Tartegnin: Wine and Wide-Open Views

A trip to Tartegnin can centre on wine tastings, village history or—if the timing is right—the Mondial de fondue. The compact village lies in the La Côte wine-growing region. Its character ranges from winemakers’ houses to the wooded heights of the municipality and views of the Lake Geneva basin and the Alps.

Village layout and history

The name Tartegnin appears in documents dating back to the 11th century. Today, the village is characterised by a main street, a few lanes and winemakers’ buildings. The lanes separate the houses from one another, so the compact layout is defined not only by the main street but also by the arrangement of the homes. Anyone interested in the history of a wine-growing village will find a tangible starting point here: the early written record of the village name and the village layout as described today.

Winegrowing and regional designation

Tartegnin faces Lake Geneva and is part of the La Côte wine region. The official Vaud wine designation “Tartegnin” covers the municipality of Tartegnin as well as an area of the municipality of Gilly: it lies east of the Flon La Gillière stream and north of the Lausanne–Geneva railway line. The designation therefore extends beyond the municipal boundary. Chasselas is considered the signature grape variety of the larger La Côte wine region.

Tartegnin’s wine-growing area covers around 137 hectares, equivalent to 7 percent of the La Côte appellation; these wine-growing statistics may be revised. Domaine de Chantemerle farms around 20 hectares of vineyards, some of which are in Tartegnin. This area may also change. These different scales—the municipality, the appellation and an individual winery—help distinguish local wine information from regional information.

Tastings and wine cellars

Visitors to Tartegnin can discover nine active wine cellars where winemakers offer tastings. Domaine de Chantemerle offers tastings of its wine range at the estate. Its tasting room is arranged around barrels and features various decorations and family collections; the furnishings may change. A visit is therefore not only an opportunity to discover the wines, but also to experience a purpose-designed tasting room.

Domaine de la Montardière offers a cellar visit with information about the estate. As visiting arrangements may change, it is advisable to check them before planning your visit. During the grape harvest, winemakers open their cellars to visitors, showcasing equipment for pressing, winemaking and grape harvesting—whether operated manually or by machine. These insights focus on the stages of winegrowing and complement the tastings with a look at how the grapes are processed.

Mondial de fondue

The Mondial de fondue takes place in Tartegnin and is open to both professional and amateur participants. The programme includes public activities, fondue tastings and a festival programme. During the qualifying rounds, held in cellars made available by winemakers, cooking takes place from 11 am to 3 pm. The final is scheduled from 6 pm to 7 pm under the central festival tent. Future festival layouts may change; if you plan your trip around the final or the qualifying rounds, check the dates and access arrangements for the relevant edition in advance.

For the competition, participants prepare a cheese fondue for five people using 900 grams of cheese. A réchaud and caquelon are provided, and at least 50 percent of the cheese must be Gruyère AOP. These rules may be revised for future editions. For visitors, the public activities and tastings offer a different way to experience the event than the competition itself.

Landscape and getting there

Tartegnin lies at an altitude of 498 metres and offers sweeping views of the Lake Geneva basin and the Alps. The municipality itself also has a distinct change in landscape: the upper part is wooded, while the lower half is devoted to winegrowing. The La Côte wine-growing region is classified as an IFP site and extends between Lausanne and Nyon across south-facing hills on the northern shore of Lake Geneva. The views from Tartegnin and the wider Côte landscape describe two different scales.

For regional bus connections, PostBus routes 835 and 842 are relevant. Route 835 connects Gland, Gare Sud, and Rolle, Gare Nord, via Luins, Vinzel, Bursins, Gilly and Tartegnin. Route 842 runs in a loop from Rolle via Luins, Bursins, Gilly, Tartegnin and Bursinel, returning to Rolle. The meeting point at Domaine de la Montardière is a one-minute walk from the “Tartegnin village” stop. Check the timetable and stop information before travelling; if visiting the winery, you should also check the current visiting arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Vich, Chavannes-De-Bogis, Prangins, Genolier, Borex, Nyon, Mont-Sur-Rolle, Essertines-Sur-Rolle.

Return to the main travel overview: Nyon.