...The story of an innovative « gite » which holds its roots back to the 18th century

Les Sarments were founded in the 18th century.

Even though the quality of Burgundy’s wines has been largely renowned since the 14th century, the culture of wine-making only began in the 17th century. The « Côte de Beaune » wine already appreciated and praised for quality, then reached a new status and were considered as “the most agreeable and the most salutary” of all wines, by the university of medicine of Paris.

Mr Fagon, Louis XIV’s general practitioner during the last 23 years of the king’s life, strongly advice to the “Sun King”, this wine’s consumption as a medicine against bad health...

It is in this context of tremendous promotion of the Burgundy wine that Les Sarments were built to host winemakers. They were hired to serve a powerful and noble family who owned land in Santenay and Chassagne.

Throughout the 18th and 19th century, Les Sarments would remain a sanctuary for one of these winemakers’ family living in what was orginally the only house : the typical small winegrower’s house with its semi-underground cellar and its living space located on the first floor (Discover our home and its common areas).

Every morning, our winemaker used to go to the vineyard, his hood on his back and return late in the evening,to his home consisting of a common room and a small bedrooms.

But for the winemaker who eventually became independent at the end of the 19th century, this space turned out to be too small : As he was no longer able to benefit from the wine facility of the neighboring noble house, he was compelled to create one for his own use ! it was the sole condition that would help him to develop his activity of winegrower.

In order to become fully independent, it was up to him to press, vinify, age and bottle his wine. An art which was under his sole responsibility.

The task was considerable but exciting. Our winemaker was determined to succeed. : a second building was built in the immediate vicinity of his home.

This is now the first house, on the street. It housed the press and was dedicated for the work of wine. A porch marks the entrance to this new building while a small gallery on the right provides direct access to the courtyard and the dwelling house.

It’s also this small gallery that workhorses used to take to return to the stable, in the evening, after a hard day’s work…

Our winegrower worked hard and developped his art, and gradually acquired vines as long as recognition and notability.

Then came the time to transmit…

The 20th century was to become a tipping point in the history of this place, with important changes being made to the building’s structure.

Following its most recent purchase, the new owners, having been present themselves in Santenay for several generations, worked to recover the place’s original character by renovating the house and giving the building a new cohesion as a whole.

Today Les Sarments, just like the green vine which grows back every year, are ready to begin a new life chapter (Discover our accommodation).

Constance 

The owner of "Les Sarments"