Chasselas, 12 kms south-west from Mâcon, is still an old picturesque village. Fifteenth and sixteenth century houses with "galeries mâconnaises" (stairs leading to a balcony on the side of the house) are quite numerous.

Why was it called "Chasselas" ? Probably because a rich Gallo-Roman owner – whose name was Cacilius- had an estate there. What is sure is that the grape-variety called Chasselas has nothing to do with the origin of the name of the village; on the contrary the legend has it that this village would have given its name to the well-known grape and would therefore be the ancestor of the famous vines the French King had in Fontainebleau.

Anyway, Chasselas grapes have not been grown here for a long time and have been replaced by Chardonnay.

In addition to the traditional houses, two monuments bear witness to the oldness of the village : the Norman church –twelth century– and the castle.
The oldest part of this magnificent edifice faces the east : it is a large shed with a very sharp roof from the fourteenth century, which was used as a "tinailler" (a winery) in the thirteenth century. The majority of the outbuildings closing the yard also date back to the fourteenth century.

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The current main building, facing south, was built at the end of the thirteenth century, some ten years before the French Revolution when a gang of ruffians looted and ransacked it but failed to set it on fire.

Then , it was poorly maintained and became uninhabitable. It was about to tumble to pieces until full restoration started in 1971 and lasted over twenty years ; thus it gradually recovered all its character.

There are 170 "chasseloutis" –1999 figure– : such is the name of the people living in Chasselas.

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As the two slopes of the valley on which the village lies are geologically different, it’s only natural that cultures should be different as well. On the west side the granitic soil –spontaneous vegetation, brooms ,ferns– is planted with white juiced black Gamay which yields Beaujolais wine; whereas on the east side limestone prevails –spontaneous vegetation of box-trees– Chardonnay grapes are grown and yield Saint Véran.

Vines are planted on nearly half the local area –118 hectares– with 90 hectares in AOC Saint-Véran.

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