Tartegnin lies at an altitude of 498 metres in the La Côte wine-growing region. From here, views stretch across the Lake Geneva basin to the Alps. This compact winegrowers’ village combines a distinctive wine-growing landscape with a long local history and opportunities for tastings and cellar visits. If you would like to include these experiences in your stay, you can also time your trip to coincide with the open cellars during the grape harvest or the Mondial de fondue.
Village layout and landscape in La CĂ´te
A main street and a few lanes define the compact village; the lanes separate the winegrowers’ houses. The name Tartegnin already appears in documents from the 11th century. The village’s long history and a layout closely connected with winegrowing thus come together here.
The municipality also encompasses different landscapes: the upper part is wooded, while the lower half is devoted to winegrowing. Tartegnin faces Lake Geneva and offers views of the Lake Geneva basin and the Alps. On a larger scale, the La Côte wine-growing region, classified as an IFP site, stretches between Lausanne and Nyon across south-facing hills on the northern shore of Lake Geneva. Chasselas is considered the region’s characteristic grape variety.
The Vaud wine designation “Tartegnin” covers not only the municipality of Tartegnin, but also the area of the municipality of Gilly east of the Flon La Gillière stream and north of the Lausanne–Geneva railway line. This boundary makes clear that the wine designation and the municipal boundary do not coincide.
Wine cellars and tastings
Visitors can discover nine active wine cellars in Tartegnin, where winegrowers offer tastings. One option is Domaine de Chantemerle: at its estate in Tartegnin, visitors can sample its own range of wines. The tasting room is arranged around barrels and features various decorations and family collections; the furnishings may change.
Domaine de Chantemerle cultivates around 20 hectares of vineyards, some of which lie in the municipality of Tartegnin. The vineyard area may change over time. Another way to learn about winegrowing is to visit Domaine de la Montardière, which offers a cellar visit with an introduction to the estate. As visiting arrangements may change, it is advisable to check in advance.
During the grape harvest, winegrowers open their cellars to show equipment for pressing, winemaking and grape harvesting, whether operated manually or mechanically. These visits complement tastings with a look at the work carried out at the estate.
Mondial de fondue
Tartegnin hosts the Mondial de fondue, a competition for professional and amateur participants, with public activities, fondue tastings and a festive programme. In the preliminary rounds, participants compete from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in cellars made available by winegrowers. The final takes place from 6 to 7 p.m. beneath the central festival tent. As future editions and arrangements for visitors may change, check the dates and visiting options for the specific edition before travelling.
PostBus and a route through the wine-growing villages
PostBus route 835 connects Gland, Bahnhof SĂĽd, and Rolle, Bahnhof Nord, via Luins, Vinzel, Bursins, Gilly and Tartegnin. Route 842 runs as a circular route from Rolle via Luins, Bursins, Gilly, Tartegnin and Bursinel, returning to Rolle. The routes therefore follow different itineraries: route 835 connects the named stations, while route 842 returns to Rolle. Check the current timetable when planning your journey.
For a cellar visit at Domaine de la Montardière, the meeting point is a one-minute walk from the “Tartegnin village” bus stop. It is also worth checking the stop’s location before travelling. Another way to explore the wine-growing villages is the Route du Vignoble de La Côte, which runs from Rolle via Mont-sur-Rolle to Tartegnin, Gilly and Bursins. It connects several places distinguished by winegrowing and their location in La Côte.
Discover more destinations: Chavannes-De-Bogis, Bursinel, Founex, Borex, Vich, Coppet, Prangins, Gland Vd.
For the broader travel overview: Nyon.
