This Burgundy Chateau Was Transformed Into a Luxe Hotel Perched Above 12th-Century Wine Cellars

Oenophiles, the next stop on your Burgundy wine tour is here. Hotelier Fontenille Collection has opened its first property in the birthplace of Chardonnay last week. Housed within a transformed 19th-century château, the new Château de Cîteaux is just under a three-hour train ride from Paris and gives you a prime perch to explore France’s famous wine country. The property itself has ties to a storied history that stretches beyond the 1800s, though. Robert de Molesme founded the Cistercian order at an abbey some 20 miles away from Meursault, the small village where the new hotel is located, in 1098. Soon after, the dukes of Burgundy gave the monks land to build vineyards in Meursault’s Vieux-Clos; it was there they chose to craft the cellars that are still intact today. A few centuries later, architect Jules Bernard made the current edifice, where Fontenille Collection brought Château de Cîteaux to life, over those 12th-century cellars. To add to the estate’s wine-centric heritage, ninth-generation Meursault grower Philippe Bouzerau was once the owner of the property—and you can get a taste of his vinos at the hotel, too. The library. Yann Deret Château de Cîteaux will be home to a total of 35 rooms and suites, with 18 ready for guests now and a further 17 entering the scene later in 2027. The property is full of nods from the Napoleon III-era Second Empire style, with torsade columns, muted greens, terra-cotta touches, and stonework abound. The interiors are also an homage to the design scheme of the Barbizon School, the 19th-century French painters focused on landscapes and nature; that means rooms with private terraces overlooking the Côte de Beaune. And to bring the hotel to life, Fontenille looked locally, tapping ateliers such as Leblond Père et Fils to place bespoke woodwork. Some of the most striking features at Château de Cîteaux are the paintings and frescoes painstakingly restored by conservator Alice Gardien in the hotel’s restaurant. Célestine is a gilded salon filled with airy, bright paintings—including cherubs among the clouds on the ceiling—named for Bernard’s daughter. Here, chef Christophe Vauthier will serve regional cheeses, river fish, Bresse poultry, and vegetables from local markets. Wine will include Bouzereau’s aforementioned cuvées, as well as other appellations in the Côte de Beaune and smaller growers, too. Célestine, the on-site restaurant gilded in gold and soft tones. Yann Deret Fontenille has plenty of activities on the docket, too. You can opt for a vineyard picnic, tastings with neighboring winemakers, a harvest event with Bouzereau from August to September, and more. Plus, you can explore those 12th-century Cistercian cellars for a tasting come September. The spa, meanwhile, lets you enjoy treatments based on the monks’ apothecary alongside a heated indoor pool, a Jacuzzi, a hammam, and a sauna. Beyond the hotel, you can also venture to other historic villages in the region, including Beaune, the capital of Burgundy wine, Pommard, and more. An airy room overlooking the vines at Château de Cîteaux. Yann Deret “With Château de Cîteaux, we wanted to honor a house shaped across the centuries by its winemaking heritage, Cistercian roots and 19th-century elegance,” Linda Hazi, CEO of Fontenille Collection, said in a press statement. “This opening, timed with our 10-year anniversary, marks a milestone for the Collection: a first address in Burgundy, and our most historically rich property to date.” Rates at Château de Cîteaux start from about $440 (380 euros) per night. Authors Nicole Hoey Digital Editor Nicole Hoey is Robb Report's digital editor. While studying at Boston University, she read, wrote and read some more as an English and journalism major. A class taught by a Boston Globe copy editor… Read More