Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Cellier de Clairvaux, nicknamed Petit-Clairvaux, is a Cistercian monastic barn founded in the 13th century by Clairvaux Abbey in the historic centre of Dijon. This primitive Gothic building served as a commercial annex to store and sell local abbey productions (cereals, hay, Burgundy wines). It included a refectory and a dormitory for the monks upstairs, illustrating the logistical organization of religious orders in the Middle Ages.

Ranked as historical monuments in 1915, 1917 and 1921, the storehouse is one of the few remains of this period in Dijon. After the French Revolution, it was acquired by the Conseil départemental de la Côte-d Today, its two vaulted rooms (300 m2) host cultural events, perpetuating its anchor in local life.

The monument is linked to Bernard de Clairvaux (v1090–1153), a major figure of the Cistercian order, born near Dijon at Fontaine-lès-Dijon. The Abbey of Clairvaux, founded in 1115 in Champagne, extended its influence in Burgundy via barns such as this cellar, close to the palace of the Dukes of Burgundy and the Basilica of Fontaine. These buildings reflect the economic and spiritual power of the Cistercians, between agriculture, commerce and faith.

Construction periods range from the 1st half of the 12th century (Romanesque cell) to the 15th century (Gothic bays). The 13th century structure, classified in 1921, and the elements of the 15th century (1917) bear witness to its architectural evolution. Close to the Place Saint-Bernard and the Château du Clos de Vougeot, the site is part of a Burgundy Cistercian heritage network, including the abbeys of Cîteaux and Saint-Vivant de Vergy.

Today owned by the city of Dijon, the cellar combines medieval heritage and contemporary use. Its location, between the alley of Suzon and James Demontry Street, makes it an emblematic place of historic Dijon, halfway between the palace of the Dukes and the Burgundy vineyards, symbols of regional identity.

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