Châteauvillain

“One of my most pleasant memories is a stay I had in Châteauvillain at my grandmother's sister's place,” Simone de Beauvoir in “The Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter.”

Located at the crossroads of Champagne and Burgundy in the National Forest Park, the town of Châteauvillain is charmingly nestled in a bend of the Aujon, one of the many small streams that originate in the neighboring Langres plateau.

Châteauvillain is rich in remarkable heritage. The town retains many witnesses to an unusual history: remnants of the medieval castle and that of the 17th century, fortified walls from the 12th and 14th centuries. The Tour de l’Auditoire and the Logis des Broyes host exhibitions. There is also a unique floating parquet washhouse in France, the Maison de la Prévôté with its gargoyles, a pigeon house honored by Diderot in the Encyclopedia, the chapel of the Trinity with its tempera paintings, an old oil mill, the large colonnaded halls, and the town hall facing the Notre-Dame church, whose façade is signed by Soufflot. The Porte Madame, one of the medieval city gates, leads today to the Parc aux Daims, a lovely 272-hectare promenade where deer live. Proud of its past, the town of Châteauvillain is also resolutely focused on the future. The former industrial site “Le Chameau,” where rubber boots were made, now beats to the rhythm of creation and artistic experimentation.

GUIDED TOURS

• Commented visits of the town by reservation at 06 14 87 10 82 (In the Heart of the Castle)
• In summer: gourmet visits by reservation at 06 48 52 11 41
• July 6 at 3 PM: visit Character Sunday "A door, a story"

EVENTS

• Artisans' Days (April)
• Readings in the gardens (August)
• Heritage Days (September)

MUST-SEE SIGHTS

• The Tour de l’Auditoire and its museum
• The Porte Madame and the Parc aux Daims
• The washhouse, the Maison de la Prévôté, the Notre-Dame church, and the chapel of the Trinity
• The Heritage Discovery Circuit and treasure hunts
• The Simone Artistic Training Camp
• The fish farm La Belle Fontaine
• La Belle balade, an open-air artistic trail

NEARBY

• The Moulin de la Fleuristerie in Orges
• Essoyes, the village of the Renoirs
• the National Forest Park
• Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, the De Gaulle Memorial and la Boisserie

DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT

• Brochure Discovering the Heritage of Châteauvillain
• Brochure Discovering the Church of Châteauvillain
• Booklet Châteauvillain in riddles, discovery games (from 6 years old)

CONTACT

Châteauvillain Tourist Office
Phone: 03 25 35 13 65
www.bienvenue-hautemarne.fr/villes-cites-caractere/petites-cites-de-caractere/chateauvillain

Town Hall
Phone: 03 25 32 93 03
www.mairiechateauvillain-hautemarne.fr

Maison du Parc national de Forêts
Phone: 03 25 31 62 35
www.forets-parcnational.fr

Petites Cités de Caractère