A FASCINATING JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
Built in the 11th century and later expanded and redesigned up to the 20th century, the Château de Corabœuf has preserved the appearance of a true medieval fortress, as evidenced by its keep, its towers, its ramparts, and its entrance gate. Once you pass through the latter, you’ll be captivated by a setting that is both rustic and refined, infused with more than ten centuries of history.
THE CORABŒUF ESTATE
Listed as a Historic Monument, the Château de Corabœuf offers a remarkable setting ideally located along Burgundy’s famed Route des Grands Crus. A witness to more than a thousand years of architecture, the estate has evolved over time, eventually becoming, in the 19th century, the 80‑hectare country residence we know today.
THE GATEHOUSE TOWER
Access to the Château is through a gatehouse tower. This square 15th‑century building features a pedestrian door and a carriage entrance, above which three openings were carved — once used for the drawbridge — along with the coat of arms of the Richard d’Ivry family. Topped with a pavilion roof covering the remains of machicolations, the tower is linked to a dovecote by a stretch of wall, a vestige of the former ramparts.
DONGEON
The most remarkable feature of the estate is undoubtedly its keep. Built in 1450, this imposing square tower — 18 meters high and 10 meters across — houses on its ground floor a vast vaulted hall presenting an exhibition on the history of the Château. On the upper level, four corbelled turrets make this thick‑walled structure a perfect example of what was known in the Middle Ages as a fortified house.
THE HUNTER’S TOWER
At the southern tip of the Château’s east wing, perfectly aligned with the axis of the Orangerie — a fortified 15th‑century barn — stands a round stone tower topped with a conical roof. Known as the Hunter’s Tower, it was originally the Château’s kennel. The building bears the coat of arms of Catherine de Mypont, wife of Antoine de Salins, who owned the Château in the early 15th century.
NORTH WING
Built in 1860 under the direction of Paul de Richard d’Ivry, this residential wing adjoining the western wall of the keep was designed in the style of the 15th century. It features a base level, a ground floor, an upper floor, and an attic beneath a double‑pitched slate roof. The entrance is marked by a door topped with a canopy. The ground floor and first floor are lit by nine mullioned windows, while the attic level is pierced by three mansard dormers.
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LIVING ROOM
In the North Wing stands a wood‑paneled drawing room. Designed by the architects Charles Suisse and Xavier Schanosky, it is a quintessential example of 18th‑century Neo‑Gothic style. The room features period paintings, including a family portrait depicting the first Marquis de Richard d’Ivry and his descendants. Steeped in history, this space occasionally hosts the performances organized by the Château.
ORANGERY
Along the wall bordering the road, near the North Wing, stands a 250‑m² outbuilding. Known as the Orangery, this former fortified 15th‑century barn was indeed used to shelter the orange trees during the winter months. Built entirely of stone and timber, this charming structure — whose diamond‑patterned roof echoes that of the East Wing — will, once restoration work is complete, become one of the Château’s reception halls.
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EAST WING
This building is the oldest part of the Château. Built in the 11th century, this residential wing was reconstructed in the 16th century following the assault of the Huguenots, and later altered in the 18th century by Jean‑Baptiste de Richard d’Ivry. The wing features a small terrace overlooking the courtyard and three round‑arched arcades, the third of which opens toward the park. Particularly representative of Burgundian architecture, its park‑side roof, adorned with yellow diamond patterns, is well worth a look.
INNER COURTYARD
At the heart of the estate lies the Inner Courtyard, a graceful oval lawn adorned with flowers and bordered by a gravel walkway. Facing due south, this space enjoys generous sunlight until nightfall. It is in this setting — offering an unobstructed view of the Château’s magnificent buildings — that your private or professional receptions are held.
Garden Pavilion
Set in a quiet corner at the far end of the park, level with the terrace, a hunting pavilion was built in the 18th century by Jean‑Baptiste de Richard d’Ivry. The building consists of a ground floor and a half‑storey. Above the entrance door, visitors can admire a medallion decorated with garlands, as well as window openings framed with crossettes — features characteristic of the Neoclassical architecture of the period.
PARK
The archway of the 16th‑century wing, which opens toward the park, leads to an original French‑style garden composed of six equal‑sized plots of wild grasses bordered by grass pathways. In summer, the central alley is lined on both sides with magnificent peonies and leads to an old staircase of a few steps, extending the garden toward a rectangular water feature — the former fishpond — and the terrace, an esplanade once reserved for the game of pall‑mall.
arboretum
In the northeast corner of the estate, an arboretum invites curious visitors of all ages to observe, identify, and compare more than 60 different tree species — oaks, cedars, beeches, walnut trees, plane trees, acacias, and many others. These landscaped areas were created between 1996 and 2006 by Baron Gérard de Lauriston, with the aim of combining discovery and relaxation.