The Château de Bursinel estate includes a 300-metre-long hornbeam avenue and remarkable trees. It also features protected buildings, vineyards and T2L stages. When planning your trip, you can focus on architectural history, wine and landscapes, or on the trail themes.
Château, Architectural History and Churchill
The Confrérie des Chevaliers de la Cuiller was founded at the château in October 1527. The château was also a former fief of the Chevaliers de la Cuiller. Its role as the founding place and former fief links the building to the history of the brotherhood. Together with Villa Choisi, it is one of the two protected buildings of national importance in Bursinel.
Another protected estate is Le Lignage: a decree dated 14 September 1995 placed the property under protection. Choisi also holds a prominent place in the national cultural heritage. These different connections give those interested in architecture and local history several specific names through which to explore Bursinel’s architectural history.
Sir Winston Churchill stayed at the Choisi estate from 23 August to 16 September 1946. On 30 August 1985, a commemorative plaque in his honour was installed on the wall of Bursinel’s municipal building. The stay and the plaque mark two separate moments in the remembrance of Churchill in Bursinel.
Winegrowing and Landscapes
Bursinel has 28 hectares of vineyards producing wine under the Bursinel appellation. The Château de Bursinel is also a 6.5-hectare wine estate. The two figures refer to different scales: the vineyards in Bursinel and the size of this individual wine estate.
Domaine Sous-les-Jardins is located in Bursinel, opposite Lake Geneva. It includes 3.2 hectares of vineyards and 3 hectares of apple trees. At its Carnotzet, the estate invites visitors to discover a variety of specialities and traditional wines. Winegrowing and fruit growing thus feature as distinct parts of the same estate.
Domaine Au Grand Clos – Parfum de Vigne covers 15 hectares of vineyards and is located in the Bursinel and Coteau de Vincy appellations. It offers private wine tastings, vineyard tours and a boutique. For a meal, the municipal auberge serves regional dishes made with fresh seasonal produce, along with local wines.
The landscape is another focus. The agricultural part of the Domaine de Choisi is undeveloped and offers far-reaching views of Lake Geneva. Hedges, groves and individual trees shape this high-quality agricultural landscape. Domaine de l’Oujonnet lies back from the shore, above the cantonal road, yet retains a close connection to Lake Geneva; the area around the estate is of exceptional scenic quality.
Stages and Pilgrimage Routes
Bursinel is one of the five T2L stage towns for Nordic walking, heritage walks, mountain biking and trail running. The T2L stage from Bursinel to Nyon is 12 kilometres long. The documented fourth stage starts in front of the Temple de Bursinel. This provides both a specific route length and a named starting point to help visitors understand the trail themes.
The Way of St James adds another distinctive feature: a fountain in Bursinel bears the scallop-shell symbol of the route to Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims travelling to Santiago also passed through Bursinel. Those interested in pilgrimage traditions will find another connection alongside the architectural and wine-growing history, which can add a further theme to their trip.
Discover more destinations: La Rippe, Coppet, Arzier, Coinsins, Founex, Saint-George, Commugny, Le Vaud.
For the wider travel overview: Nyon.
