Printable destination guide
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Burgundy
France
- Countryside
- Divine vin
- Country life
- Keen as mustard
Located in the heart of France, Burgundy is a region of peaceful canals, well-tended vineyards and rural charm – the epitome of la vie Française.
But this rich, rolling farmland also has a fascinating history as a once powerful duchy, whose traces can still be seen in the imposing Ducal Palace in the mediaeval centre of Dijon, the beautiful Cistercian abbey of Fontenay, and the many Romanesque churches that dot the hills and plains. Today, Burgundy’s power and influence lies in its food and wine and its wealth is contained within the rich gastronomie bourguignonne and precious Côte d’Or vintages.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
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Highlights the best Burgundy has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
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We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Burgundy. All you have to do is make sure you've packed your favourite threads…
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Use this interactive map of Burgundy to find your hotel and then navigate your way around the gastronomic centre of France.
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Local knowledge
- Taxis
- In towns, pick up a cab from a taxi rank or hail one on the street. If you’re travelling in more remote areas, try to book one in advance in order to avoid a long wait.
- Tipping culture
- A service charge is normally added to your bill (service compris) in restaurants and cafés but it’s still customary to leave a small tip. For taxi drivers, add 10 percent to the metered charge.
- Siesta and Fiesta
- Shops increasingly stay open all day in the larger cities but many still take a break for lunch and are closed on Sunday. Banks are open Monday to Friday, and some also on Saturdays. Many restaurants close after 14h and re-open in the afternoon around 4pm. It’s also common for restaurants to be closed on Mondays or Tuesdays.
- Packing tips
- A healthy appetite to indulge in all that wonderful cuisine – and some comfortable shoes to walk it all off with.
- Recommended reads
- Long Ago in France: The Years in Dijon by MFK Fisher celebrates the regions cuisine.
- Cuisine
- Burgundy’s top restaurants, many of which are Michelin-starred, serve up highly prized local ingredients including tender Charolais beef and excellent Chablis and Beaujolais wines. Dijon is also world-famous for its mustard and it’s worth hunting down some of the more exotic varieties. Well known dishes such as boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin originate from the region, and this is also the place to try the celebrated French dish of escargot (snails). The Morvan area produces wonderful goats’ cheeses, too. Kir – white wine with crème de cassis – is an inventive way try the local blackcurrants.
- Currency
- Euro.
- Time zone
- GMT +1.
- Dialing codes
- Country code for France: 33. Dijon: 038.
- Do go/don't go
- Summers are hot and sunny, while 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 in October and November produces a new year of classic vintages.
Burgundy hotels
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in Burgundy
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- Style
- Five-star castle
- Setting
- Fairy-tale gardens
- Rates from
- EUR 475
Getting there
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
- Planes
- Fly into Dijon-Bourgogne in the north of Burgundy, or Lyon St Exupéry airport if you’re visiting the south of the region. Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airports in Paris are within easy reach of Dijon.
- Trains
- Dijon is very accessible by train, with Paris (2hrs) and London (5hrs) connected by high-speed TGV and Eurostar. Local trains also connect many of Burgundy’s towns, but, as ever, the more remote areas can be harder to reach.
- Automobiles
- Burgundy is connected by good roads, and a car is recommended if you want to visit the vineyards, châteaux and historic towns scattered throughout the region.
Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Burgundy has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
Beautifully Burgundy
Burgundy is a wine and food lover’s paradise. Satisfy both passions on a one-day gastronomy tour, organised by Burgundy on a Plate, where you can sample cheese, wine and famous regional dishes to your heart’s content.
- Viewpoint
- Climb the 315 steps of the Philippe le Bon Tower in Dijon for a splendid view over the rooftops of the city’s well-preserved mediaeval quarter.
- Arts and culture
- Located in Dijon’s magnificent Ducal Palace, the Musée des Beaux-Arts is one of France’s oldest museums, containing collections ranging from Egyptian art to the 20th century (Open 9h30– 8h May to October, 10h–17h November to April. Burgundy also has several fabulous châteaux: Château de Commarin in the north of the region has beautiful formal gardens and opulent interiors (www.commarin.com; closed Tuesdays); Château la Clayette, in the south, has fairytale turrets and is surrounded by a moat (www.laclayette.fr).
