In the synclinal of Volnay the Comblanchien limestone disappears into the depths to be replaced by the overlying Rauracian. The slopes are quite steep and the soil (scree-derived black rendzinas) thinnish.
On the lower slopes are Argovian marls and deep soils, white, grey or yellow, tinged with red from the iron in the Oxfordian limestone. At the foot of the slope, limestones are mixed with clay.

On the lower ground the soil is ancient alluvium. Mid-slope, the clay-limestone soils are well drained thanks to the inclusion of rock debris.
igher still are Jurassic (Oxfordian) marls, brown calcic soils, and brown limestone soils. In places, the soil is reddened by the presence of iron. Exposure: south or east. Altitude: 250 to 330 metres.

On the hill of Bourdon, geologically an extension of Volnay and Monthélie, the soil is a pebbly marl-limestone mix which gives vigour to the east/south-east facing vineyard of Duresses.
The “Climat du Val”, faces south and has very limey soil, while in La Chapelle marl predominates over limestone.
And on the hill of Mélian, the soil prefigures that of nearby Meursault and Puligny, the paradise of white wines.

The best soils are found at heights of 260 metres with exposures along an arc between East and South.
They consist of Jurassic marls and marly limestones.
There are some patches of magnesian limestone.
The ancient callovien limestone and argovien marls shave the crus.

The vines in many cases occupy brown limestone soils, or soils where limestone alternates with marls and limey-clays. Soils are deep in some places.
In others, the rock is exposed at the surface. Where there are clayey alluvia, these are coarser higher up and finer at the foot of the slope. Exposures East and South-East. Altitude: 230-320 metres.

The white wines are mostly grown on sites at the foot of the slopes but the nature of the soil varies according to each geographical situation.
In many cases the regional red Bourgogne grow and flourish near more prestigious AOC. The soils are whitish or light grey marls and marly limestones, deep and not especially stony.