Chemilly-Sur-Serein: Winegrowing, Horse Riding and Heritage

Chemilly-sur-Serein brings together several distinct themes: winegrowing, equestrian activities, nature and architectural history. When planning your trip, you can consider which of these perspectives matters most to you. The specific points of interest range from a wine list and riding activities to a church with several historic building phases.

Winegrowing and specific appellations

Domaine de La Perrière is a family-run winery in Chemilly-sur-Serein; its vineyard currently covers 22 hectares. It produces Chablis, Chablis Vieilles Vignes, Petit Chablis, Bourgogne Blanc, Bourgogne Rosé, Bourgogne Tonnerre, Bourgogne Rouge and Épineuil. For reference, these specific names appear side by side: Chablis, Bourgogne and Épineuil give the list different nuances. This lets you explore the village’s connection to wine through specific appellations rather than treating it as a general theme.

The history of the Château de Chemilly family winery began in 1973. It currently tends vines in five communes in the Chablisien, as well as in the Petit Chablis, Chablis and Chablis Premier Cru appellations. The year, number of communes and appellations complement one another: the history provides a timeline, while the distribution of the vines describes the area covered. This gives you both a historical and a geographical point of reference for winegrowing.

Horse riding and the natural environment

The Centre équestre du Château de Chemilly offers trail rides as well as riding lessons on ponies and horses. This gives you two specific options when planning your trip: a ride or a lesson. If you are interested in horse riding, you can use this distinction to decide which kind of activity you would prefer to look for.

Chemilly-sur-Serein lies within the Type 2 ZNIEFF area “Vallée du Serein entre Maligny et Annay”. The area is characterised by alluvial habitats and aquatic fauna. This offers a different focus from the riding activities: here, the emphasis is on the natural environment and aquatic fauna, while the riding centre offers trail rides and lessons. This lets you distinguish between a specific riding activity and the area’s connection to nature when choosing a theme.

Church and architectural history

The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste stands on the edge of Chemilly-sur-Serein’s old town and is dedicated to the Beheading of John the Baptist. Its construction history spans several phases: the oldest parts date from the 12th century, while the building was largely rebuilt in the Flamboyant Gothic style at the beginning of the 16th century. The two dates refer to different periods: the 12th century marks the oldest parts, while the beginning of the 16th century dates the extensive rebuilding.

The furnishings include a polychrome wooden high altar from the 17th century and a painted chest with banners dating from 1634, which is protected as a historic monument. The building phases and furnishings give you different periods to consider when placing the village’s cultural heritage in context. The church’s position on the edge of the old town and its dedication add two specific points of reference to this historical perspective.

Discover more destinations: Rouvray, Villeperrot, Turny, Villeneuve-Les-Genêts, Cézy, Bussy-Le-Repos, Villeneuve-la-Guyard, Treigny.

For the broader travel overview: Yonne.