This Burgundy chateau was transformed into a luxe hotel
This Burgundy chateau was transformed into Château de Cîteaux, Fontenille Collection's first hotel in France's Chardonnay heartland. The Meursault property sits above intact 12th-century Cistercian wine cellars, with 18 of 35 rooms open now and cellar tours planned for September.
Hotelier Fontenille Collection opened the property last week, putting a 19th-century estate within easy reach of Paris—just under a three-hour train ride—for travelers chasing Côte de Beaune wine country. For more dream stays and estate conversions, browse our luxury real estate and dream homes coverage.
Key Takeaways
- Château de Cîteaux is Fontenille Collection's first Burgundy address and its most historically rich property to date.
- Eighteen of 35 rooms and suites are open now; 17 more arrive later in 2027.
- Guests can tour the 12th-century Cistercian cellars for tastings starting in September.
- Rates start from about $440 (380 euros) per night.
- Dining at Célestine and a spa rooted in monastic apothecary traditions round out the stay.
What makes this Burgundy hotel historically distinctive?
The site's story runs far deeper than the 1800s château. In 1098, Robert de Molesme founded the Cistercian order at an abbey about 20 miles from Meursault. Burgundy's dukes later granted the monks land for vineyards in Meursault's Vieux-Clos, where they built cellars that remain intact today.
Centuries later, architect Jules Bernard raised the current edifice over those cellars. Ninth-generation Meursault grower Philippe Bouzerau once owned the estate, and his wines are still poured on property. According to Robb Report, CEO Linda Hazi framed the debut as a 10-year milestone for Fontenille Collection—honoring winemaking heritage, Cistercian roots, and 19th-century elegance.
What will guests find inside the rooms and public spaces?
Interiors nod to Napoleon III-era Second Empire style: torsade columns, muted greens, terra-cotta accents, and stonework. Design also echoes the Barbizon School, with private terraces overlooking the Côte de Beaune. Local ateliers such as Leblond Père et Fils supplied bespoke woodwork.
Conservator Alice Gardien restored paintings and frescoes in the restaurant Célestine, a gilded salon named for Bernard's daughter, complete with cherubs among clouds on the ceiling. Chef Christophe Vauthier plans regional cheeses, river fish, Bresse poultry, and market vegetables, paired with Bouzerau cuvées and other Côte de Beaune appellations.
When can you tour the cellars—and what else is on offer?
From August through September, a harvest event with Bouzerau is on the calendar, alongside vineyard picnics and tastings with neighboring winemakers. Those historic cellars open for exploratory tastings in September.
The spa offers treatments inspired by the monks' apothecary, plus a heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi, hammam, and sauna. Day trips to Beaune, Pommard, and other wine villages sit just beyond the gates.