Visiting Museums & Monuments in Burgundy

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Visiting Museums & Monuments in Burgundy

Burgundy has a number of museums representing ancient history, archeological sites, fine art and contemporary art as well as mediaeval buildings and churches and more modern creations.

• For a list of museums and monuments in the area see The AngloFILE Museums & Monuments 

Opening hours can vary (many are still closed between 12:00 and 14:00) and are best checked with the local Tourist Office.

Some local museums are free of charge and other larger national museums often have special days when admission is free – usually the first Sunday of each month. There are also special events during March and April when over 800 museums throughout France open free of charge. Also, the third weekend in September France traditionally celebrates its heritage and many museums put on special events or open free of charge at this time.

Museums & Monuments in Burgundy

Information about museums in Burgundy, including ticket prices, contact details and opening hours can be found on the Musées Bourgogne website (in French).

Many museums sell tickets in conjunction with other cultural sites. When buying a ticket, visitors will be informed if they have a scheme set up with another museum.  

Museum Passes

Dijon – Cote de Nuits Pass provides free admission to over 30 attractions and a number of guided tours, as well as unlimited use on the Dijon public transport system. Passes are available for 24, 48 and 72-hours. Museums that can be visited with the card include Abbaye de Citeaux, Château Stephen Liegeard, Château du Clos de Vougeot, Le Cassissium, L'Imaginarium, Musée des Arts et Traditions des Hautes Côtes, Musée d’Histoire et d'Archéologie and the Musée et Parc Noisot.

• Tickets can be bought online or at the Dijon Tourist Office: Click here 
• Dijon Tourist Office
  At: 11 rue des Forges, 21022 Dijon 
  Tel: 08 92 70 05 58
  Website

Burgundy Museums

Some of the more popular museums in Burgundy are listed below.

Côte d'Or (21)

Musée des Beaux-Arts: The museum collection includes 12th to 19th century sculptures, Egyptian bronze figurines, 16th to 18th century Flemish and Dutch paintings, and local 19th century artists including Michaud.

• Musée des Beaux-Arts
  At: 19 rue Poterne, 21200 Beaune
  Tel: 03 80 24 56 95 or 03 80 24 98 70 (on weekends)
  Open: Every day from 14:00 to 18:00. Closed on Tuesdays between 1 December and 31 March

Tickets to the museum also provide entry to the Musée du Vin.

Musée du Vin de Bourgogne: The museum has an impressive collection of wine artefacts from Antiquity through to the 20th century, showing the history of wine making in Burgundy.

• Musée du Vin de Bourgogne
  At: Hotel des Ducs, Rue d’Enfer, 21200 Beaune 
  Tel: 03 80 22 08 19
  Open: 1 April to 11 November, open every day from 09:30-17:00. 1 December to 1 March, open every day between 09:30- 17:00. Closed 25 December and 1 January. Closed Tuesdays between 1 December and 31 March

Tickets will also provide entry to the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Beaune.

Musee du Chatillonnais: The Chatillonnais Museum houses the world’s largest bronze vase, measuring 1.64m in hight and weighing 208 Kg. The Treasure of Vix was discovered in a princess's tomb and dates back to the 6th century BC. The museum’s permanent collection also includes a number of ancient surgical tools and artefacts collected from Gallo-Roman sites in Burgundy.

• Musee du Chatillonnais
  At: Rue du Bourg, Chatillon-sur-Seine 
  Tel: 03 80 91 24 67
  Open: From January until end of June from 09:30-12:00 and 14:00-17:00, closed on Tuesdays. July and August, open from 10:00-18:00 every day. September until December open 09:30-12:00 and 14:00-17:00, closed on Tuesdays
  e-mail

Hospices de Beaune – Hôtel-Dieu: The exterior of the Hôtel-Dieu is almost more impressive then it’s interior with its multi-coloured roof renowned throughout France. The historical buildings of the hospice have now been turned into museums, while modern additions have been built to continue its work as a short-stay hospital and a medical training facility. The historical hospital also hosts the annual Beaune wine auction, drawing wine producers from all over the country.

The museums has over 5,000 historical items, the most famous being the polyptych of The Last Judgment Day often attributed to Rogier van der Weyden. The collection also includes a number of tapestries, paintings and antique furniture.

• Hôtel-Dieu Beaune
  At: Rue de l’Hôtel-Dieu, Beaune
  Tel: 03 80 24 45 00
  Open to the public every day of the year.
  Website 

Nièvre (58)

Musée de la Resistance: The Morvan Forest, north of Chalon-sur-Saone, provided a perfect hiding place for the French Resistance during Nazi occupation in 1940. The museum documents the efforts of the Resistance and the liberation. Audio-guides are available in English and Dutch.

• Musee de la Resistance en Morvan
  At: Maison du Parc, Saint-Brisson 
  Open: 1 April to 9 November. May to September from 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00, closed Tuesdays. July to August, open 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00, open every day. April, October, and November, the museum closes at 17:00 and on Tuesdays
  Website 

Saône-et-Loire (71)

Bibracte, Musée de la Civilisation Celtique: Inhabited since 500 BC, the site has seen the election of Vercingetorix and Roman imperialism. Now an archaeological site, visitors can learn about the daily life of Celtic civilisation.

• Bibracte
  At: Saint Leger-sous-Bevray, 71990
  Tel: 03 85 86 52 35
  Open: For individual visits, open every day from mid-March to mid-November from 10:00-18:00 and until 19:00 in July and August. Groups and school visits are welcome throughout the year
  Website