Château de Savigny-les-Beaune

From the 14th century to the present day, the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune has been on the move. And not just a little! Although the estate was originally a Gothic fortress dedicated to the defence of the Duchy of Burgundy, it soon became a seigneurial residence in the hands of the Bouhier family. But the château took a surprising turn when it was bought by Michel Pont in 1979. This former racing driver and passionate winegrower decided to transform the estate into a unique place. Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune became more than just a wine estate. It was transformed into a veritable museum of France’s automotive and aeronautical heritage. It’s a wonderful story that owes much to the Pont family, who still own this château-museum.

If you love speed, you’ll love visiting the Motorcycle Museum at the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune. Fasten your seatbelts, there are over 250 nuggets waiting for you, ranging from classic motorbikes to Grand Prix racing. Get ready to see some of the great names in motoring, including Norton, Honda and Horex. And don’t forget the iconic motorbikes that belonged to historic figures such as Jean Mermoz and Chanoine Kir. With display models dating from 1902 to 1960, the museum houses one of the most remarkable collectionsin France. There’s plenty to get excited about!

After fighter planes and motorbikes, the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune is now collecting Abarth racing cars. It’s a dream come true for car enthusiasts, who will be able to marvel at 30 prototypes from the iconic brand. These include legendary racing cars, such as sports barquettes and Formula 2 single-seaters. The highlight of the collection is probably the first Abarth 1000 SP to belong to Michel Pont himself. It is by far one of the rarestand most complete collectionsdedicated to this brand of racing car.

As a Burgundy wine estate, Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune owes it to itself to devote an exhibition space to the world of wine. And the gamble paid off. At the Musée du Matériel Vinaire et Viticole, you can retrace the development of winegrowing techniques through a collection of fascinating objects. And with its prototype tractor-stackers and antique wine presses, it’s THE place to go if you want to learn everything there is to know about the wine-making process.