Saint-Bris-le-Vineux

The commune of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux takes its name from Priscus, a soldier martyred in the 3rd century for his Christian faith. Along with his companion Cottus, he fled Roman persecutions in the forests of Puisaye before being found and killed on the site of the present-day village. In the 5th century, Saint Germain, bishop of Auxerre, had a church built to house their relics, giving rise to the village. Over time, the name evolved from Santus Priscus to Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, the latter addition appearing in the 19th century to highlight the area’s viticultural heritage.

Since Antiquity, the Romans cultivated vines on this sunny, limestone-rich land, ideally suited for viticulture. During the Middle Ages, monks from the Pontigny Abbey developed the vineyard, which flourished until the phylloxera crisis in the 19th century. The village was once fortified, and two medieval gates still stand today, along with a network of troglodyte cellars, some of which once belonged to the Knights Templar. These cellars provide a unique setting to discover and taste the distinctive wines of Saint-Bris, now produced by about twenty passionate winemakers.

Eglise Saint-Bris-Le-Vineux — ©Emilie Mouillade

Saint-Pris-Saint-Cot church

The current Saint-Pris-Saint-Cot Church was built starting in the 12th century by the De Mello family. It took nearly four centuries to complete, renovate, and refine the building. As a result, various construction periods can be observed both inside and outside. In the 13th century, the entire structure was remodeled in classic Gothic style.

The church has five bays, no transept, and the nave measures 52 meters long and 19 meters high. The façade features a rounded-arch portal with original wooden doors from the late 15th century, reflecting a flamboyant Gothic or early Renaissance style, recognizable by its square shape and horizontal lintels. The doors still have their original panels and are decorated with motifs reminiscent of stained glass architecture. A wooden canopy probably rested on the three corbels visible on the façade, protecting the portal entrance as well as the funeral stripes painted on the wall. The 13th-century bell tower is notable for its octagonal turret set atop a large square tower.

Inside, visitors can admire ribbed vaults typical of Gothic architecture and a choir rebuilt in 1520 in Renaissance style, characterized by abundant decoration and distinctive arches and capitals, as well as pendant keystones. The choir also retains its enclosure, an important feature since until the 19th century the choir and ambulatory were usually closed to the faithful as sacred spaces, separate from the profane area. Near the high altar, tabernacle, and altarpiece, the neo-Gothic reliquaries of Saint Pris and Saint Cot are displayed. Made of gilded metal, they are brought out annually at the end of Mass on Pentecost Monday for the Feast of the Relics.

Various objects enhance the visit and catch the visitor’s eye in the chapels added in the 15th century. The organ blower’s mechanism recalls the skill of the powerful-armed organ blowers with unwavering dedication. Now mechanized, the immense instrument still offers a part of itself to visitors. The Lords’ Chapel houses a Merovingian treasure—the tomb of Saint Cot—where mothers once laid their sick children in hopes of a miracle. In the first chapel on the right from the entrance, the baptismal font, a fine example of brasswork, showcases the art of copper craftsmanship. Finally, the pulpit of this church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in Burgundy. Its richly decorated carvings date back to around 1500.

The Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is a monumental artwork measuring 8 meters high and 5 meters wide. The one in Saint-Bris is the largest painted Jesse Tree in Europe—or at least the largest known to date. It is richly populated with nearly fifty figures depicted. This is, of course, the earthly genealogy of Christ according to Saint Matthew, drawn from the prophecy of Isaiah.

What makes this work exceptional, beyond these points, is that it is annotated. A text at the bottom of the painting explains the subject, the name of the patron who commissioned the work—Edme Escorchot—and the date of creation, 1500, which is relatively rare for a medieval artwork. This painting has never been repainted, covered, or restored; it has only been cleaned and the plaster stabilized. The wooden ceiling above is also original, as well as the two crocodile heads decorating it.

