Luxury holidays in Burgundy
Burgundy has unexpected charms to uncork: vineyards, of course, but also tranquil canals and, at its heart, a lake-laden national park. Romanesque churches dot the hills and plains, among them the beautiful Cistercian abbey at Fontenay. And traces of Burgundy’s pre-Enlightenment incarnation as a powerful duchy remain, such as the imposing Ducal Palace in the centre of Dijon. Today, it’s the region’s food and wine that are all-conquering: its rich gastronomie bourguignonne and its precious Côte d’Or vintages. Burgundy’s towns and rivers – Chablis, Mâcon, Beaune, Pouilly, the Loire and the Saône – make up an oenophile’s gazetteer. You don’t have to be a wine lover to come on holiday here, but... actually, you do.
When to go
ummers are hot and sunny; winters are cold and clear. Spring sees more rainfall but fewer crowds in the towns and cities. The oak and maple forests look spectacular in autumn, and the wine harvest takes place in September and October.