Chablis: this wine village in Burgundy, not only produces the delicious wine of the same name but is also a nice holiday destination. In this blog, we tell you everything about the village of Chablis in Yonne. We share information about the Chablis wine region, nice hotels in Chablis and restaurants in Chablis.
Chablis wine village in Burgundy
Chablis is a famous wine region in France. But not many people know that Chablis itself is a nice city, which you should really visit when you travel to Burgundy. Chablis is located in the Yonne department, in the very north of the Burgundy region. The village is only 180 kilometres from Paris and is not that big at all. Where the wine town of Beaune in the south of Burgundy is known by many (Dutch) tourists, far fewer people visit Chablis. And that’s not bad at all, since now you will have this beautiful city all to yourselves!
Map of Chablis in Burgundy:
Want to see more of Burgundy? Go to the Mâconnais, in the southern Burgundy region!
Chablis wine region
The town of Chablis is surrounded by vineyards within a radius of 5 kilometres. These together form the Chablis wine region, one of the smallest wine districts in France. The wine grapes that grow here are all Chardonnay grapes. Only when the wine comes from this small wine region can it be called Chablis. If not, it is not Chablis wine.
The Chablis wine region is divided into different areas. You have the Chablis Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis vineyards. The Chablis Grand Cru is generally the most valuable here. The wine from these vineyards is therefore often the most expensive.
Chablis wine is very dry and can be perfectly combined with fish. It is also called oyster water because of the good combination between the wine and the shellfish.
Things to do in Chablis?
Even though Chablis is a small village, there is more than enough to do! Below 7 fun things to do in Chablis, Yonne.
1. Taste Chablis wine
Well, when you are in Chablis, you have to taste the wine named after this city (or would it be the other way around?) In Chablis itself, there are dozens of wineries where you can taste the Chablis. Handy, you can just walk through the city to every winery.
Nice wineries in the centre of Chablis:
There are also many wineries outside the city. Secretly I like wineries outside the city much more because you often see the house between the vineyards.
Nice Chablis wineries in the area of Chablis:
- Domaine de la Meulière
- Domaine Brocard
- Clotilde Davenne
- Domaine Massin (has no visiting address in Chablis but the wine is sold at champagne house D. Massin in Ville-sur-Arce).
Please note: many wineries are closed on Sundays. You can generally just walk in, especially at larger houses such as Domaine Brocard and Albert Bichot. At smaller Chablis wineries it may be wise to call in advance.
In transit through France? Read all about Épernay and the northern Champagne region here.
2. Cycling between the vineyards
It sounds super idyllic and it is: cycling between the vineyards! We make a bike ride of 20 kilometres, between the vineyards. On the way, we stop at a winery for a tasting. So much fun!
There are several beautiful routes that you can cycle through the vineyards, but keep in mind that it is sometimes quite hard with all those hills. Because we don’t want to be completely sweaty and especially want to enjoy ourselves, we decide to rent electric bikes in Chablis and ride a pre-mapped route. We can recommend you to do the same!
Bicycle tour in Chablis
Admittedly, the helmet we wear and the side mirror on the bikes make us look a bit weird. But these electric bikes ensure that we can continue cycling happily and enjoy the beautiful view. With the rented bicycles we receive a GPS and a detailed route description that also tells more about the area. The company where we rent these e-bikes is called E-bike Winetours and is run by a nice couple from Ghent. They are very helpful and take the time to explain everything well. Their cycling routes include standard wineries that work with them and are therefore open when you rent a bike. Take a look at the website of E-bike winetours Chablis for more information.
3.Admire the village of Chablis itself
Chablis is a beautiful old town. As soon as you drive into the centre over a medieval bridge, you see sand-coloured houses with lavender-blue shutters. Small shops with coloured facades and ornate letters lie on the main street. If you walk through the winding streets towards the cathedral, you will pass various wineries, small boutiques and hidden romantic hotels.
If you drive into the city from the south, you will immediately notice the beautiful city gate. Like many other buildings in this village, this gate is centuries old. One of the most beautiful buildings in Chablis we find castle Domaine Long-Depaquit. Via an impressive driveway, you arrive at this castle, which is located in the middle of the city. The castle is a wine estate and is now owned by the Albert Bichot winery. You can also do a wine tasting here.
4. Visit other wine villages in the area
Chablis is also called the gateway to Burgundy and indeed, after Chablis, the Burgundian landscape begins. Full of vineyards, cute villages and good food. In the vicinity of Chablis, you will also find a lot of other wine villages such as Irancy, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, and Chitry.
In these wine villages in the Yonne you won’t find Chablis, but a lot of other tasty wines. Each village is known for a different type of wine. In Irancy, for example, light red wine with a lot of tannins is made, the white wine from Chitry looks like Chablis and the Saint-Bris from Saint-Bris-le-Vineux is really wonderfully fresh.
