Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre
Said to be the longest medieval hospital in Europe, founded in 1293 by a queen of Sicily.
- Heritage site
- 1 h 40 from Beaune
- Allow 1 to 1.5 hours
- Tonnerre
€370one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Nearby
- Chablis
- Official website
- hoteldieu-tonnerre.com
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
In the centre of Tonnerre, 20 minutes from Chablis, stands a vast medieval hospital founded in 1293. Its great hall runs nearly 100 metres under a wooden vault, and the building is said to be the longest medieval hospital in Europe. Since April 2026 it has offered a new immersive visit with light and sound.
What you will see
The great hall measures about 96 metres long, 21.5 metres wide and 20 metres high, under a barrel vault of oak with its beams left visible. Look for the meridian line on the floor, the 1454 Entombment in the former sacristy and the gilded Virgin of about 1305 above the altar. The tomb of Louvois, minister of Louis XIV, is also here. A new trail with light and sound effects leads through the hall, the dormitory and the gardens.
History
Marguerite of Burgundy, countess of Tonnerre and widow of Charles of Anjou, king of Sicily, began the hospital in 1293. The poor were cared for in one great hall, with a chapel at the far end so that patients could follow services from their beds. Marguerite died in 1308 and was buried in the choir. In 1454 a rich merchant gave a sculpted Entombment of Christ, one of the oldest in Europe.
A newer hospital was built beside it in the 1640s, and the great hall served as a burial place until 1777. In 1785 and 1786 a Benedictine monk traced a meridian line on its floor to show solar noon. During the Revolution the hall became a market and a straw store. The building has been a listed historic monument since 1862.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
Allow an hour to an hour and a half. Tonnerre is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Beaune and 20 minutes from Chablis, so it pairs well with a Chablis tasting or the Fosse Dionne nearby. Individual visits run in season only, while groups can book all year. A visitor booklet is available in English, and a tasting of local Tonnerre wine can be added. Please check the official website for opening times and online booking.
Around here
What to combine with Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre 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
Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre 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 meridian line on the floor was traced in 1785 and 1786. A small hole in a blocked window casts a spot of sunlight that marks both true solar noon and mean noon.
Sources
Hôtel-Dieu de Tonnerre with a private driver
€370 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests