Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune: planes, bikes

In brief: a 14th-century château transformed into an extraordinary museum by the passionate Michel Pont. Over 80 fighter jets, 250 vintage motorcycles, 30 Abarth prototypes, a fire brigade museum, an aerospace exhibition and a working wine estate producing great Burgundy wines - all on the same site.

Imagine a medieval castle surrounded by vineyards, in the purest Burgundian style. Now add a fleet of fighter jets lined up on the lawn, hundreds of vintage motorcycles in the outbuildings, and rare race cars in the orangery. Welcome to the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune, one of the most astonishing sites in Burgundy - and without doubt the most eclectic.

History of the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune

Built in 1340 as a fortified castle, the Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune was partially dismantled in 1478 during the invasion by King Louis XI. It was bought and restored by a wealthy family in the following centuries. The Petit Château, which today houses the tasting cellars, was built in 1671. The estate has been listed as a historic monument since 18 December 1940.

The château comprises two wings and four round towers, typical of Burgundian medieval architecture. The estate also includes an old mill, a bread oven and a 19th-century washhouse, evidence of past agricultural life. A stream runs through the park and once fed the moat.

The Pont family: a story of passion

In 1979, the estate was bought by Michel Pont, a winegrower, racing driver and inveterate collector. A former Abarth driver in the 1960s and 1970s, Michel Pont also had a passion for military aviation. From the 1980s onwards, he began acquiring decommissioned fighter jets from the French Air Force, having them transported by truck and reassembled in the château park.

The Pont family now manages the estate, continuing both the wine production and the development of the collections. The site welcomes approximately 40,000 visitors per year.

By the time of Michel Pont’s death in September 2021, the collection had become one of the most important of its kind in Europe, recognised by the Europe Records Institute (EURI) as the largest private collection of fighter jets in the world.

The aviation museum: over 80 fighter jets

The aeronautical collection at the Château de Savigny is unique in the world. Over 80 fighter jets and helicopters are displayed on the estate’s lawn, creating a striking spectacle: Cold War fighters, Soviet MiGs, French Mirages, American F-16s - 20th-century military aviation represented in all its diversity.

Notable aircraft

Among the collection’s highlights:

F-100F Super Sabre: the first American supersonic fighter to enter operational service
F-16 Fighting Falcon: one of the world’s most famous fighters
Mirage IV: French nuclear strategic bomber
F-104 Starfighter: interceptor with characteristic stubby wings
Dassault Super Mystère: French fighter-bomber
MiG-21: the most-produced Soviet fighter in history
Sukhoi Su-22: variable-geometry fighter-bomber

Added to these are several helicopters, a space exhibition area dedicated to satellites and rockets, and a 1970s Bertin hovercraft - a collection that defies classification.

How did the planes get there?

All the aircraft were dismantled, transported by truck, and reassembled on site by teams of enthusiasts. The engines of some aircraft are kept in working order and are regularly tested on open days.

The motorcycle museum: over 250 vintage motorcycles

In the château’s outbuildings, a collection of over 250 vintage motorcycles traces the history of two-wheelers from 1903 to the 1960s. Rare models sit alongside more common series, but each machine tells a story.

Among the most notable pieces:

Competition motorcycles from the 1920s and 1930s
A complete collection of military motorcycles from the Second World War

The motorcycles are presented in a scenography that recreates the atmosphere of period workshops, with advertising posters and detailed explanatory panels.

The Abarth collection: 30 racing prototypes

Michel Pont raced Abarths in the 1960s and 1970s, an experience that gave birth to one of the finest collections of Abarth cars in the world. 30 racing prototypes are displayed in the château orangery, all in running condition - a sight for motor racing enthusiasts.

The collection traces the evolution of the scorpion brand, from the early Abarth 500s to the most extreme prototypes of the 1970s. Each car is accompanied by a card detailing its history, performance and competition record.

The other museums on the estate

The Château de Savigny doesn’t stop there. The site also houses:

The fire brigade museum: around twenty firefighting vehicles tracing the evolution of rescue techniques
The tractor museum: around thirty high-clearance tractors used in vineyards
The model museum: over 8,000 model kits of aircraft, cars and motorcycles, collected by Michel Pont throughout his life
The aerospace exhibition: rockets, satellites and objects related to space exploration
The naval museum: several Bertin hovercraft, remnants of an astonishing chapter of French industry

The wine estate: Les Caves de l’Orangerie

The Château de Savigny is also a working wine estate. Les Caves de l’Orangerie farm 10.5 hectares of vines spread across several prestigious appellations: Savigny-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Monthelie and Auxey-Duresses.

The estate visit can conclude with a tasting of the château’s wines, in the 17th-century Petit Château:

Discovery selection: 3 Bourgogne/Village wines - €10
Prestige selection: 3 Premiers Crus - €16
Terroir selection: 5 wines (including 2 Premiers Crus) - €20

Tastings last 30 to 60 minutes and allow you to discover the richness of the Côte de Beaune terroirs.

Practical information

Access and opening hours

The Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune is located in the heart of the Côte de Beaune, just 5 km from Beaune and 45 km from Dijon via the A6 (exit 24.1).

Address: Rue Général Leclerc, 21420 Savigny-lès-Beaune Phone: +33 3 80 21 55 03 Website: www.chateau-savigny.com

Opening hours:

Summer (29 March - 24 October 2026): daily, 9:00 am - 6:30 pm
Winter (27 October - 28 March): Thursday to Monday, 10:00 am - 5:30 pm (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
Last admission 1 hour before closing
Annual closure: 25 December, 1 January, and 5 to 22 January

Admission

Adult: €14
Student: €11
Youth (8-17): €8.50
Child (up to 7): free
Free parking on site

Admission includes access to all museums on the estate. Wine tastings are extra.

Services

Free parking, picnic area, toilets, bar, shop. Payment by credit card, cash, cheque and bank transfer. Dogs on leads welcome.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I spend visiting Château de Savigny?

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to explore all the ground-floor museums (aviation, motorcycles, Abarth, fire engines, tractors). Aviation enthusiasts can easily spend half a day. The wine cellar tour and tasting add a further 30 to 45 minutes.

Can I see planes in flying condition?

The aircraft on display are no longer airworthy: they were dismantled, trucked in, and reassembled on site. Some engines are kept in working order and are regularly tested on special open days. The collection received the **Europe Records Institute (EURI)** record for the largest private collection of fighter jets.

Does the château produce wine?

Yes, the Les Caves de l'Orangerie wine estate covers 10.5 hectares across the Savigny-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Monthelie and Auxey-Duresses appellations. Tastings are offered on site (Discovery from €10, Prestige from €16, Terroir from €20).

Is the château accessible to people with reduced mobility?

Partially. The ground-floor museums (aviation, tractors, fire engines, aerospace) are wheelchair accessible. Some collections are upstairs with no lift. Dogs on leads are welcome.

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