Where to stay near Châteauneuf-en-Auxois

Set on a limestone spur at 475 metres, Châteauneuf has guarded the gateway to the Auxois for nine centuries.

The village, listed among France's Most Beautiful Villages, is arranged around a 12th–15th-century fortress that commands the Burgundy Canal and the Vandenesse valley. A silent place, almost suspended in time, thirty minutes from Semur-en-Auxois.

Châteauneuf is a 30-minute drive from Maison Jazey (30 km across the Auxois valley). Allow around 2 hours on site for the castle (€6) and the village lanes — leave after breakfast and you will be on the ramparts by mid-morning.

History

Nine centuries guarding the Auxois.

The castle was founded in 1132 by Jean de Chaudenay for his younger son, Jehan, who took possession of it in 1175 and became Jean I of Châteauneuf. Nine generations of lords followed, down to the tragic end of Catherine de Châteauneuf, the last heiress, burned at the stake in 1456 for poisoning her second husband.

The estate then passed to Philippe Pot, Grand Seneschal of Burgundy, who added a chapel, a great hall and a Flamboyant Gothic guest lodging, turning the stronghold into a residence of state. Listed as a Monument Historique in 1894 and ceded to the State in 1936 by Count Georges de Vogüé, the castle has belonged to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region since 2008.

The Visit

Fortress, Gothic lodgings and a panorama.

A keep ringed by a powerful curtain wall raised against the threats of the Hundred Years' War. Gothic lodgings with painted ceilings, a 15th-century chapel, and new interpretive spaces opened after the 2022–2024 restoration campaign (refurbished reception, wheelchair access).

From the ramparts, the view reaches across the Vandenesse valley, the Burgundy Canal and, on a clear day, as far as the Morvan. The village itself lines up Burgundian merchants' houses from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, packed into a maze of narrow lanes.

Our Take

Châteauneuf is best seen slowly. You climb up in late morning, lunch in the village, and walk back down along the canal towpaths. A stop for contemplation rather than a race between monuments.

Maison Jazey

The detail not to miss

The late-afternoon light.

We recommend the late-afternoon light, when the limestone turns ochre and the valley deepens below the ramparts. The fortress then reveals itself as much from its terraces as from within.

Good to know: on the first Sunday of each month, from October to May, entry to the castle is free. A useful detail for off-season stays, when the site recovers its silence.

Staying near Châteauneuf

Maison Jazey, your base for visiting Châteauneuf

A 30-minute drive from the hilltop village, in the very heart of the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, Maison Jazey offers two spacious serviced apartments in its hôtel particulier, a private mansion. Secure parking included, a concierge service to plan your castle visit, and a refined breakfast.

Book direct and you enjoy the best rate guaranteed and a personal welcome — we suggest arriving in the late afternoon, when the limestone turns ochre on the ramparts.

See our rooms

Practical information

Visiting Châteauneuf-en-Auxois: opening times, prices and access.

Address: Rue du Centre
21320 Châteauneuf
From Maison Jazey: 30 km · 30 min
2026 opening times (low season): 2 Jan – 30 Jun and 1 Sep – 31 Dec
9.45 am – 12.30 pm / 2 pm – 5.30 pm
Summer opening times: 1 Jul – 31 Aug
9.45 am – 12.30 pm / 2 pm – 6 pm
Closed: Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 1 and 11 November, 25 December
Prices (to confirm on site): Full €6 · Young visitors €4.50
Free on the first Sunday of the month, October to May
Official website: chateauneuf.bourgognefranchecomte.eu