Mr Ford says...
A very well-organised holiday; very good accommodation; a friendly and helpful rep who ideally unobtrusive.
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This six-night gastronomic walking holiday invites you to discover the essence of Burgundy; a place where centuries-old culture and practices meet the modern world in a region world famous for its traditions of wine and gastronomy. Here you'll find mediaeval Beaune, whose walled old town houses the immaculately preserved C15 Hospices de Beaune, picture-perfect Meursault and a host of authentic Burgundy chateaux; this region has more chateaux than any other in France. To the north, past the Combe Lavaux - Jean Roland Nature Reserve, where wildflowers grow and peregrine falcons and eagles nest, lies the regional capital of Dijon. The city boasts a rich blend of architecture alongside the magnificent palace of the Valois Dukes, now home to the Museum of Fine Art.
The walks provide a wonderful balance of quiet country lanes, vineyard tracks and woodland trails taking in sleepy, unspoilt villages, majestic vine-clad hills and ancient oak forest. Sample fine wines in C13 cellars and enjoy lunch in a selection of mediaeval towns including world-renowned Nuits-St-Georges. Walk the historic streets of Dijon and hunt for truffles with Yann and his dog Elfe in the grounds of a secluded chateau.
This area is popular with gastronomes and for good reason! You can look forward to fine dining on Filet de boeuf flambe a la sauce creme de truffe or Sandre aux echalotes confites et au Pommard and sampling some of the regional cheeses - Brillat Savarin and Epoisses - accompanied by the region's incredible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. You'll stay in wonderful hotels including an elegantly renovated farmhouse with picturesque gardens, a lovingly restored former winery and a modern 4 Star hotel complete with spa facilities.
Read more about this holiday in The Good Life France.
Walking is along a mixture of small country roads, vineyard tracks, and woodland or forest paths. Walking boots are recommended.
Arrive at your lovingly restored C18 hotel, a former farmhouse in Montagny-les-Beaune, in time for your first gastronomic dinner at a local restaurant. (Staying at Hotel le Clos, Breakfast in hotel, evening meal in local restaurant)
This morning we'll take you to the start of your walk. You'll begin by crossing over the northern tip of the limestone escarpment of the Cote-d'Or to gain wonderful views across the plain as you descend to the village of Chenove. From here turn south and wind your way along the Chemin des Grand Crus, passing the vineyards of Couchey and Fixin and continuing along to the famous wine village of Gevrey-Chambertin. Here you'll find your hotel, a beautifully restored C18 former winery, with an extremely warm welcome from the owners, Paul and his wife Jolanta. (Staying at Les Deux Chevres, Breakfast in hotel, evening meal in local restaurant)
Options today include taking the train to Dijon or Beaune. In Dijon stroll the history-filled streets and alleyways with C12-C15 timbered houses to see the Church of Notre Dame, cathedral and the grand Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. In Beaune marvel at the multi-coloured roofs of the C15 Hospices de Beaune. (Staying at Les Deux Chevres, Breakfast in hotel, evening meal in local restaurant)
Leave the vines behind today and head up into the woods where you'll follow an old disused railway track. Wind through shady, protected woodland before emerging back into the sun-soaked vines behind tranquil Morey-St-Denis, a good place to enjoy a coffee break. Continue on through the sleepy village of Chambolle-Musigny to Vougeot and visit the historic Chateau du Clos de Vougeot which produces one of the world's most celebrated Grand Cru wines. From here it's just a short distance to Vosne-Romanee where your 4 Star hotel and restaurant await. (Staying at Le Richebourg, Half Board)
There are two options for your 'rest day'. You could walk up through the woods to a secluded chateau in the hills, behind the vineyards of Vosne-Romanee - here you have the opportunity to learn about truffle hunting in the chateau grounds with Thierry, his son Yann and their specially trained dog Elfe (Thursday to Monday only). Alternatively take a stroll through the vines to the world-famous mediaeval town of Nuits-St-Georges. Explore the town and enjoy lunch here, then maybe a spot of wine tasting in one of the many local caves. (Staying at Le Richebourg, Half Board)
A 25-minute transfer takes you to Pernand-Vergelesses to follow vineyard tracks past the Hill of Corton, once owned by Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. Then it's on to mediaeval Savigny-les-Beaune for a morning coffee next to the impressive chateau, which houses a collection of vintage cars, motorbikes and planes. Walking up through woodland, you emerge above Beaune with spectacular views over the town and its surrounds. Descending into the vineyards you can visit the Parc de la Bouzaise or Beaune before continuing on to the hotel. (Staying at Hotel le Clos, Breakfast in hotel, evening meal in local restaurant)
