Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault
Meursault's Gothic church, whose 57-metre stone spire rises above the village and its vineyards.
- Abbey or church
- 14 min from Beaune
- Allow 15 to 20 minutes
- Meursault
€65one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 14 min by road (9 km), €65 one way for the whole car.
Or add it to our half-day wine tour, €290.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
The Église Saint-Nicolas stands in the centre of Meursault, next to the town hall square. Rebuilt in the Gothic style after a fire around 1480, it is crowned by an octagonal stone spire 57 metres high, the landmark of the village. It has been partly listed as a historic monument since 1846.
What you will see
The church has a three-aisled nave, a transept and a flat east end, with the bell tower and spire rising over the crossing. The spire is decorated with pinnacles and crockets, and gargoyles top some of the buttresses. On the west front, a pointed porch under an ogee gable shelters a carved portal with statues of the Virgin and Child, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
History
Meursault's first Romanesque church became the chapel of the lord's castle, and in 1094 Frogier de Meursault gave it to the abbots of Cluny. It stood inside the castle walls and was rebuilt in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1470 Jean de Poitiers, lord of Meursault, had the choir and the tower built.
After a fire around 1480, the abbots of Cluny rebuilt the church with stone from the Perrière-Piade quarry and gave it its octagonal spire; the work was entrusted to three brothers, the Jeannin architects. From 1792 to 1800 the church served as a Temple of Reason for secular meetings. The nave was enlarged in 1843, and an organ by Mutin and Cavaillé-Coll was installed in 1927.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow 15 to 20 minutes. It is a parish church still used for services, and its opening times are not published, but the spire and the carved porch can be seen from the street at any time. The church is a few steps from the town hall, so it pairs easily with a walk through Meursault or a tasting in the village.
Around here
What to combine with Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault on the same day, nearest first.
Meursault
1 km awayMonthélie
2 km awayAuxey-Duresses
2 km away
- Tradition
La Paulée de Meursault
The Monday after the Hospices de Beaune auction, at lunchtimeMeursault - Music
Festival De Bach à Bacchus
Usually the first half of July, with a prelude of concerts on weekends in MayMeursault
Questions
Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault is about 14 min from Beaune by road (9 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €65 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? During the Revolution, from 1792 to 1800, the church was turned into a Temple of Reason and used for secular meetings, before worship resumed in 1800.
Sources
Église Saint-Nicolas de Meursault with a private driver
€65 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests