Château de Varennes, Medieval castle in Varennes-lès-Mâcon, France.

Château de Varennes is a castle in the Burgundy region featuring four round corner towers connected by covered walkways arranged around a central courtyard. A well sits at the heart of this enclosed interior space.

The Chaintré family held Varennes from around the year 1000 until the 1700s. The present building was constructed in the 16th century on the foundations of an older fort, of which the staircase tower known as the "donjon de l'an 1000" and the drawbridge over dry moats survive. In 1716 the estate passed to the Mathurins de Fontainebleau, whose property was confiscated during the Revolution and sold at auction by candle for 148,000 livres; Adam Philibert Dampierre d'Origny bought it in 1791 and renovated it into its current form.

The castle has belonged to the Chaintré family from around the year 1000 until the 1700s, then to the Mathurins de Fontainebleau from 1716. Stained-glass windows carry the initials DD of Adam Philibert Dampierre d'Origny, who bought the castle in 1791 and renovated it. Since 2008 the Megny Marquet family has been restoring it, and the park, reception rooms and courtyard now host events and guests.

The castle is located near Mâcon and sits close to major transportation routes in the region. Traveling by car is the most practical way to visit and explore the surrounding area comfortably.

Underground passages run beneath the castle in four different directions, likely used for escape routes or supplies in ancient times. These hidden corridors remain sealed today but reveal the strategic thinking of past residents.