Bouchard Père et Fils

Bouchard Père et Fils is one of Burgundy's oldest wine houses, headquartered in the historic Château de Beaune right at the heart of Beaune. Founded in 1731, the company has long ranked among the region's leading négociants — houses that combine growing their own vines with buying and ageing wine from other producers across the Côte de Beaune.

How do you get there?

The Château de Beaune sits inside the town's medieval ramparts, so the easiest way to reach it is on foot from central Beaune — it's just a few minutes' walk from Place Carnot or the famous Hospices de Beaune. Drivers will find parking around the old town, and Beaune is also well connected by train, with Dijon roughly 25 minutes away and Lyon within easy reach, making the town a comfortable base for exploring the Côte de Beaune without a car.

What will you see inside?

The highlight is the underground cellar network — about 4,000 square metres of galleries carved into the château's old defensive bastions, with walls up to seven metres thick in places. Those thick stone walls keep a steady temperature and humidity that have suited the ageing of Burgundy wine for centuries. The cellars also hold a collection of historic vintages, the oldest bottle dating back to 1846.

The château itself is a 15th-century fortress built under Louis XI. The Bouchard family's link to the building became permanent in 1820, when Bernard Bouchard took ownership of it — decades after the house had already bought its first vineyards in Volnay and Pommard in 1775. Today the estate farms more than 130 hectares of vines, including 12 hectares of grand cru and 74 hectares of premier cru, making it one of the largest vineyard holders in Burgundy. Since 1995 the house has belonged to the Henriot family, who have continued adding prestigious plots to the domain.

A typical visit combines a walk through the historic cellars and fortifications with a tasting, ranging from entry-level cuvées to prestige crus depending on the programme chosen.

When should you visit?

Beaune can be visited year-round, but spring and autumn are especially rewarding, when the surrounding vineyards are either being tended or harvested. Summer weekends can get busy, so booking a visit and tasting in advance is worthwhile. In winter the cellars hold their steady temperature regardless of the weather outside, which makes them an appealing stop even in the low season.

Who is it for?

The site suits wine enthusiasts looking for a serious tasting experience as well as visitors drawn to history — the combination of medieval defensive architecture and an 18th-century winemaking tradition under one roof is unusual. Families can also walk through the cellars and courtyard on their own, without necessarily joining a tasting.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book in advance? Yes, especially in summer and on weekends — tastings run in small groups, and the cellars are a popular stop for visitors to Beaune.

How long does a visit take? A standard visit with tasting usually lasts between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, depending on the programme.

Can I visit just the cellars without a tasting? Some programmes cover only the walk through the galleries and ramparts, though a tasting is a natural complement that lets you appreciate the effect of the cellar conditions on the wine.

Is this worth visiting if I don't drink wine? Yes — the château's architecture, its history dating back to the 15th century, and the story of the Bouchard family and the house's growth since 1731 have value on their own, independent of the tasting.