Belle Bourgogne Part 3: Château de Savigny-lés-Beaune
The village of Savigny-lés-Beaune is small but at its heart there is the magnificent, Château de Savigny-lés-Beaune. This place is special and not just because it’s a 600-year-old château but it’s a treasure trove for those interested in all sorts of transport.
Château de Savigny-lés-Beaune
L’Orangerie or Petit Château.
Arriving at the property you will first come across the building known as L’Orangerie or Petit Château. It was built in 1671 and is a beautifully atmospheric space with vaulted stone ceilings and a collection of old wine making equipment.
The owners have created a space to enjoy wine tastings and purchase their wine grown on appellations in the surrounding villages. Beyond our initial wine tasting, we enjoyed having this fabulous cave à vin within a short walk of our home, where we could make our wine purchases throughout the week.
Chris in the tasting room, enjoying a coffee stop after cycling
You can access L’Orangerie without visiting the château. You can also buy a coffee, soft drink and ice cream to keep everyone happy while you enjoy the wine.
Once we had purchased our tickets to visit we departed L’Orangerie and began our visit. The château is straight out of a fairytale complete with turrets, an old moat and a well in the courtyard.
The courtyard complete with a well.
For a small entry fee you can tour the entire property, including various museums inside the château, within the outbuildings and outside in the grounds.
Inside the château you will find some furnished areas on the ground floor and cellars, providing a glimpse into the history of wine making.
Continue your exploration to find over 8000 models of cars, motorcycles and planes. Chris took these photos of Landrover models for our son who is a Landrover owner and enthusiast.
Upstairs in one section of the château looking across the courtyard
The collection of almost 250 motorcycles from 1902 – 1960s is on the 2nd floor. We were amazed that the owners have managed to manoeuvre all these motorcycles up the large staircases.
One of the oldest motorbikes in the collection
Extensive outbuildings house parts of the transport collection
In the outbuildings, you will find:
· The Abarth Racing car museum that features rare models and a collection of older bicycles.
One of the old bicycles within the Abarth museum
· Fire Engine Museum with models dating from 1905 -1984.
C’est moi in the fire engine museum
· Aerospace museum includes rockets and satellite reproductions and models.
· Viticulture museum with items used in winemaking and a collection of old tractors.
Inside the Viticulture museum
Perhaps the most surprising exhibit, is the Aeronautical collection of fighter jets located in the château grounds. It is the largest collection in the world.
Part of the largest collection of fighter jets in the world. Watch this YouTube video
Vineyards surround the château
The very lush estate has its own vineyard and many large established trees. Useful for seeking shelter on a rainy day.
Straight out of a fairytale
After all this touring, you must be getting hungry. Next time join me for some dining experiences in Belle Bourgogne. À bientôt!
