Have you decided to visit the Beaujolais region and explore its wines and authentic villages? Château de Champ-Renard welcomes you in Blacé, 30 minutes north of Lyon.
Our winery is located on the Wine Route and invites you to discover its eco-friendly vineyard and its Gamay, Chardonnay, and Gamaret wines during a tour and tasting and/or a stay at our charming guesthouse.
The Beaujolais Wine Route offers 140 kilometers of discoveries and no fewer than 12 appellations to explore!
Whether you’ve chosen to travel the entire route from Lyon in the north to Mâcon in the south or simply to explore a small part of this journey, the areas around Lyon and Villefranche-sur-Saône (where the village of Blacé is located) are well worth a visit, with their Gallo-Roman ruins, Romanesque churches, and charming villages featuring houses built of golden stone. Oingt, for example, is the only village in the region to be listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France!
As for Blacé, it is a typical village of the region, with its wooded hills and hamlets. From the top of its highest hill, the Crêt de Charnat, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Monts du Lyonnais and the Dombe Plain, and catch a glimpse of the foothills of the Alps and the Jura.
In the area around the Château de Champ-Renard, you’ll find bistronomic restaurants, tree-top adventure courses, a spa, and the Roman cloister in Salles-Arbuissonnas—all to help you make the most of your stay.
Discovering the Beaujolais region also means visiting its châteaux and wine cellars. And what better way to do that than by taking a detour to the Château de Champ-Renard?
Originally a fortified house during the Middle Ages that served a defensive purpose, the Château de Champ-Renard was home to many lords over the centuries before becoming a wine estate in 1765 under the leadership of the Marquis d’Espinay-de-Laye. Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador and future president, visited the estate. A lover of fine wines, he closely studied the French winemaking system in the hope of bringing it back to his country.
Renovated over the course of successive generations, the estate has managed to preserve its historic character: the medieval tower still bears witness to its construction in the 13th century, while the mullioned and pointed-arch windows, as well as the romantic English-style park with its rockery bridge and hornbeam-lined path, are typical of the 19th century.
After a period of inactivity, Champ-Renard has been experiencing a true renaissance since 2014. Its new owners, Fabienne Vilain and Denis Garnier—an entrepreneurial couple from Lyon—have restructured the vineyard to produce eco-friendly, vegan wines with no added sulfites.
The vineyards are tended with respect for the environment and a focus on promoting biodiversity, in order to produce wines that are as natural as possible, honoring the land and the traditions of the Beaujolais region.
For a memorable wine-tasting getaway in the Beaujolais region, what better idea than to book a night (or more) at one of our two charming vacation rentals?
Located on the first floor of the château, the Coachman’s Apartment and the Paradise Apartment have been renovated in a country-chic style and furnished to provide you with all the comforts you need.
Fully equipped and featuring a large living room with a kitchen, a bathroom or bathrooms, and 1 or 3 double bedrooms, they can accommodate a couple with or without children (the Appartement du Paradis), as well as a group of up to 8 people (the Appartement du Cocher).
Each cottage has its own private entrance and offers a superb view of the vineyard. The Appartement du Paradis also opens onto a small paved courtyard next to the wine-making area, complete with a table and chairs where you can enjoy a meal or a coffee break outdoors.
If you’re staying at the château, you’ll have free access to the grounds and, depending on availability, can enjoy a tasting of our wines! You’ll learn everything there is to know about Beaujolais wines and how they’re made!
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