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Tours de Chignin
Seven medieval towers — five still visible, says the Parc des Bauges — rise from the vines of Chignin. No ticket office: a very easy 3.3 km trail passes at their feet.
At a glance
Type
Ruined medieval towers, listed Monument historique
Access
Free — the towers are seen from the vineyard's public paths
Best season
Year-round; the vines glow from summer into autumn colours
Parking
Parking du Clos Dénarié, Chignin (loop trailhead)
Town
Chignin
What is Tours de Chignin
'Sept !' — seven — 'is the number of towers standing at Chignin', announces the Département. The tours de Chignin, a classified Monument historique, punctuate the vineyard above the Combe de Savoie. Apart from the chapel and the tour de 'la Place', still prominent in the landscape and restored, the others are ruins. In 1877, the tour de la Biguerne was turned by the Carthusian brothers into a chapel in honour of Saint Anthelme, born at Chignin.
On their age, the two official sources diverge: the Département dates them to the 13th century, 'when the seigneury of Chignin was divided, each descendant building his own tower'; the Parc naturel régional des Bauges says they were 'probably built in the 11th or 12th' and counts 5 towers still visible in the landscape. We give both readings as they stand.
There is no ticket office and no interior visit: the towers are discovered from the vineyard's public paths. The Parc waymarks a very easy 3.3 km loop from the Parking du Clos Dénarié, passing the tour de la Boichère and the château de Bourdeau.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Address
Tours de Chignin, 73800 Chignin View on map
Price
Free — seen from the vineyard's public paths
Loop
3.3 km, very easy, from the Parking du Clos Dénarié
Listing
Monument historique
On the trail
Tour de la Boichère, château de Bourdeau, Saint-Anthelme chapel
When to visit
When to visit
Year-round: the loop is very easy and the towers show in every season. The vineyard gives its best light from summer into the autumn colours.
Nearby
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside the towers?
No. The towers are ruins (plus one restored tower-chapel) seen from the vineyard paths; no official source publishes any entry regime or ticketing.
How many towers are there?
Seven according to the Département de la Savoie; the Parc des Bauges notes that 5 are still visible in the landscape. Both counts are published as they stand.
How old are they?
The Département dates them to the 13th century, at the division of the seigneury of Chignin; the Parc des Bauges writes 'probably in the 11th or 12th'. The sources disagree and we do not arbitrate.
Which walk shows them best?
A very easy 3.3 km loop waymarked by the Parc des Bauges, from the Parking du Clos Dénarié in Chignin. The trail passes the tour de la Boichère then the château de Bourdeau.
Why is there a chapel among the towers?
In 1877 the Carthusian brothers turned the tour de la Biguerne into a chapel in honour of Saint Anthelme.
Sources
Sources & verification
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
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