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Suite |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £18 |
All prices shown above are valid from 25/10/2017. Prices per person, per night based on two sharing. The duplex suite offers a more spacious room spread over two floors.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Comfort Room | Superior Room |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £24 | £49 |
All prices shown above are valid from 22/11/2017. The comfort room provides more space and a bath and the superior is larger again and offers vineyard views. Prices per person, per night based on two sharing.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
| Dates | Terrasse Room | Junior Suite | Cocoon / Sauna Room |
| 13/05/2018 - 30/09/2018 | £9 | £17 | £212 |
All prices shown above are valid from 07/08/2018. Prices are per person per night based on two sharing. The Cocoon room comes equipped with a private infrared sauna, offering the same benefits as a traditional sauna, but at a more tolerable temperature.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
Transfers included from Beaune train station at 16:58 Mon-Sat, 16:23 Sun and back to Beaune train station at 09:15 all days except Mon, Thurs & Sat when 08:30.
Please call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com to arrange connecting flights.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
A very well-organised holiday; very good accommodation; a friendly and helpful rep who ideally unobtrusive.
A great balance of route walking and free time staying in lovely hotels exploring fabulous countryside and marvelous food.
The holiday was complete. We enjoyed the different range of accommodation,different places to eat and yet all consistently of a high standard, Thank you
Exactly what it said on the tin Would not recommend Burgundy walking to walkers Have been to Alsace better walking experience but food accommodation better with Headwaters
Another good walking experience in delightful countryside, enough walking and good proximity to alternative attractions on the rest days. One excellent hotel, if it had been practical to do so we would have been happy to stay there instead of Vosne Romanee. All the restaurants were good or excellent except that below, and in keeping with the quality of the overall holiday.
I cannot fault the logistics. Everything went smoothly and our rep, Lin, was superb. Nothing was too much trouble for her. By building extra days into our holiday we had plenty of time to visit local towns and get a real feel for the area. Cannot recommend Les Deux Chevres highly enough. We were made to feel so welcome and the food they provided was excellent. As someone with an allergy to wheat I really appreciated the effort they went to. Would definitely recommend doing the wine tasting with Matthieu whilst staying there. It was informative and entertaining. Also would recommend a visit to the Hospice in Beaune if you have the time. It was fascinating.
The holiday was extremely relaxing. Travel arrangements, accommodation, table booking and baggage transfer were all handled professionally without fuss or drama, giving us the complete freedom to enjoy our walking tour.
The quality of the accommodation and the wonderful restaurants probably exceeded our expectations. Whilst not an inexpensive holiday we did we feel got value for money and lasting memories.
We enjoyed our visit to a part of Burgundy that was new to us. The walking was varied, not too strenuous with good maps and mostly clear directions. The hotels and the meals were excellent. Having a Headwater rep to welcome us and be on hand if needed really made a difference.
An excellent holiday in every way. The food and wines were amazing and it was a most interesting region to explore.
This was a really good holiday, excellent in all respects except that the walking notes, generally of high standard, let us down badly at one point. We explained to Lin where this was and hopefully this will be sorted out
Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to pass along your comments, it is wonderful to know that you had such a lovely holiday. Your explanation of where the notes went wrong was indeed passed along and, as we always try to do, your suggestions were taken into account in order to improve the experience for future customers. Once again many thanks from your team at Headwater.
All the hotels were lovely and all the staff everywhere were welcoming and helpful. The walking was a little disappointing in that there was a lot of road-walking and two very boring long slogs from the town of Meursault to the station and from the station at Gevrey-Chambertin to Les Deux Chevres. The meals in the evening were marvellous and memorable. The villages were very pretty. Disappointing that there was no truffle hunting. Lin was an excellent tour guide and everything ran like clockwork.
Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We appreciate all customer feedback and are pleased that you enjoyed such a wonderful, memorable holiday. Regarding the road walking and the slogs to and from the station on day 2, we have taken these - and other - customer comments on board and for 2017 have made suitable alterations. The route no longer follows the roads and the train station no longer features. The new route follows footpaths and tracks, and very occasionally quiet lanes, through woodland, vineyards and mediaeval villages, from just south of Dijon to the wonderful wine village of Gevrey Chambertin. We believe this has greatly improved the walking. We were sorry to read that you missed the truffle hunting during your holiday; this activity is only available between Thursdays and Mondays. We were also pleased to see that you thought our Rep Lin was excellent. She will be delighted to hear your lovely feedback. We would like to thank you for constructive comments and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future. Kind regards, Your Headwater customer service team.
Delightful holiday experience from start to finish. The hotels were lovely and the walking varied. It's a good way to get to know a small part of Burgundy and appreciate the lovely scenery as there was plenty to do on the rest days too. The hotels were all well chosen and the neighbouring restaurants of a high standard. We especially appreciated being taken into Beaune by Lin for our last dinner, which was especially good. We also appreciated the chance to buy wines en route and collect them at the end.
As a holiday focussed on easy walking, gourmet dinners and luxurious accommodation, this ticked all the boxes. Beautiful country of the Cote D'Or, gorgeous little villages and towns and everywhere Burgundy wine production continuing all around you. All three hotels were superb. I walked in July 2015, so arrived somewhat dusty and sweaty at what are very upscale hotels. No problem at all (but worth reassuring guests it isn't an issue). Walking directions were generally good, with some issues flagged to Headwater in separate email. Just a few tweaks needed, and as it is the first year of this tour, some teething troubles expected.
If you want to seriously investigate wine, doing so during your day's walk is not really practical. I'd suggest researching before you go, possibly setting up cellar visits via Headwater, if they will do it, or knowing which vignerons you want to visit and then using your rest days to get along to see them. But you can just wing it and you can thoroughly enjoy this holiday if, like me, you know nothing about wine. It's a good place to start to learn.
Last but not least, I would single out Paul and Yolanta at Les Deux Chevres in Gevrey-Chambertin for wonderfully friendly advice, practical tips, suggestions and laid-back accommodation. If you want to know more about the area, its wine, history and so on, they are a mine of information.
ALAN HAYES, WEST LONDON, JULY 2015.
This was an excellent holiday where the standard of food and accommodation fully justified the description 'gastronomic'. The walks are interesting and quite varied with the combination of woodland, vineyards and picturesque villages, but it is a new route, and as it evolves I think that some improvements can be incorporated: Day 3 seemed a bit early for a free day and perhaps the amount of walking on tarmac could be reduced.
Holiday lived up to gastronomic label with a good selection of restaurants. Hotels are comfortable. Quality of walks is satisfactory but more work is needed.
Headwater response:
We are so glad you enjoyed the hotels and the gastronomic restaurants. We always aim for more than satisfactory and your suggestions regarding the walks were passed along and have been considered as part of our process of continuous development. We are happy to say that the walks have been improved for 2016 and we hope to see you again soon. All the best from your team at Headwater.
Enjoyable walking in attractive countryside with plenty opportunity to visit historic places such as Dijon and Beaune, staying in remarkable small hotels, and eating amazing food and drinking some of the world's best wines.
Excellent local arrangements and facilities. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Pleas read my document sent to Lisa copied to Tina James
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday. Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided walking Managed locally by Headwater appointed rep.
Departures
Meals
Continental breakfasts and all gastronomic evening meals
Tour only
Transfers included from Beaune train station at 16:58 Mon-Sat, 16:23 Sun and back to Beaune train station at 09:15 all days except Mon, Thurs & Sat when 08:30.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Gastronomic Burgundy Walking. Simply complete the form below and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.
We've been creating high-quality relaxed activity holidays since 1985 and our wealth of experience means we're able to build the perfect tailor-made tour for you. Our 'Gold Trusted' rating on Feefo, the independent review site, underlines our exceptional levels of customer service, and our ATOL bonding and ABTA membership guarantees your holiday is safe with us.
