Weekend Getaway: Chablis Travel Guide

Weekend Guide to Visiting Chablis 

Chablis is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled wine regions in France. Located in Northern France, the Chablis region is known for its prized chardonnay wines. If you’re planning a visit to this enchanting region, here is your guide to everything Chablis. From tastings and vineyard walks to local restaurants, we’ve got you covered! Here is a guide on how to visit this area in just two days so you can enjoy the best that it has to offer. I am sharing my own experiences and recommendations. So pack your bags and get ready for an amazing wine-filled adventure in Chablis.

The small wine village of Chablis is located in the north-central part of France about two hours’ drive from Paris in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. 

How to Get to Chablis

Chablis is 160 km from Beaune, basically half way between Beaune and Paris, in Northern Bourgogne. You can get there by car or by train from either city. If you want to visit the Cote d’Or as well, I suggest staying in Beaune and driving to Chablis. You can explore the whole of Bourgogne that way.

(Check out my Weekend Guide to Beaune)

You have a few options for transportation from Paris:

Train – You can take a train from Paris to directly to Auxerre. The journey takes just over an hour and the trains leave every 30 minutes or so from Gare d’Austerlitz during the day. You can find more information on their website here: Sncf-connect. Once there you will need to rent a car to get to the village of Chablis. A great option is using a French car rental app called “Getaround“.

By car – The second option is to drive. Driving from Paris will take you about an hour and a half just depending on the time of day that you leave. It’s best to avoid driving during rush hour as it can be very congested in this area, especially if there are accidents or road work being done on some of the larger highways.

Where to Stay in Chablis

We stayed in the center of Ville in a guesthouse. It was reasonably priced, elegant and comfortable. This is a classic bed and breakfast so we enjoyed fresh coffee, bread and juice in the mornings before starting our wine nerd activities of the day. 

There are also some great hotels in the area if you want to splurge. Moderately priced airbnbs and gites are also available in the village of Chablis. 

• Hôtel Restaurant Hostellerie des clos
• Gîte de charme La Villa Célestine – Chablis

Where To Eat in Chablis

There are a few great restaurants in Chablis that you won’t want to miss. Here are two of my favorites:

1. Au Fil du Zinc is a great restaurant right in the center of town. It was exceptional. Rest-assured they have English menus for those who lack French skills! Big perk, the rare wine list is extensive and exceptionally reasonably priced- so much so that we asked the sommelier about it. His reply was that it is because a large number of producers dine here. They don’t want to have outrageous prices on the wines. It is in poor taste. Good for us. Bad for Parisians who pay three times the price.  

2. Another favorite is Wine Not. This is a rather new restaurant and their portfolio is on point! A carefully curated and informed establishment with fine quality gastronomy to boot. We booked lunch here on our last day. Make sure you have a reservation and keep in mind the French lunch rule (12-2pm). You will not be seated after 1:45pm.

Where to Taste in Chablis

I am of the mind-set that you must have a whole picture of the region, so I always taste small, large and cooperative producers. You will always learn something! 

Cooperative – I can’t recommend the Chablisienne enough. They are one of the most successful co-ops in France. Going on 100 years, their portfolio is extensive! They work with over 150 small growers from whom they buy the must directly. This means that growers press their own grapes. An extensive collection of musts allows them to produce a greater diversity in the wines from Petit Chablis all the way up to the Grand Crus. There is also a display of soils in their tasting room. It gives you a nice snapshot of the region. 

If you want to do private cellar visits in Bourgogne, my partner Nicolas and I offer in-depth wine educational experience for wine students with select producers in the Cote d’Or. Note most producers will only be available for trade and professional visits and open only on select weekdays.

Don’t Miss These Wines from Chablis

Alice and Olivier de Moor and Thomas Pico are two smaller well-known producers who have an international reputation.  Like many producers in Bourgogne, they have no wine to sell so in order to snag one for your cellar, purchase at Wine Not or another retailer if you are in Chablis. My little insider tip for you! (Read about Alice and Olivier de Moor)

What to See in Chablis 

The Chablisien are a proud people, and for good reason. It’s gorgeous here. There are numerous photo opportunities at every turn. The best part is that everything is within walking distance from the main road. My top three Chablis:  

Bridge of Carriers – One of my favorite sites was this bridge which spanned the Serein River. In years past, this is how wine barrels were transported via barge from the cellars to the markets in Paris.

The Abbey of Pontigny – This is a beautiful 12th century Abbey which is worth visiting even if you are not religious. The architecture and history are fascinating. The Abbey of Pontigny is one of the most important for wine history in the region. The religious order was responsible for establishing some of the earliest vine cultivation in the Chablis region. 

The Vineyards – Of course you can’t come to Chablis without walking through the vineyards! Chablis has been described as the most complete white wine in France. It is made from Chardonnay grapes and can be aged for years or consumed when young, with its crisp acidity giving it great appeal. The wines are not oaked which accounts for some of their unique flavors, but they do have some exceptions like the Grand Crus.

You can access the vineyards by walking directly from the Center Ville. It is a nice stroll then you will hike up the slope for a more complete understanding of the landscape.

3 Fun Facts about Chablis

•  One Grape: Chardonnay
• The geology of Chablis has more in common with Champagne then the rest of Bourgogne 
• The two famous soil types in Chablis are Kimmeridgian (mix of prehistoric oyster shells) and Portlandian 
• There are seven Grand Cru Climats in Chablis 
• The Chablisienne cask is called a “Feuillette” and is ½ of a traditional Bourgogne barrel #winevocab

Grand Cru Appellation: a breakdown 

The Chablis Grand Cru appellation comprises seven Climats: Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur, and Vaudésir. Walking along the footpaths will give you a better perspective of the slope and variation of each.

Blanchot was also among the first to be awarded its own AOC in 1938. It is the most easterly, whereas Vaudésir and Valmur are to the west. Les Clos and Grenouilles form a contiguous area in the center of Chablis.

Grenouilles is the smallest of the seven official Chablis Grand Cru climats, located just above the banks of the river Serein. The southern exposure of the Grenouilles site leads to perceptibly riper flavors. The wines from this Climat are considered among the most powerful of all Chablis.

Preuses sits on a slope just below Les Clos, and is one of the more elevated sites. The aspect here is East to South-East, with a good exposure to sunlight. The result is wines that are aromatic and open, with good acidity.

– Valmur is the largest of the seven sites, and is located on a slope just below Les Clos. The aspect here is South to South-East, with a good exposure to sunlight. The result is wines that are aromatic and open, with good acidity.

– Vaudésir is the most westerly of the sites, and is located on a slope just below Les Clos. The aspect here is South to South-East, with a good exposure to sunlight. The result is wines that are aromatic and open, with good acidity.

Chablis is a beautiful place with plenty to do and see. I hope this guide has been helpful in planning your visit. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out. 

My partner Nicolas and I offer bespoke educational experiences in Paris and in Bourgogne. We would be happy to help you plan your trip! You can find more information about our offerings here + follow my French wine adventures and the trouble I get in @pariswinegirl.