Saint-Vincent Cathedral, Chalon-sur-Saône (Cathédrale Saint-Vincent de Chalon-sur-Saône)
A Romanesque and Gothic cathedral, newly reopened, beside the region's only surviving canons' cloister.
- Abbey or church
- 35 min from Beaune
- Allow 45 minutes
- Chalon-sur-Saône
€125one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- achalon.com
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 35 min by road (35 km), €125 one way for the whole car.
Or add it to our half-day wine tour plus one hour, €360.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
Chalon's former cathedral stands on Place Saint-Vincent, at the heart of the old town. Begun in the late 11th century and built over some four hundred years, it mixes Romanesque, Gothic and 19th-century work. After two years of closure for restoration, it reopened in October 2025, revealing bright Romanesque capitals and rediscovered painted decoration.
What you will see
Inside, look closely at the capitals of the nave and choir, now cleaned to a bright white and in places still showing traces of their original colours. Paintings rediscovered during the restoration of 2024 and 2025 give the interior a vivid new look. Then step into the canons' cloister, whose outer walls date from around the year 1000. Three galleries with trefoil arches are 14th century, while the north gallery is a modern reconstruction.
History
Building began around 1080 and continued in seven campaigns until the early 16th century, with an eighth in the 19th century. The first phases, up to about 1160, raised the lower parts of the choir, transept and nave in the Burgundian Romanesque style also seen at Cluny, Autun and Paray-le-Monial. From the 13th to the 16th century the choir was rebuilt, the nave walls were raised and stone vaults were added.
Families and confraternities added private chapels along the nave in the 15th and 16th centuries, and the neo-Gothic facade came later. Chalon is the only city in Burgundy-Franche-Comté to have kept its complete cathedral group: the church, the former bishop's palace, the canons' houses and the cloister, which reopened in 2019 after restoration. Work on the chapels is expected to continue until 2027.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
The cathedral is a place of worship, so visits pause during services, and some chapels remain under restoration until 2027. Allow 45 minutes including the cloister. The square outside is lined with half-timbered houses and cafés, and hosts the market on Friday and Sunday mornings. Check the official website for opening times.
Around here
What to combine with Saint-Vincent Cathedral, Chalon-sur-Saône on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Saint-Vincent Cathedral, Chalon-sur-Saône is about 35 min from Beaune by road (35 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €125 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The outer walls of the cloister have been dated to around the year 1000, which makes them older than most of the cathedral that stands beside them.
Sources
Saint-Vincent Cathedral, Chalon-sur-Saône with a private driver
€125 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests