Chablis

Chablis is in Burgundy. The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wines.

Understand

Chablis is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. The town is crossed by the Serein river.

Get in

By car

The town is crossed by the RD965 (former RN65), an axis connecting Auxerre (18 km to the west) and Chaumont (120 km to the east). On the same axis to the east, the town is 16 km from Tonnerre.

• Coming from Paris, take exit no. 20 Auxerre.

• Coming from Dijon or Reims, take exit no. 21 Tonnerre.

See

• Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin de Chablis: Built in the early 8th century, this church is inspired largely Sens Cathedral. Successive restorations have hardly changed its general appearance, with the exception of the bell tower, built in 1852, whose spire rises to 50 m. The south door, in Romanesque style, has a tympanum decorated with a fleur-de-lis cross surrounded by two fantastic animals. The mutilated hinges are from the 13th century. The leaves are covered with 111 horseshoes placed by pilgrims imploring the healing of their mounts (some of these shoes belonged to crippled animals). They thus asked for the protection of Saint Martin who was at the time the patron saint of horsemen.
• Church of Saint-Pierre de Chablis. It was built as the parish church at the end of the 12th century. During the French Revolution, it was saved from total destruction thanks to the resistance of the inhabitants of the Faubourg Saint-Pierre, then bought by a group of 17 local winegrowers and bourgeois who abandoned their acquisition in favor of the town of Chablis in 1808. The church, reduced to its nave, is now closed.
• Rue des Juifs: there is a house which apparently has no residential character; its invoice would suggest that it was built after the destruction of 1568 with stones recovered from the ruined houses. Known locally as perhaps an old synagogue, it has been restored with the interior design of a real synagogue. It is classified as a Historic Monument.
• Priory of Saint-Côme. Built in the 12th century by the canons Premonstratensian it was fortified and protected by ditches.
• Obédiencerie: At the bedside of the Saint-Martin collegiate church, this 15th-17th century building was owned by the Chapter of monks of Tours who received “obedience” (obedience) from the canons resident in Chablis. A very old wooden press called "double slaughter", remains there.
• Porte-Noël is made up of two round towers built in 1778 and which replaced the old square towers, much more powerful, which protected this gate formerly known as “Saint-Pierre”. Their current name is that of the mason Jehan Noël who built the square towers in the 15th century.

Do

Many hiking trails are available to explore the vineyard. Another way to discover the four Chablis appellations: to be accompanied by a guide who will know how to make you discover the different local terroirs with passion. List on request at the Tourist Office.

• Vititours, ☏ +33 6 11 47 82 98. Visits around the Chablis wine region with tastings. Guide Marie-Jo has experience in the family domaine since 2005. Private tour from 2 to 8 people for half-day or full day. Groups and seminars on request. Book ahead. She will pick you up from your accommodation in the region. (updated Sep 2023)

Eat

The Yonne department produces many and varied specialties and if there is not a characteristic dish as in other regions, traditional Chablis cuisine is particularly distinguished by the use of Chablis wine: Snails with Chablis, Chablis-glazed sole, chablis chicken, hot chablisian ham, young rabbit sautéed in chablis in particular.

Drink

AOC wines other than Chablis can be produced in this town, such as: sparkling Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne, and Bourgogne aligoté. Only an IGP wine can be produced there: the departmental IGP Yonne.

In the town you will find a wine bar, and wineries offering tastings and tours.