday of June, from morning until late evening** · [Elégance des Volnay](https://www.cote-privee.com/events/elegance-des-volnay): A June day in Volnay to meet some thirty growers and taste the village's climats. (Wine festival · Volnay) ### Guides about Volnay - [Beaune in one day](https://www.cote-privee.com/guides/beaune-in-one-day) - [Beaune or Dijon: where to stay](https://www.cote-privee.com/guides/beaune-or-dijon-where-to-stay) - [The grand crus of Burgundy](https://www.cote-privee.com/guides/burgundy-grand-crus) - [Burgundy’s grape varieties](https://www.cote-privee.com/guides/burgundy-grape-varieties) - [Harvest and truffle season in Burgundy](https://www.cote-privee.com/guides/burgundy-harvest-and-truffle-season) ## Questions about Volnay ### How far is Volnay from Beaune? Volnay is about 10 min from Beaune by road (6 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €60 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### What wines is Volnay known for? Volnay makes mostly red wines under these appellations: Volnay. It has 29 premiers crus. Its best-known premiers crus include Les Caillerets, Clos des Chênes, Taille Pieds. ### Can you taste wine in Volnay? Yes. Many domaines in Volnay receive visitors, usually by appointment. On a wine tour your driver plans the route and helps you book the tastings, which you pay directly to the domaines. ### Can a private driver take us to Volnay? 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=village:volnay): Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests ## Sources - - - - - --- Canonical page: