Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
twin centre
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Flights
available
8.0Kg CO2e
Printed route
directions
Optional
e-bike hire
Burgundy is an open invitation to discover, taste and share. The Burgundian menu includes UNESCO World Heritage sites, exceptional food and the oldest wine trail in France.
With nearly 100 appellations, Burgundy wine is distinguished by its great diversity (of both red and white) and 'climates,' shaped by soils and very specific geographical properties. On the Route des Grands Crus, the famous names are crisscrossed into a Burgundian patchwork: Meursault, Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Nuits St Georges, Vosne-Romanee, Pommard, Aloxe-Corton, Puligny-Montrachet...
In a region known for its epicurean finesse, you can really enjoy fine dining. There will be excellent local dishes such as Oeufs en Meurette, Poulet de Bresse a la Creme, Perche aux Noix and of course exquisite cheeses like the pungent Epoisses de Bourgogne, to pair with the region's incredible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. You'll stay in excellent hotels including a handsome 19th century house in Beaune and in a charming hotel located in the heart of Vougeot vineyard.
This is a lovely peaceful area where you cycle through rural villages and by the riversides past glorious châteaux. We have used the quietest possible lanes to link the towns and villages and have tried to avoid major roads wherever possible.
Wander in the cobbled streets. There are marvellous mansions with jewel coloured tiled roofs, a regional feature, which glint in the sunlight.
You stay at Hostellerie de la Bretonniere.
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TV
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Safe
In Beaune, the Hostellerie de Bretonnière is a former coaching inn dating back to the 18th century. With its old stones and its flower-filled courtyard, this traditional building offers all the comfort, and is only 5 minutes walking distance from the historical centre of Beaune. Seat on the terrace and enjoy the calm of the inner courtyard.
Room upgrades: Please contact us for details.
A route through Cote de Beaune passing by all the most famous wine villages:
First stop is in Pommard :When one thinks of red wine, Pommard is a name that first comes to the lips, a name evocative of a village and an iconic vineyard of Burgundy where Pinot Noir reigns supreme. A pleasure for the eyes as well as the tongue, Pommard is home to an 18th century castle built in front of the vineyards, boasting magnificent French-style gardens, vaulted cellars and an astonishing art gallery with exceptional cuvees.
Then, Volnay and Meursault :The unjustly charming capital of the great white wines of Burgundy, with a vineyard mostly planted with chardonnay grapes, lying in the middle of the hills of a gentle slope.
Continue via Santenay towards Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet : located on a rocky hill of a bald mountain which is a terroir of excellence in the heart of the Cote de Beaune. In this ocean of vineyards, Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet are two villages, accomplices and rivals at the same time, share the honour of producing the world's grandest dry white wine.
A day to explore Beaune: The wine Hospices, the Basilica, and the mustard factory are some of the places to enjoy.
A jewel of flamboyant Gothic architecture, this polychrome roof of The Hotel Dieu announces the splendour of what's inside, like the la grande salle des Pauvres, the chapel and the kitchen of this medieval hospital, a treasure of Burgundy. Its reputation is also due to the nectars of the winery, which are sold at auction every November under the market.
Cycle from Cote de Beaune to Cote de Nuits appellations, and through charming wine villages.
The small town that gives its name to the famous Cote de Nuits deserves a stop, and not only because it is the cradle of some of the world's greatest red wines. Nuits-Saint-Georges also welcomes the Imaginarium, an institution meant to teach all about the vineyard world by having fun, and the Cassissium, a place dedicated to cassis, the black gold of Burgundy.
The story of Burgundy's authentic villages is told through its old stone buildings, castles and churches, Romanesque art and medieval houses, reflecting a rich past. Along your way you will discover washhouses, fountains, churches. It will only take a moment of contemplation or a conversation with a local to understand that in those small villages, the past, the present and the future come together at the same time.
You stay at Hostellerie St Vincent.
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MinibarAirconSafe
The hotel offers calm, spacious, comfortable bedrooms equipped with a bathroom, TV and minibar. You will enjoy the bar, terrace and a little shop selling regional produce, wines and liqueurs.
Room upgrades: Please contact us for details.
Follow the 'Route des Grands Crus' to Fixin and Gevrey Chambertin. At the end of the Lavaux valley, Gevrey-Chambertin is the village of nine Grands Crus and 26 first vintages. Known worldwide, the small town didn't let fame change it-it's still peacefully wrapped around its Romanesque church and medieval castle. To get a look at the town's panorama, you have to take the high path, just behind the vineyards. It is worth a look!
Do not miss the weekly market on Fridays for an introduction to the local products and gastronomy.
Visit the Clos Vougeot wine estate. A majestic castle crowned with a roof of glazed tiles, standing like an islet planted in the middle of the vineyards. You can see it from a distance, and approach the awe-inspiring portal of this mythical enclosure with a little thrill. This is the den of the knights of Tastevin, a venerable brotherhood of 12,000 ambassadors of Burgundy all over the world. The old grape presses, the wine cellar and the large cellar set the scene as it was in the 12th century, under the motto: 'Jamais en vain, toujours en vin' ('Never in vain, always in wine').
Or, ride to the Abbey of Citeaux. Founded in 1098, in what was at the time a 'desert', Citeaux Abbey, the cradle and headquarters of the Cistercian Order, was to become, along with Cluny, a flagship of Christianity. Today, the monks make a delicious artisan cheese called Citeaux cheese. This production is performed three times a week using the milk of a herd of cattle raised on the Abbey's farm.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra hotel nights we recommend: Hostellerie de la Bretonniere, Beaune; Hostellerie St Vincent, Nuits St Georges.
MastercardVisaAmExHairdryerWiFiTVAirconSafe
In Beaune, the Hostellerie de Bretonnière is a former coaching inn dating back to the 18th century. With its old stones and its flower-filled courtyard, this traditional building offers all the comfort, and is only 5 minutes walking distance from the historical centre of Beaune. Seat on the terrace and enjoy the calm of the inner courtyard.
Room upgrades: Please contact us for details.
MastercardVisaAmExHairdryerWiFiTVMinibarAirconSafe
The hotel offers calm, spacious, comfortable bedrooms equipped with a bathroom, TV and minibar. You will enjoy the bar, terrace and a little shop selling regional produce, wines and liqueurs.
Room upgrades: Please contact us for details.
These tour prices are based on two people sharing. Single supplement from £314.
We can book your flights, protected by ATOL and ABTA. Please ask at time of enquiry.
If you choose a flight inclusive package with us, you will fly into Paris airport, with onward rail included. We can also provide transfers from the station to your hotel, please contact us for details and prices.
We hold an ATOL License and are fully ABTA bonded, so you can book your flights with us in confidence. We can book most airlines and will advise you of your most convenient airport and flight options.
Flight prices vary massively and change quickly. At Headwater we will sell you your flights at the same price you can buy them yourself. We simply add £35 per person to cover your flight protection, to learn more please click here.
Subject to availability and dependent on service provider, please ask at time of enquiry and book early to avoid disappointment.
Self-guided cycling
6 nights,
twin centre
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
Flights
available
8.0Kg CO2e
Printed route
directions
Optional
e-bike hire
