The Côte d'Or

Facing east to south-east, the Côte d'Or which is only 60km long and an average of 650 metres wide, is situated on a straight fault on the edge of the Massif Central, forming a chain of bare, round-topped hills.

It is half way up the slopes that one finds the best vineyards : they are situated on shallow slopes and have the advantage of :
- more direct sunlight,
- good natural drainage,
- shelter from the harsh west winds and frost,
- no waterlogging as there is further down the slope.

Fashioned by erosion, the cliff face is of tectonic origin, being a fault between the Jurassic chalk plateau and the Bressan trough.

The soil is composed mainly of :
- chalk,
- clay,
- sand
- and whitish marl (mainly on land producing white grapes)
in differing proportions, which contributes to this immense variety of soil types which are so different from one place to another.