Fosse Dionne
A deep karst spring and 18th-century wash house at the heart of Tonnerre.
- Nature and viewpoint
- 1 h 40 from Beaune
- Allow 20 to 30 minutes
- Tonnerre
€370one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Nearby
- Chablis
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 40 by road (147 km), €370 one way for the whole car.
Or add it to our long-day wine tour, €880.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
The Fosse Dionne is a karst spring in the centre of Tonnerre, rising into a round stone basin framed by an 18th-century wash house. The water comes up from a flooded gallery whose entrance is visible from the edge. Divers have explored it to great depths, and the town grew up around it.
What you will see
Walk through the old streets to find the round basin of clear water, with the dark opening of the flooded gallery visible in the depths. Around it runs the stone trough where washerwomen once worked, sheltered by the curved roof. Fireplaces around the edge once made the ash used for washing. It is a quiet, slightly mysterious place, and a short stop between the Hôtel-Dieu and a Chablis tasting.
History
In Gallo-Roman times the spring supplied the settlement on the plateau above, and the modern town was built around it. Its name may come from Fons Divina, the divine spring, or from Divona, a Celtic goddess of springs. In 1758 Louis d'Éon, father of the famous Chevalier d'Éon, had it turned into a wash house, with a basin 14 metres across under a half-round roof. It has been a listed monument since 1920.
The underground network behind the spring stretches for more than 40 km, and dye tests show that part of its water comes from a river that vanishes into a sinkhole about 43 km away. Divers first explored the flooded gallery in 1955. After fatal accidents in 1962 and 1996, diving was banned, and it is now strictly regulated. In 2019 a diver reached a record depth of 79.5 metres.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow 20 to 30 minutes. The spring is a few minutes' walk from the Hôtel-Dieu, in the centre of Tonnerre, about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune and 20 minutes from Chablis. Diving is strictly regulated, so enjoy it from the edge. Check with the local tourist office for opening times of guided visits.
Around here
What to combine with Fosse Dionne on the same day, nearest first.
Chablis
14 km awaySaint-Bris
27 km awayIrancy
28 km away
- Food & markets
Marché aux truffes de Noyers
An autumn Sunday, usually in late October, sometimes followed by a second market in NovemberNoyers
Questions
Fosse Dionne is about 1 h 40 from Beaune by road (147 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €370 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? The Fosse Dionne usually delivers about 300 litres of water per second, but on 15 March 2001, in flood, its flow reached 3,000 litres per second.
Sources
Fosse Dionne with a private driver
€370 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests