Chemilly-Sur-Serein brings together several different travel interests: winegrowing, a church with medieval and Late Gothic building phases, a designated natural area, and equestrian activities. When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. Are you mainly interested in Chablis wines, architecture and historic furnishings, or nature and horses?
Winegrowing in several forms
Domaine de La Perrière is a family winery in Chemilly-Sur-Serein with a 22-hectare vineyard. It produces Chablis, Chablis Vieilles Vignes, Petit Chablis, Bourgogne Blanc, Bourgogne Rosé, Bourgogne Tonnerre, Bourgogne Rouge, and Épineuil. The history of the Château de Chemilly family winery began in 1973. It grows vines in five municipalities in the Chablisien and in the Petit Chablis, Chablis, and Chablis Premier Cru appellations.
Both wine profiles include Chablis and Petit Chablis. Domaine de La Perrière also produces Chablis Vieilles Vignes, four Bourgogne-designated wines, and Épineuil; Château de Chemilly includes Chablis Premier Cru among its named appellations. The Domaine profile therefore focuses on the size of the vineyard and eight named products, while the Château profile highlights its history and the distribution of its vineyards across five municipalities. For wine enthusiasts, this provides a concrete comparison: the information gives an overview of both the wine names and the geographic scope of winegrowing.
Church and building history
The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste is dedicated to the beheading of John the Baptist and stands on the edge of Chemilly-Sur-Serein’s old town. Its oldest parts date from the 12th century; at the beginning of the 16th century, the building was largely rebuilt in the Flamboyant Gothic style. Its history therefore brings together older medieval fabric and an extensive rebuilding from a later period. Architecture enthusiasts can follow a clear chronology rather than encountering just one architectural style.
The furnishings add another dimension to this historical perspective. The church contains a polychrome wooden high altar from the 17th century and a painted chest with banners dating from 1634. The chest is protected as a historic monument. The building’s history and furnishings thus offer different points of reference: the oldest parts of the building date to the 12th century, the reconstruction to the beginning of the 16th century, and the objects mentioned to the 17th century.
Nature and equestrian activities
Chemilly-Sur-Serein is part of the Type 2 ZNIEFF area “Vallée du Serein entre Maligny et Annay.” The area’s features include floodplain habitats and aquatic fauna. Alongside winegrowing and architectural history, this ecological perspective offers a distinct way to experience the place, tied to a named area and its habitats.
The Centre équestre du Château de Chemilly offers trail rides as well as riding lessons on ponies and horses. These are two different formats: a trail ride is offered alongside a riding lesson, so horse enthusiasts can choose between riding out and taking a lesson. The natural area and the riding centre therefore cater to different interests—one through its landscape and ecology, the other through specifically named activities.
When choosing a holiday apartment, you can weigh these priorities against one another: winegrowing and its growing areas, the church’s historical timeline, the habitats of the ZNIEFF, or the equestrian activities. This lets you shape your visit to Chemilly-Sur-Serein around what you want to define your stay.
Discover more destinations: Treigny, Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, Villeneuve-L'archevĂŞque, Maillot, Nitry, Fontenay-Sous-Fouronnes, Saint-Georges-Sur-Baulche, Saint-Julien-du-Sault
For the broader travel overview: Yonne.