Get in the car and drive from village to village in search of your favourite wine. Below are some nice wineries per village in Yonne, the north of Burgundy.
Nice wineries in Chitry
Chitry wine is so close to Chablis that the white wine from here is very similar to the Chablis. Fresh, dry and with a touch of citrus. Perfect with fish dishes. Nice wineries in Chitry are:
Nice wineries in Irancy
Irancy is known for its transparent red wines. Even though they seem a bit watery in a glass, make no mistake, this wine has a lot of spice because it contains a lot of tannins. The wine is also known for its long shelf life. The longer you keep the wine, the better it tastes! Nice wineries in Irancy are:
Nice wineries in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux:
Saint-Bris-le-Vineux is only 5 kilometres from Irancy but produces completely different wines. Here you will mainly find wine made from Sauvignon Blanc, which has been renamed here as the Saint-Bris grape. I secretly have an even bigger fan of the Saint-Bris wine than the Chablis. Nice wineries in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux are:
- Domain Pierre-Louise et Jean-Francois Bersan
- Jean-Louis Jean-Christophe Bersan
- Les Caves Bailly Lapierre (here you drink a completely different type of wine, namely Cremant)
5. Take a trip to the medieval town of Noyers
Not far from Chablis is the small village of Noyers. I dare say with some certainty that this is one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Burgundy. The old city wall and six city gates are still partly intact. Just outside the pleasant centre are the ruins of the old castle that stood here.
Noyers can be perfectly visited in half a day. You can take a walk through the ruins, buy handicrafts in the shops of Noyers, visit the knife museum and enjoy one of the nice restaurants.
Read more about Noyers sur Serein in our travel guide!
6. Visit Les Caves Bailly Lapierre
This winery, 20 minutes from Chablis, has also been mentioned above. But this is such a special place that we want to highlight this winehouse even more. Bailly Lapierre makes Cremant, sparkling wine, which is delicious. The brand is very large, around 15 million bottles are produced annually. A large commercial house.
But that’s not what makes a visit to Les Caves Bailly Lapierre so special. The nice thing is that this winery, as the name suggests, is in a cave. A huge cave, where you just drive all the way in with your car. In the cave is a gigantic bar where you can taste and buy Cremant. Guided tours are also given, but we skipped them ourselves due to a lack of time (they take over an hour). But even if you don’t take a tour, this winery is really worth it! Don’t forget to bring a warm sweater, no matter how hot it is outside, the cave is always chilly.
7. Hiking among the vineyards
In addition to cycling through the vineyards, you can also enjoy hiking through the vineyards. There are several beautiful walks that leave from Chablis. There are short walks from an hour to 80 minutes, as well as longer walks from 8 kilometres to 33 kilometres. Inquire at the tourism office or take a look at this website for more information.
Would you also like to taste champagne? Consider going to the Côte des Bar, just 1.5 hours from Burgundy. Read all about the Côte des Bar here.
Restaurants in Chablis
Good wine should always be accompanied by delicious food, and lucky Burgundy is specialized at that. Below are a few nice restaurants in Chablis.
Restaurant in Chablis: Le Syracuse
At Le Syracuse you eat simple but tasty dishes in the romantic courtyard. Perfect for lunch or dinner without too much fuss. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Chablis.
Restaurant in Chablis: L’Hostellerie des Clos
In the restaurant of L’Hostellerie des Clos you can eat delicious haute cuisine or order a good Menu du Jour at the bistro. Also a chic hotel for when you want to spend the night in Chablis. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Chablis.
Restaurant in Chablis: Au Fil du Zinc
This beautiful restaurant, with a Japanese chef in the kitchen, serves dishes at a high level. Really a place where you go to dine all evening with a five- or seven-course dinner. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Chablis.
Tip: it is also nice to make your own picnic (buy some cheese, bread and wine), and eat it while having a picnic with a view of the vineyards. There are several viewpoints over Chablis and the Chablis wine region. We had a picnic here.
Hotels in Chablis, Yonne
Below you will find three possible hotels in Chablis. You will also find nice (and cheaper hotels) outside Chablis. For example, this chambre d’hotes where we slept.
L’Eutopia €
This spacious apartment can accommodate up to four people. Located in the centre of Chablis and has its own kitchen. You stay here from €90 per night.
Heart of Chablis €€
This B&B is tucked right in the centre of Chablis. It has its own courtyard. You sleep here from €120 per night including breakfast.
Hotel du Vieux Moulin €€
This chic hotel has 7 suites, a beautiful restaurant and is part of the Domaine Laroche winery. You sleep here from €127 per night.
Is rosé from the south of France more your thing? Then visit the wine regions in the vicinity of Aix-en-Provence. Read all about it in our blog!
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