Charentay: Wine, Landscape and Architectural History

Discover Charentay through a stay focused on wine, landscape and architectural history. The municipality is one of six participating in the tourist Mont Brouilly project for the Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly appellation area. Historic buildings in the village also tell stories spanning several centuries.

Wine and Mont Brouilly

The visitor project at Mont Brouilly includes a geoscope, two discovery trails of 1.5 and 3 kilometres, a viewpoint by the chapel, and the Clos Vitis with its trail. The two trail lengths can be compared directly: one is half as long as the other. This clear distance information helps you assess the routes on offer.

Wine Tastings and Regional Cuisine

Wine tastings are available by appointment at Château de la Brasse in Charentay. Domaine du Château de la Valette also offers guided tours of the vineyards and wine cellar by appointment. The two experiences have different focuses: one centres on wine tasting, while the other provides a guided introduction to the vineyards and cellar. Arrange a time in advance for both; details may vary.

Another wine experience is associated with the Tour de la Belle-Mère in Charentay. The 35-metre-high tower was built in the 19th century and serves as a landmark in the Beaujolais landscape. The experience includes a wine tasting and a guided tasting accompanied by a mâchon made with local products. So, alongside wine, the programme also includes a tasting of regional products.

Châteaux and Architectural History

Château d'Arginy is a historic building in Charentay. Its main construction phases date from the late 12th century, the late 15th century and the early 16th century. The façades and roofs, as well as the outbuildings and moats, are partially protected as historic monuments. These three periods offer an insight into the long architectural history of Château d'Arginy.

Château de Sermezy is an example of the local architecture of grand country houses. Its main building was constructed in 1776. Since 25 October 1988, the façades and roofs, as well as the grand salon, billiard room, library and a room on the first floor, have been partially protected as historic monuments. This room is north of the main staircase, on the west façade. Comparing it with Arginy highlights the different periods in which the two châteaux were built: Sermezy’s main building dates from the late 18th century, while Arginy’s main phases date much further back.

Church, Chapel and Walking Loop

The choir of Saint-Martin Church in Charentay contains a polychrome wooden statue of Saint Martin dating from the mid-19th century. It is protected as a movable cultural asset. The Chapelle Saint-Pierre in Charentay is a religious building dating from the Middle Ages, offering a notably earlier point of reference. A walking loop of just under six kilometres starts in Charentay and goes around Château de Sermezy. This gives you a specific route to include in your travel plans alongside the historic building, while the statue and medieval chapel offer further ways to explore the village’s history.

For the wider travel overview: Rhône.