Champlitte: Museums, Dry-Stone Walls and Wine Tradition
Accommodation in Champlitte
These places and themes offer concrete starting points for planning your trip around your interests.
Museums of everyday life and technological history
The Musée départemental Albert Demard was officially established in the Château de Champlitte in 1957 and became a departmental museum in 1963. Its 45 rooms present the rural and artisanal life of a small town in the 19th century. Its focus is therefore on everyday life and work during that period.
A different perspective on history awaits you at the Musée Départemental Demard des Techniques, which explains technological changes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries through steam power, the combustion engine and electricity. This lets you distinguish between two perspectives: life in a small town in the 19th century and the transformation of energy and technology around the turn of the century.
Architectural history and stone culture
The Couvent des Augustins was founded in 1399 by Jean de Vergy, the Lord of Champlitte. Two wings of its cloister, dating from the 15th century, have been preserved. The dates help put its architectural history in context: the foundation dates to the 14th century, while the surviving sections are from the following century. Tours of the Couvent are available by prior arrangement only, so be sure to arrange your visit in advance.
Les Lavières is a local heritage area where flat limestone was once quarried for roofs and dry-stone walls. The material connects the landscape with a history of practical use. If you are interested in the town’s architecture, these former uses add a local-materials perspective to the surviving cloister wings and the museum displays.
Walking trail and cultural route
The Sentier d'interprétation des pierres sèches is 2.2 kilometres long and takes about one hour and 15 minutes. The walking trail passes through vineyards, murgers and gardens.
Champlitte is also an important stop on the Via Francigena, a Council of Europe cultural route connecting Canterbury and Rome. The two travel options are quite different: the Sentier is defined by the length, approximate duration and scenery of a walk, while the Via Francigena places Champlitte on a cultural route between the two cities. This lets you decide whether to focus your trip on a clearly defined trail or on the European route.
Wine, market and planning your visit
The FĂŞte de la Saint-Vincent is an annual tradition more than 400 years old, centred on local wines. Domaine Henriot also welcomes visitors to its cellars by prior arrangement. Workshops for children are offered there, too; before your trip, check whether the programme you want is available on your chosen date.
Champlitte’s weekly market brings around ten vendors together on the town hall square every Tuesday morning from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Check the market day again before your trip. With a market, wine traditions, museum visits and a walking trail to choose from, you can set different priorities for your stay without trying to fit everything into a fixed itinerary.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Marnay, Frasne-le-Château, Conflandey, Froideterre, Champagney, Plancher-Les-Mines, Brotte-lès-Ray, Gray.
For the main travel overview: Haute-SaĂ´ne.