- Shopping
- Get your Dijon mustard at La Boutique Maille on Rue de la Liberte, a shrine to the city’s favourite condiment. One the same street you’ll find plenty of fashionable boutiques. Dijon’s Central Market was designed by Eiffel himself and is filled with local produce and specialities. Maçon, in the south of the Burgundy has a market every morning (except Mondays) in Place aux Herbes and on Saturday morning on Quais Lamartine; go there for fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers. The Sunday market in Chablis is also a treat for foodies.
- Daytripper
- Just south of Burgundy, France’s second city of Lyon rivals Paris for boutique shopping. The streets around Place Bellecour are the best place to browse. There are also excellent food markets on Quai St-Antoine and Croix-Rousse hill. Bring flat shoes for sightseeing in the cobbled streets of Vieux Lyon, filled with the 18th-century traces of the city’s silk industry.
- Perfect Picnic
- Head to a nearby vineyard, grab a bottle and enjoy with some bread and cheese. Volnay, a town set high on the slopes of the Côte de Beaune area, is a great choice – it produces some wonderfully smooth reds and has magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
- Activities
- Visit Beaune’s Marché aux Vins on Rue Nicolas Rolin, housed in an old church, and sample 15 of the region’s wines for €10. Alternatively, get a bird’s-eye view of Burgundy’s vineyards by hot air balloon with Air Escargot (www.air-escargot.com). The Morvan National Park has over 2000 square kilometres of countryside to explore and is particularly popular for cycling and mountain biking (www.parcdumorvan.org). If you don’t mind looking a bit ridiculous it’s fun to tour Dijon on a quirky segway; you can hire these strange motorised contraptions from the tourist office in Place d’Arcy.
Diary
- June France’s National Blues Festival takes place in the village of Le Creusot. It last four days and includes performances from over 250 artists. August The Pouilly-sur-Loire Wine Fair offers the opportunity to taste the region’s finest wines, including Sancerre and Reuilly. November Dijon holds its annual International Food Festival, or Foire Gastronomique – one of France’s largest annual expositions, where you can sample food and wine from all over the world. 3rd Saturday of Novmber The Hospices de Beaune holds a lively and time-honoured charity wine auction, with some of the best burgundies up for grabs.
Eating, drinking and dancing
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Burgundy. All you have to do is make sure you've packed your favourite threads…
Restaurants
Le Pré aux Clercs
This Michelin-starred restaurant is one of Burgundy’s finest restaurants, but has a homely, relaxed atmosphere. Specialities include langoustines with sherry vinaigrette. Perfect for a romantic diner à deux.
Great for: Perfect for a romantic diner à deux.
Place de la Libération, 13, Dijon
(+33 (0)3 8038 05050)
Abbaye de la Bussiere
Set in a 12th century Cistercian Abbey near Dijon is a gastronomic and a bistro restaurant, serving delicious local specialities.
La Bussière-sur-Ouche
(+33 (0)3 80 49 02 29)
Le Relais Bernard Loiseau
What a gourmand’s treat: the finest French cuisine, a mere 1,500 different wines to choose from and panoramic views of the beautifully landscaped gardens.
nationale 6, 21210 Saulieu, Bourgogne
(+33 (0)3 80 90 53 53)
Hostellerie de Levernois
Set in a splendid mansion, surrounded by acres of land, this excellent restaurant is a beautiful, light, roomy venue. Take someone you want to impress and enjoy dishes such as Bresse chicken stuffed with celery and truffles.
Rue du Golf, 21200 Beaune/Levernois
(+33 (0)3 80 24 73 58)
Le Cellier Volnaysien
South of Beaune is a restaurant serving excellent Burgundian dishes, such as coq au vin. It has a fine selection of local wines, including those from Château de Savigny-les-Beaune.
Place de l'église, 21190 Volnay
(+33 (0)3 80 21 61 04)
Charlemagne
Discover wonderful French-Japanese fusion cuisine, surrounded by spectacular views of the vineyards, just north of Beaune.
Route des Vergelesses, 21420 Pernand-Vergelesses
(+33 (0)3 80 21 51 45)
©2008 Mr & Mrs Smith
Pictured: Château de Bagnols
