Discover Volnay through three distinct highlights: red wine, historic buildings and the Voie des Vignes as a route option. The AOP Volnay is part of the CĂ´te de Beaune; the section of the wine route between Beaune and Santenay also passes through the village. Alongside the appellation, there are specific historic monuments and a route for walkers and cyclists. When planning your stay, you can decide whether to focus on wine, architectural history or time on the trail.
Appellation and tastings
AOP Volnay is exclusively a red Burgundy wine from the CĂ´te de Beaune wine-growing region. Its geographical area covers the municipality of Volnay and a small part of the municipality of Meursault. The AOP includes, among others, 29 Climats classified as Premier Cru. The appellation, area and classification therefore describe different aspects: the AOP identifies the wine as red Burgundy, while its area extends beyond the municipality of Volnay; the Premier Cru designation refers to Climats within the appellation. This distinction helps you understand the wine designation more precisely, rather than reading it merely as a place name.
Domaine Buffet François has been a family winery since 1692 and offers wine tastings in a traditional, two-storey vaulted cellar in the village. The tasting cellar at Domaine Henri Delagrange offers a view of Volnay’s finest appellations. These wineries therefore cater to different interests: Domaine Buffet François highlights its family history and cellar architecture, while Domaine Henri Delagrange offers a view of the appellations. Visiting arrangements may change, so confirm your tasting in advance with the winery concerned.
Dolmen, church and chapel
The Dolmen dit La Pierre-Brûlée dates from the Neolithic period and has been protected as a historic monument since 13 July 1911. It is recommended as a place to visit in Volnay; check local access conditions before your visit. The Église paroissiale Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte was built in the 13th century and has been protected as a historic monument since 3 November 1925. Its portal features a chiseled-out mystical lamb on the tympanum; the capitals display motifs of grapevines and oaks. The church thus brings together a portal motif and two different plant motifs.
The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitié is also a recommended place to visit in Volnay. It has two ribbed vaults resting on moulded consoles decorated with a coat of arms. While the church’s portal and capitals provide the details described above, the chapel’s vaults and consoles shape its architectural character. Check local access conditions before visiting the dolmen or chapel.
The Voie des Vignes on foot or by bike
The Voie des Vignes offers another way to explore the subject of wine. Its section between Beaune and Santenay passes through Volnay; the route is accessible to walkers and cyclists and runs between the vineyards along the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne. For planning your time, this is a different focus from a tasting or architectural history: here, the journey along the route takes centre stage.
The Voie des Vignes has cycling equipment, picnic tables and illustrated information boards in the villages along the way. These facilities add specific stopping points for cyclists, places to take a break and sources of information to the route. If you plan to use particular facilities, check their availability as well as route conditions before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Touillon, Jours-Lès-Baigneux, Clomot, Corcelles-Les-Arts, Pouillenay, Brazey-En-Morvan, Pommard, Quétigny.
For the wider travel overview: Cote-Dor.
