Bèze is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, 27 km northeast of Dijon.
Between the Langres plateau to the west, the Saône valley to the east and the Dijon plain to the south, its territory of 23 km² is partly crossed by the course of the Bèze, which appears from an exsurgence (the river underground appears on the surface) in the form of a cave, to the north of the village. The locality has retained a green and rural environment, covered with arable land (62% of its surface area), forests (28%) and meadows (5%).
Already occupied during the Paleolithic then in Antiquity, the village really developed from the year 630: Amalgaire, one of the first dukes of Burgundy, founded an abbey there with the approval of King Dagobert. The monks cleaned up the land and took advantage of the river which they dammed to prevent flooding. However, barbarian raids destroyed the monastery several times. From the Year 1000, the Viscount of Dijon Raoul le Blanc financed a new development of the abbey. In 1107, Pope Paschal II said a mass there and the Benedictine monks benefited from numerous donations. At the same time, fairs are held in the village.
Fortified in the 13th century, the abbey came under the authority of the Maurists in the 17th century to reestablish some discipline. But on the eve of the Revolution, the abbey was already no more than a simple convent. Its buildings were partly dismantled at the end of the 18th century, and the church itself was razed...
Today, the remains of the prestigious abbey, the picturesque heritage of the village which borders the Bèze and the caves where The river appears to attract many tourists. The town of 730 inhabitants is an ideal stopover during a stay in Dijon and its vineyards.
A discovery and therefore a visit to the village can begin with the caves and the resurgence of the Bèze, to the north.
The main cave, called Crétanne, has been known since the Middle Ages. Monks and inhabitants took refuge there during unrest and invasions. The discovery of the underground river which precedes the resurgence (when the source appears in the open air) is more recent (in the aftermath of the Second War). On foot then by boat, the route of the guided tour is intended to be synonymous with a change of scenery and allows you to admire the concretions formed by the water and a simply exceptional site where the course of the crystalline river in immense cavities has something magical. Be careful with the relatively cool temperature (12 degrees) which is nevertheless appreciable in summer... Open every day in July and August, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays from April to June and in September and October. Price: from 5.50 to 9.50 euros. Information on +33 3 80 75 31 33.
After this underground interlude which is at once educational, spectacular and recreational, we enjoy the exit of the cave, from a small belvedere, an unparalleled point of view over the village.
We then reach the small town via a promenade built in the 19th century using retaining walls, dotted with wash houses and planted with chestnut trees and plane trees. This path has replaced careers.
It is now time to appreciate in the village itself the many elements and heritage sites which make up its charm, along the Bèze. Worth mentioning are the remains of the Frankish Tower (10th century), integrated into the old fortifications and which served as a watchtower and alert tower, then the rectory, a 19th century residence with a typically Burgundian roof: the famous Canon Kir lived there from 1910 to 1924 when he was parish priest.
The old monastic school with its Gothic facade, where young monks were welcomed from the 13th century before it was also open to the children of noble families, has retained a beautifully crafted facade (arcades, sculpted decorations). A hotel, a business and even a bus station then occupied the site.
Also worth seeing, the old common oven topped by a house with windows with trefoil arches, the granary, the testimonies of the Saint-Prudent chapel (the choir has been preserved) which has become a home, and more the Oysel tower. Dating from the 15th century, it was placed, at the time of the fortified enclosure, at the junction of the moat and the river. When the ditches were filled in, it served as a dovecote. A wash house is attached to it as well as a building (a former vat room) which has become a public school.
The Chaux tower is another fortified vestige: we notice the thickness of the walls.
Destroyed several times, always rebuilt, the Saint-Remi church, mentioned in the 10th century as serving the parish, dates in its current form from the 1790s but elements and stones from previous buildings are visible here and there, notably loopholes. A complete restoration carried out by the municipality and an association of volunteers was carried out at the end of the 20th century. Outside, a (mutilated) stone statue of Christ with his hands clasped, and a cross from the old cemetery are located.
We conclude this overview with the site of the abbey itself, although a significant part of the village's heritage was obviously linked to the activity of the monks...
On the south-east of the small town, remain thus, in an enclosed space (the property is private) the building known as the "Infirmary". Opposite stands the so-called “Hospitality” building which includes guest rooms on the first floor and, on the second, a vast library. More than 4,000 volumes were identified there during the inventory drawn up during the Revolution. Towards the river, there are the remains of the "Chapel of the Virgin" (12th century), that is to say the apse of the abbey church demolished in 1790.
In the vegetable garden, finally a large orangery, built in 1910, with a glazed tile roof forming a colorful mosaic. With the exception of the chapel and the orangery, the abbey buildings date from the 18th century. Cloister, refectory and monks' dormitory have disappeared. With the pretty English-style park redesigned in the 19th century (and planted with remarkable trees), what remains does not fail to reflect the grandeur of what was for more than 1000 years an authoritative abbey in the region. Open every day in July and August from Wednesday to Sunday. Free visit with booklet provided. Price: 2.50 to 5 euros. Information on +33 6 17 64 24 41.
The main monuments and heritage sites, in the village or within the abbey grounds, are listed in the Inventory. Leaflets to accompany the tour of the village are available at the cave reception or at the town hall. Guided tours are offered in season. Inquire at +33 3 80 75 30 84.
A stopover at Bèze is also synonymous with unique, bucolic and verdant landscapes, in and outside the village, within the surrounding countryside. Three hiking trails accessible to walkers and cyclists are mapped out. The first is that of the Remparts, with passage at the level of the old hop farm (one of the many artisanal or even industrial activities that the monks initiated, alongside forges, paper mills and even sawmills) then on the heights of the village and the old ramparts (length: 3 km). That of Comblottes is dedicated to the “dry” valley and the old quarries, 3.5 km long and that of Forges, 4.5 km long. Furthermore, it is possible to reach the Fons Bézua oak on foot (a remarkable tree in the woods, in the west of the territory) but also to consider larger loops (towards Is-sur-Tille to the west for example, or Gray, in the east).
Maps, files to download and information on +33 3 80 75 30 84 or +33 3 81 25 08 00.
