Chardonnay offers several distinct ways to shape your stay: a listed dolmen, a climbing area with a north-facing wall that is very rare in the département, a 30 km cycling route, and visits with tastings. When looking for a holiday rental, it is worth deciding first what you want to focus on: should culture, climbing, cycling or wine define your stay? The local offerings have different emphases; they do not need to be combined into one fixed itinerary. This lets you organise your time around your interests rather than simply listing different themes.

Cultural history marked by two dates

The Dolmen dit Pierre-de-Matafin has been classified as a historic monument since 24 August 1934. This precise date gives the cultural theme a concrete point of reference. The Tournuscimes provides a second historical reference: it was first held in Chardonnay in 1984. The two years refer to different things—1934 to the dolmen’s classification status, and 1984 to the first Tournuscimes event. If you would like to include historical aspects in your stay, you can distinguish between a named monument and the origins of an event. This provides clearer guidance than a general reference to culture, because the two local points of reference answer different questions: What is classified as a monument, and where did the Tournuscimes begin?

Climbing on limestone

The Site d'escalade - Chardonnay climbing area was completely re-equipped in 2022. Its most distinctive feature is a north-facing wall that is very rare in the département. The rock is limestone; depending on its aspect, its colour ranges from white to dark ochre yellow. These features give the climbing area several distinct characteristics: its re-equipping, its unusual aspect and the rock’s aspect-dependent change in colour. The north-facing wall is a special feature, while the limestone and range of colours describe the site’s geological character. If you are interested in climbing, you can take these specific features into account when choosing a destination.

The VélOeno71 as a cycling option

The VélOeno71 cycling route starts and ends in Chardonnay and is 30 km long. This specifies both its start and finish point and its length. You can consider this distance as a separate cycling outing and compare it with the time you have available. The VélOeno71 therefore differs from a single visit or tasting: the focus here is a route of a set length. If cycling is your main interest, the 30 km distance provides a concrete starting point for including Chardonnay as your start and finish location in your travel plans.

Visits, tastings and a dated programme

Eno Dégust' combines the discovery of monumental and wine heritage. In Chardonnay, the provider offers visits and tastings. This brings culture and wine together thematically, without requiring you to give equal weight to both interests. If this experience is important to your trip, check dates and availability with the provider in advance. The 2026 Chardonnay Day programme included gyropode rides through the vineyards. This activity is specific to the 2026 edition and offers a different planning option from the VélOeno71: here, an activity within a dated event programme; there, a cycling route with a stated distance.

Discover more destinations: Sagy, Damerey, Charolles, Saint-Ythaire, Frangy-en-Bresse, Vergisson, Lournand, Montbellet.

For the broader travel overview: Saône-Et-Loire.