Église Saint-Pierre de Chalon-sur-Saône
A Baroque church with twin domed towers, where the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny took their first vows.
- Abbey or church
- 35 min from Beaune
- Allow 20 to 30 minutes
- Chalon-sur-Saône
€125one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- burgundy-tourism.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
The Église Saint-Pierre stands on the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville in the centre of Chalon-sur-Saône, its façade framed by two towers topped with small domes and lanterns. Built in the Baroque style between 1698 and 1713, it is one of the landmarks of the old town. Its history links it to a missionary order that spread across five continents.
What you will see
The façade rises in two tiers of columns, with statues in niches, between two towers with clocks, domes and small lanterns, and a larger dome rises behind it. Inside, look for the organ built by the Callinet workshop in 1812, with sixteen stops, and for the reliquary statue of Saint Just de Bretenières, a missionary martyred in Korea. Stand on the square in front to see the church and the town hall side by side.
History
The church was built between 1698 and 1713 to plans by the architect Vincent Duchesne. During the Revolution it became in turn a temple of festivals, a hall for the civic cult of the new calendar and a fodder store, before it was returned to worship in 1803.
On 12 May 1807, Anne-Marie Javouhey, her sisters and a few companions took their vows here before the bishop of Autun, founding the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny, which spread to five continents. The church was enlarged in 1898 and its façade on the square was rebuilt in 1900. It was listed as a historic monument in 1948, except for its façade, the left arm of the transept and the Sacred Heart chapel.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
The church is in the pedestrian centre, a short walk from the Musée Denon and the Place Saint-Vincent. It is a parish church, so visits pause during services. Allow 20 to 30 minutes; the square in front makes a good starting point for a walk through the old town.
Around here
What to combine with Église Saint-Pierre de Chalon-sur-Saône on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Église Saint-Pierre de 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? Seven bells hang in its towers: three small ones strike the hours, and four large ones ring for mass to the tune of the Salve Regina.
Sources
Église Saint-Pierre de Chalon-sur-Saône with a private driver
€125 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests