The Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne is a network of three wine tourism sites, in Chablis, Beaune and Mâcon. It was created by an association set up by the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) and opened to the public in spring 2023.
Each site has a visitor trail that ends with a tasting of wine or grape juice. The Beaune site is the main interpretation center for the Climats, the vineyard plots added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.
The three sites
Plan about 1 hour 30 minutes for a full visit in Beaune and about 45 minutes in Chablis or Mâcon. All three buildings are fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, with reserved parking, adapted toilets and a self-service lift.
Beaune
The Beaune site is at 21 Avenue Charles de Gaulle, in the Parc de la Chartreuse at the entrance to the town. Emmanuelle Andreani of SIZ'-IX Architectes designed the building, which covers 3,600 m² and was built over 18 months from 2021 to 2023. Its circular rise is inspired by vine tendrils winding around their wire trellises.
The visitor trail covers 1,100 m² in about twenty themed areas. It runs in three segments: the region, with its history, soils and landscapes; the vineyard plots, the Climats; and the grapes and wines.
The trail lasts 1 hour 30 minutes and ends with a tasting from the Cave de Prestige selection. A children's route, marked by 7 small cabottes (vineyard shelters), ends with a grape juice tasting.
Audio guides come in French, English and German, on request at reception. A foreign-language audio guide costs €1 ($1) extra.
The panoramic terrace, 20 meters up and reached by a ramp, looks over the Côte de Beaune. It is free to enter, as are the shop and the wine tourism advice area.
Les Accords, the Discovery Bar on the 4th floor, serves lunch every day from noon to 2:30 p.m. A sommelier picks around twelve wines by the glass every two months.
Chablis
The Chablis site is at 1 bis rue de Chichée, in Petit Pontigny, the former cellar of the monks of Pontigny. CORREIA Architectes & Associés renovated it and added a contemporary wing around a central garden, for 900 m² in all.
The visitor trail has some ten themed areas on the Chablisien, Auxerrois, Tonnerrois, Jovinien, Vézelien and Châtillonnais vineyards. It lasts 45 minutes and includes a tasting of wine or grape juice.
Every visitor gets a connected bracelet in French, English or German. The shop, the advice area, the terrace, the garden and Le Ponti'Bar, the Discovery Bar, are free to enter.
Mâcon
The Mâcon site stands on the banks of the Saône at 520 Avenue Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny. It presents the Mâconnais, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Côtes du Couchois.
RBC Architecture and ACL Associés designed the building. Its curves are inspired by the ammonite fossil, and a 17-meter totem takes the shape of a wooden wine press screw.
The visitor trail has some ten themed areas, lasts 45 minutes and ends with a tasting of wine or grape juice. A connected bracelet is available in French, English and German.
A 14-meter platform at the top of the press screw looks over the Saône, and it is open only on guided tours. Le Press'Bar, the Discovery Bar, has a view over the Saône.
Getting there
The fastest train from Paris reaches the Mâcon site: the direct TGV INOUI from Paris Gare de Lyon to Mâcon-Loché TGV takes 1 hour 30 minutes. The Cité is 14 minutes from Mâcon-Loché TGV and 8 minutes from the Mâcon TER station.
For Beaune, take the TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Dijon and change to the TER (TRAIN Mobigo) for Beaune. The fastest journey takes 2 hours 15 minutes. See Paris to Beaune by train and Dijon to Beaune.
The Beaune site is a 25-minute walk from Beaune station. Electric shuttles link the station and the Cité in about 5 minutes, and bus lines 2 and 5 also serve it.
Chablis has no railway station. The TER from Paris-Bercy reaches Auxerre-Saint-Gervais in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and the Cité is less than 20 minutes from Auxerre and Tonnerre stations. Auxerre is 20 km from Chablis and Tonnerre 17 km. See getting to Chablis.
| Option | From | Time | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TGV INOUI to Mâcon-Loché TGV | Paris Gare de Lyon | 1h30 | 0 |
| TGV to Dijon then TER to Beaune | Paris Gare de Lyon | 2h15 | 1 |
| TER to Auxerre-Saint-Gervais, then road to Chablis | Paris-Bercy | 1h45 by train | 0 |
| Car to the Chablis site | Paris | 2h | — |
| Car to the Beaune site | Paris | 3h30 | — |
| Car to the Mâcon site | Paris | 4h | — |
By car, the Chablis site is about 15 minutes from the Chablis junction of the A6, on the Route des vignobles de l'Yonne. A parking lot is in front of the building.
The Beaune site is 3 minutes from the A6/A31 highway, on the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne. Its parking lot opens during opening hours, with reduced-mobility spaces at the entrance. A second lot near the highway rest area is a 20-minute walk away, and an approved cycle path passes 500 meters from the Cité.
The Mâcon site is about 10 minutes from the A6, with a parking lot in front. The town center shuttle and the little tourist train stop at Cité.
Arriving by air, see Lyon Airport to Burgundy. For the trains and buses between sites, see Burgundy without a car.
When to go
The Beaune site opens daily all year, apart from an annual closure in January, which in 2026 ran from January 5 to 18. It also closes on December 25, January 1 and May 1.
