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Destination ‘Cité’ 2022: The first stone is laid in Chablis

12/09/2021

The first stone is laid in Cité des vins Chablis

Following on from Beaune and Mâcon, Chablis, the third city in the Cité des vins et des Climats de Bourgogne network, has now broken ground. The project is officially underway.

All partners in attendance

This event had been eagerly anticipated by all involved. It has been three years since the signing of the framework agreement with the project's community and funding partners in December 2017, marking the official start of the project.
In attendance: Mr. Frédéric Drouhin, President of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), Mr. Louis Moreau & Mr. Jean-François Bordet, Presidents of the BIVB Chablis Commission, Mr. Benoît de Charette, President of the Association Cité des vins et des Climats de Bourgogne, representing the project manager,
Mr. Patrick Ayache, Vice-President of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region in charge of tourism and attractiveness,
Mr. Patrick Gendraud, President of the Yonne Department, Mrs. Marie-José Vaillant, Mayor of Chablis, representing the partner communities,
Mr. Frédéric Gueguen, Treasurerof the Federation for the Defense of the Chablis Appellation,
Mr. Claude Correia, the project's Architect.
All of whom were present to mark this important event.
The traditional laying of the first stone was followed by an additional and very special process of pouring concrete containing soil from each of the six vineyard areas of northern Bourgogne that will be represented in the Cité : Chablisien, Auxerrois, Jovinien, Tonnerrois, Vézelien and Châtillonnais. No less than six concrete mixers were needed to make the "Totems" which will subsequently be displayed in the Cité garden.

Elegant combination of historical heritage and contemporary design

Formerly serving as a cellar for the monks of Pontigny who developed the reputation of Chablis wines in the Middle Ages, the Petit Pontigny had been the center of the town's festivities for many years. After being closed for several years, the cellar will once again open its doors to the general public to welcome the future Cité des vins et des Climats de Bourgogne.

Claude Correia, a Bourgogne architect from Atelier Correia Architectes & Associés, will be at the helm of this venue filled with history. Correia plans to create an 800 m² link between the past and the future by designing an extension to the historic cellar of the Petit Pontigny. Its intimate 600 m² walled garden will also be redesigned to offer a welcome stopover for wine tourism in the heart of the village of Chablis.

To discover the History, heritage and wine culture of the Chablis, Grand Auxerrois and Chatillonnais regions, scenographer Adeline Rispal has imagined an immersive and sensory tour based on the idea of strata. "Wine is a matter of layers: the weather is one, as well as the elements of geology, civilization, heritage, etc.; all of these layers are found in each glass that we taste.”

Next steps towards opening in 2022

Last quarter of 2021:

o Transformation of the cellar and implementation of the extension's structural work
o Conception of the audio-visual contents of the scenographic tour
o Business marketing and preparation of the launch plan

1st half of 2022:
o Finishing touches to the extension's exterior
o Production of the audio-visual devices of the scenographic tour
o Scenographic design of the cellar and interior design of the extension
o Finalize communication tools for the grand opening

End of summer 2022:

Public opening of the Cité des vins et des Climats de Bourgogne in Chablis

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The Cité des vins et des Climats de Bourgogne is a cultural and touristic project, composed of three facilities in Beaune, Chablis & Mâcon. These are all reference points for those who want to discover and understand the infinite wealth of the Bourgogne vineyards.

Follow the Cité's activities on www.cite-vins-bourgogne.fr
Access and download our photos HERE