Mercurey is a commune of Saône-et-Loire in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, 10 km north-west of Chalon-sur-Saone.
More than a third of the area of the locality (15 km²) is planted with vineyards: 580 hectares produce red wine and 75 hectares of white wine. Mercurey is the most famous appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise, within the Val d'Or, between the wines of the Côte d'Or in the north, also in Burgundy, and those of Beaujolais in the south.
Hilly, crossed by the course of Giroux, located on the ancient Roman road Via Agrippa linking Autun to Chalon, the town owes its name to a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Mercury. Possession of a vassal lord of the Duke of Burgundy in the Middle Ages, Mercurey is attached to France in 1477 and the old seigniorial castle of Montaigu is dismantled by Henry IV in 1591.
First called Touches (a hamlet now attached to the town), then Bourgneuf-Val d'Or, the town becomes Mercurey in 1971 after merging its different entities.
With a population of around 1,300 inhabitants, the village which has preserved a historic heritage of quality owes its wealth to viticulture and is a step still popular with wine lovers and hikers (many courses on the slopes).
Before tasting and enjoying its appellation wines, including a quarter of "premier cru" wines, a visit to the village can begin with the discovery of its historical heritage.
A route includes the Saint-Symphorien church of Touches, built during the first half of the 13th century. Its imposing Romanesque bell tower, its foothills are from this period. Inside, it is noted that the diagonal ogival arches are supported by carved culs-de-lampe, those of the choir being decorated with floral motifs. In addition, the vaults of the upper windows rest on two columns surmounted by capitals adorned with oak leaves. It is on this side, to the southwest, that one has the most beautiful view of the building and it is here that the notables made their entry. Engraved in the sixteenth century, the church houses seventeenth-century wooden statues and two 17th-century paintings attributed to Franck Le Jeune, a Flemish painter.
To see then, the church Notre-Dame of Mercurey (village), whose bases go back to XIIe century and which was enlarged in XVIe. With two naves, the church has an eighteenth-century portal surmounted by a bull's eye where the stained glass "The Eternal Father" has been represented. Style and materials are characteristic of the region. Inside, a statue of St. Vincent, patron of the winemakers, a high altar of the eighteenth century and older statues are also to be observed.
At the option of the alleys or the paths on the slopes planted with vines, no less than 19 crosses and crucifixes and some small chapels still bear witness to the intense religious imprint. Mills and cadoles (dry stone huts dedicated to winemakers) also mark out the territory.
In the village, bourgeois houses remodeled in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries symbolize the wealth of some owners and traders while some wine properties surround beautiful castles (Garnerot, Etroyes, Mypont).
We will not forget the pretty fountain of Marjonzin, built in 1768, central point of a system that brought water into the village after it was pumped into the Saone about ten kilometers away.
Finally, a stop is needed at the ruins of the old castle of Montaigu, on a small hill overlooking the eastern hamlet of Touches. The fortress was erected around 950, first belonging to the Count of Chalon then passed to the Duke of Burgundy in 1180. Haven of the inhabitants in case of unrest, the castle was at the center of fighting during the Wars of Religion before being dismantled by Henri IV. One can still distinguish foundations of the ramparts, towers and a part of the dungeon. Excavations have also uncovered furniture and tools (coin, nails, glazed tile fragments, pitcher, pitcher, ear plate and evidence of the wine vocation that developed later: vine growers' scissors, scissors for the work of leather, ceramics).
All these sites can be included on a hiking trail: no less than 29 routes have been marked on Mercurey and the Val d'Or. They include villages, hamlets, and many vineyard plots on the hillsides. Tasting breaks can then be considered (in moderation). Maps and information on +33 3 85 87 25 95.
On foot or mountain bike, it is also possible to take all or part of the Greenway built on an old railway linking Givry to Cluny. Finally, note that in the locality of Mercurey, a mountain bike circuit that includes all the parcels classified "premier cru" has been marked. Information on +33 3 85 87 25 95.
During a visit to Mercurey, it is also possible to reserve a tennis court (contact +33 6 07 83 13 67) or to afford a fishing party (information +33 3 85 45 21 43).
