Corcelles-Les-Arts: Two châteaux, different stories

Corcelles-Les-Arts brings together village history, historic château estates, and an agricultural landscape. If you are looking for a hotel for a culturally focused stay, the architectural history of the Château de Corcelles, the Château de Masse, and the Église Saint-Pierre offer specific points to consider when choosing your destination. The estates differ in their histories and architectural styles; the landscape offers further points of reference, including the Bois de Masse and a pond.

Château de Corcelles: from motte to fortified house

The history of the Château de Corcelles-les-Arts begins in the 11th century with a motte. The Priory of Saint-Étienne de Beaune added a monastic “celle.” From this origin, the fortified house of the 12th century developed, with a square tower, round towers, and turrets. Curtain walls enclose a square courtyard. Together, these elements describe a varied complex: the courtyard forms the center, while the walls and towers of different shapes define the buildings.

The protected status is also part of the building’s history. Since the decree of 4 February 1976, the façades and roofs of the château, the outbuildings, and the dovecote have been partially protected as a Monument historique. The specified building parts make clear that the historic estate extends beyond the main château alone.

Tomb slab and landscape

The Église Saint-Pierre contains the tomb slab of Claude-Bernarde Berbis de Longecourt and Claude Berbis de Corcelles. It has been protected as an object since 8 June 1984. Unlike the château, this concerns a single object in the church. This distinction helps place the château estate and the church artwork as two different aspects of the village’s history.

The area around Corcelles-Les-Arts is agricultural in character. Two clear details help with orientation: the Bois de Masse lies to the south, and a pond lies east of the village. These landscape features complement the historic buildings as a distinct part of the village’s character.

Château de Masse and Pigeonnier

A second château story takes us back to the time of Louis XIV. The Loppin family had the Château de Masse built to replace an older château. The classical ensemble consists of two symmetrical pavilions: one was intended as a residence, the other as a wine cellar. The original design thus assigned the two functions to similarly arranged, but differently purposed, parts of the building.

The Pigeonnier de Masse is a well-preserved relic, both inside and out, of the former fortified house of Masse. The dovecote has room for 1,800 nesting places and adds another striking historic structure to the pavilion ensemble. The restored Château de Masse is still inhabited and can be admired at the entrance to Masse when approaching from Corcelles.

Village walk and travel choice

The Château de Corcelles is recommended as local heritage that you can admire on a walk through the village. The two château estates represent different themes: at Corcelles, the focus is on the development from motte to fortified house; at Masse, it is on a classical ensemble with two pavilions. Together with the tomb slab and the landscape features, they give a specific picture of the destination. If you are looking for a hotel in Corcelles-Les-Arts, these different themes can help you choose a place that suits your interests.

Discover more destinations: Minot, Saulieu, Puligny-Montrachet, Arcenant, Ternant, Eringes, La Chaume, Plombières-lès-Dijon.

For the broader travel overview: Cote-Dor.