The choir railing does not start at the same points on each side because the choir was modified in the 16th century, shortly after the painting was made. The colonnade motifs at the bottom of the painting reveal the intention to create a trompe-l’œil effect for symmetry with the railing.

The tree starts with Jesse, sleeping at the bottom, father of King David, surrounded by two prophets: Isaiah on one side and Jeremiah on the other. The donors are also depicted at the bottom left and right. At the top of the painting, Mary and Christ are shown within fleur-de-lys flowers. The lily symbolizes purity, but it also refers to the word “Virga,” which in Latin means “branch” or “stem.” Virga became Virgo, meaning Virgin: Christ is therefore the flower of the Virgin. Moreover, there is an inscription near these two figures that reads: “Tota pulchra es, Maria. Et macula originalis non est in te.” which means: “You are all beautiful, and there is no stain in you.” Mary thus represents the Immaculate Conception.

The Castle and the Gateway

The first important family to govern Saint-Bris was the De Mello family, a prominent noble lineage of the Early Middle Ages. Dreux III De Mello became lord of the village in the 12th century. His successor, Dreux IV, is known for having gone on a crusade with the King of France and for serving as his constable, the commander-in-chief of the royal armies.

In the 16th century, the families of Dinteville and Coligny arrived in Saint-Bris. Meanwhile, the lordship originally established by the De Mello family had been seized by the Crown and was governed by several other families. It was the Coligny family who managed to reunify and expand the territory, transforming it into a marquisate.

The Lambert family built the castle in the 17th century. This castle was classified as a historic monument in 1960 and served as a school and town hall from the 1860s onward. The current coat of arms of the town — a crowned silver eagle and four rows of merlettes (small heraldic birds) — are attributed to the De Mello and Coligny families. These arms are visible on the castle’s main façade, above the entrance door.

The gateway is part of the castle’s enclosure and closes off the rear courtyard. Adjacent to the church, it has been listed as a Historic Monument since January 28, 1960. This gateway is one of many curiosities scattered around the village on façades and walls, visible during leisurely walks along the streets. Owls, rabbits, Bacchus, and mullioned windows recall the medieval past of this commune.

Aux Trois Otus

Trois Otus House

This 15th-century house has been carefully renovated and is a fine example of the half-timbered houses typical of the region. These houses were generally built over several levels, each serving a specific function. The ground floor, made of stone to best protect the house from moisture and fire, was dedicated to commerce. The upper floors were used as living spaces. A beautiful overhang served to protect the shopfront but, above all, to gain extra space in the home at a time when residents paid a “land tax” based on the ground area of their house.

The “Maison des Trois Otus” was renovated in the 21st century. On the façade, one can observe half-timbering in the shape of Saint Andrew’s crosses. Having this type of timber framing on a house was believed to protect it from disease and poverty. The windows are still decorated with stained glass and feature an owl on the gable.

Saint-Bris, Burgundy’s Unique Exception

Saint-Bris-le-Vineux boasts a long winemaking tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, when its lands were already recognized for the quality of their grapes. A rare feature in Burgundy, the Saint-Bris vineyard produces white wine exclusively from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, introduced in the 19th century. This choice allowed the commune to stand out and develop its own appellation, officially created in 2003.

The terroir of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux is mainly based on soils from the Kimmeridgian and Portlandian geological formations, two periods of the Upper Jurassic dating back about 150 million years. These soils are composed of clay-limestone marls rich in marine fossils, notably ammonites and shells, evidence of an ancient marine environment. This unique composition gives Saint-Bris wines their typical minerality, refreshing character, and remarkable aromatic complexity. The Kimmeridgian limestone ensures good drainage and promotes flavor concentration, while the Portlandian marls bring finesse and balance to the grapes—qualities particularly suited to the Sauvignon Blanc cultivated in the village.

Saint-Pris-Saint-Cot church

The Jesse Tree

The Castle and the Gateway

Trois Otus House

Saint-Bris, Burgundy’s Unique Exception

Discover Saint-Bris and Its Cellars

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