In Beaune the visitor trail opens at 10 a.m. It closes at 5 p.m. from January to March, at 6 p.m. in April, May, October and November, and at 7 p.m. from June to September. In December 2026 it opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Chablis and Mâcon sites open from March 1 to November 5, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Their Discovery Bars keep the same season. They open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, and until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Tasting workshops run all year, by registration. Guided tours of the Beaune trail run every day during school holidays and at weekends outside them.
Visiting the estates
The Cité is not a wine estate. Each site has a wine tourism hub that directs visitors to vineyards, featuring only Vignobles & Découvertes partners, and the Beaune tourist office has a desk at the Beaune site.
Tastings and tours at the Cité
Tasting workshops last 30 to 45 minutes, and you book them through the online ticket office. Most run in Beaune, and Chablis and Mâcon hold them on request.
In Beaune, the Atelier dégustation covers 3 Burgundy wines, in French and English, at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The food and wine pairing workshop pairs 5 Burgundy wines with 5 bites of regional products, lasts 45 minutes and is held in French.
The Billet Expérience in Beaune combines the visitor trail, 15-minute flash guided tours, a 25-minute tasting workshop of 3 wines and the temporary exhibitions. It is valid for 2 days, in French and English.
Guided tours of the Beaune trail last 1 hour and start at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. A 1-hour architectural tour runs on the morning of the first Sunday of each month and includes the panoramic terrace.
Estates near each site
- Caves Patriarche Père & Fils, Beaune: a walk-in, self-guided cellar tour, then 6 wines with sommeliers, about 1 hour, at €25 ($27) per adult.
- Domaine Besancenot, Beaune: a 1-hour family tasting at €20 ($22) per adult, with two white and two red wines and syrups for children aged 5 and up, Monday to Friday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- La Chablisienne, Chablis: all formulas by reservation, including The Discovery, 45 minutes with 4 wines from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru, in French or English.
- Maison Simonnet-Febvre, Chablis: walk-in tastings all year, Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Musée de la Vigne et du Vin, Château de la Greffière, La Roche-Vineuse, between Mâcon and Cluny: a museum, a guided winery tour and a tasting in a vaulted cellar dating from 1790, booked online.
For appointments and booking terms across the region, see booking Burgundy domaine visits. Spit if you are driving, or choose a designated driver.
What it costs
Every visitor-trail ticket includes a tasting. Adult tickets run from €9 ($10) in Chablis to €14.50 ($16) in Beaune, and the Beaune food and wine pairing workshop costs €35 ($38) per person.
In Beaune, the visitor trail costs €14.50 ($16) for adults, €7.50 ($8) for ages 6 to 17 and €11 ($12) at the reduced rate. The family pass for 2 adults and 2 young people costs €35 ($38), plus €6 ($6) for each extra young person.
In Chablis, adults pay €9 ($10), ages 6 to 17 pay €4.50 ($5) and the reduced rate is €6.50 ($7). The family pass costs €20.50 ($22), plus €4 ($4) for each extra young person.
In Mâcon, adults pay €9.50 ($10), ages 6 to 17 pay €4.70 ($5) and the reduced rate is €7 ($8). The family pass costs €22 ($24), plus €4 ($4) for each extra young person.
At all three sites, children under 6 and a disabled visitor's companion go free. The reduced rate covers jobseekers, students, people with disabilities, education pass holders, tour guides and ICOMOS card holders.
The 3 cités pass costs €25 ($27) for adults and €13 ($14) for ages 6 to 17. The Beaune site offers preferential rates online.
In Beaune, a guided tour of the trail costs €5 ($5), or €2 ($2) for children, on top of the entry ticket, and the architectural tour costs €6 ($6).
Before you go
- Visitor numbers are capped and tickets are tied to the date you buy, so book ahead to save time and guarantee entry.
- Tasting workshops in Beaune are open only to people aged 18 and over.
- Arrive 5 minutes before your workshop starts to validate your ticket.
Animals are not allowed inside, except guide and assistance dogs.
For the towns themselves, see the Beaune, Chablis and Mâcon guides and the Burgundy region guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit to the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne take?
Plan about 1 hour 30 minutes for the visitor trail in Beaune, which covers 1,100 m² in about twenty themed areas. The trails in Chablis and Mâcon each take about 45 minutes. Every trail ends with a tasting of wine or grape juice.
Is a wine tasting included in the ticket?
Yes. Each visitor-trail ticket includes a tasting of wine or grape juice at the end of the visit. Adult tickets cost €14.50 ($16) in Beaune, €9.50 ($10) in Mâcon and €9 ($10) in Chablis.
Is the Cité in Chablis open in winter?
No. The Chablis and Mâcon sites open from March 1 to November 5, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In winter, the Beaune site opens every day from 10 a.m., apart from its annual closure in January.
Can I bring children to the Cité?
Yes. Each site has a children's route marked by 7 small cabottes, or vineyard shelters, which ends with a grape juice tasting. Children under 6 go free. Ages 6 to 17 pay €7.50 ($8) in Beaune, €4.70 ($5) in Mâcon and €4.50 ($5) in Chablis.
