Opening hours and tickets
- Guided tours only
- All year: Monday to Saturday, tours start between 10:00 and 12:30 and between 14:00 and 18:00
- Guided tour
- Adults €40
- Booking
- Required
Checked on on the official site.
Domaine Chanson
Visit the massive rampart tower where Domaine Chanson ages its wines, in the heart of Beaune.
- Wine experience
- In Beaune itself
- Open all year
- Allow about 1.5 hours
€290for a half-day wine tour starting here, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Official website
- domaine-chanson.com
Getting there
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
Domaine Chanson, founded in 1750, ages its wines inside one of Beaune's great defensive towers, the Bastion de l'Oratoire, also called the Tour des Filles. Guided visits climb through its vaulted levels among the barrels and end with a tasting. The domaine is one of the main owners of Beaune Premier Cru vineyards.
What you will see
Behind a heavy centuries-old door, a spiral staircase climbs around a central well through four levels of barrels. Nearly 2,000 casks rest here, with red wines on the lower floors and whites at the top, while a library of old vintages hides behind a grille. Every barrel is moved by hand, since machines cannot fit. The visit ends with a commented tasting.
History
Simon Verry founded the domaine in 1750, and in 1794 his widow bought the Bastion. In 1847 the Chanson family, led by Alexis Chanson, took over from the Verry family. In 1999 Philippe and François Marion-Chanson entrusted the domaine to the Bollinger group. Today it farms 43 hectares in the Côte de Beaune, including 25 hectares of Beaune Premier Cru, and 45 in the Côte Chalonnaise.
The tower was part of Beaune's fortifications. Designed by Louis XI's architects, it was completed under King Francis I, as a stone salamander, his emblem, found at its foot suggests. Its first two levels date from 1519 to 1524. It was first called the Tour des Filles, after the women of the night who lived nearby, then renamed after the Oratorian chapel next door. It was fully renovated in 2019.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow about an hour and a half for the guided visit and tasting. Visits are by reservation only. The tower has many steps and is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. It stands on the northern stretch of the ramparts walk, near the domaine's cellar door.
Around here
What to combine with Domaine Chanson on the same day, nearest first.
Beaune
1 km awayChorey-lès-Beaune
3 km awayPommard
4 km away
- Culture
Mois des Climats
Each year over several weeks in late spring and early summer, usually ending in early JulyBeaune - Wine festival
Beaune Saveurs de Vignes
Usually Ascension Thursday, in May, with staggered departures from late morningBeaune - Music
Festival international d’opéra baroque de Beaune
Usually four consecutive weekends in JulyBeaune
Questions
For the visit, allow about 1.5 hours.
Did you know? Unusually for Burgundy, Chanson's cellar is above ground. From the third floor of the old tower, the cellar team can look out over the vineyards while they tend the barrels.
Sources
From Domaine Chanson into the vineyards
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests