Burgundy - from Dijon to Beaune

Burgundy, what an evocative name! Famous for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, Burgundy houses some of the most celebrated vineyards in the world. Pommard, Meursault, Vosne-Romanée or Nuits Saint Georges are renowned for being among the best wines in the world.

But Burgundy is much more than wine. Self-drive tours in Burgundy will take you to cities such as Dijon and Beaune which definitely deserve a visit. In Beaune we will make sure that you don't miss the Hospices and have some time for a stroll through the old medieval town.

It is also a beautiful region with stunning countryside landscapes dotted with tiny villages, some of them "Plus Beaux Villages de France". 

5.0
Judy
This was one of the best trips we have taken to Europe. We have often done our own planning. It was so nice to have Laura help. We were very delighted with accommodations and …

Our Self-Guided Tours in Burgundy

In Burgundy, you’ll be far from the madding crowds and you’ll get to enjoy a real taste of authentic France.

Duration
16 days
Price
US$ 4930
Region
in Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley & Normandy

Exploring by the back roads is the best way to experience France and immerse yourself in the culture. Get a real feel for the authentic France, and enjoy at your own pace.

Heritage & History
Towns & Villages
Countryside
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 4110
Region
in Burgundy & Loire Valley

Explore and fully experience two "very French" regions, both famous for their gastronomy, wines, beautiful landscapes and very rich heritage.

Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Countryside
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 5080
Region
in Provence, Burgundy & Paris

Explore Eastern France, from South to North . . . colorful Provence, Burgundy vineyards, and of course the city of lights: Paris! We recommend that our travelers fly into Marseille and out of Paris (which is not always more expensive and much more convenient than Paris on both ends).

Wine Tasting
Countryside
Art & Museums in France
Duration
8 days
Price
US$ 2980
Region
in Loire Valley & Burgundy

In this itinerary, you will experience the "sweet life" in Touraine and Burgundy, stopping over in little villages to savor local cheeses or taste amazing wines. Take the time to relax in rose gardens, or to enjoy the traditional cuisine in many small restaurants frequented by the locals.

Heritage & History
Gourmet Food
Duration
8 days
Price
US$ 3320
Region
in Burgundy & Provence

From Paris, Burgundy is on your way to Provence...and it is more than just a stop over.

Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Gourmet Food
Duration
20 days
Price
US$ 6760
Region
in Paris, Burgundy, Provence & French Riviera

For independent travelers who want to thoroughly explore la belle France - from Paris, through the vineyards of Burgundy, the charming landscapes of Provence, and on to the sunny Riviera!

Gourmet Food
Countryside
Art & Museums in France
Duration
20 days
Price
US$ 6270
Region
in Burgundy, Loire Valley, Normandy & Paris

This is the best itinerary to thoroughly discover the Northern part of France: Burgundy vineyards, Loire Valley castles, Normandy WWII history . . . and ending in the most famous and beautiful capital in the world - Paris.

Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Countryside
Duration
10 days
Price
US$ 4180
Region
in Paris, Burgundy & Loire Valley

Discover French gastronomy in three regions famous the world over for their food and wines. Burgundy and the Loire Valley are actually arguing about where Coq au Vin was first invented. Burgundy is famous for wine sauce and the Loire Valley for river fish, fruits and goat cheese. And of course Paris is heaven to gourmets! You’ll find the best boulangeries in the world in Paris, and the food markets are amazing.

Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Duration
26 days
Price
US$ 7560
Region
in Burgundy, Dordogne, Bordeaux, Loire Valley & Normandy

This itinerary is for independent travelers who may already know the southern coast of France and who are looking for discovering the “inside” of the country. Five regions that are totally different from each other, showing you the diversity of France.

Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Gourmet Food
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 4980
Region
in Champagne, Verdun, Burgundy & Paris

Explore North-Eastern France and jump into French wines & history! Starting in Reims, capital of the Champagne region, you will learn many stories starring Joan of Arc, Marie-Antoinette and a famous widow . . . Clicquot. A private guide will make World War I history come alive, allowing you to get a comprehensive overview of the Verdun battlefields. You will bike and taste wines in Burgundy and finish your journey with flourish in Paris.

Wine Tasting
WWI & WWII Battlefields
Duration
10 days
Price
US$ 3830
Region
in Verdun, Burgundy & Loire Valley

This itinerary gives a nice overview of the center of France: the Verdun WWI battlefields, the wine and heritage of Burgundy, and ending in the Loire Valley with its gardens, castles and sweet life.

Wine Tasting
WWI & WWII Battlefields
Heritage & History
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 4880
Region
in Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Burgundy & Champagne

This itinerary is designed for gourmet travelers who aim at discovering and learning more about French wines. Our tours also mix heritage, culture, nice walks, gardens, etc. In this tour, you will stay in wineries, by vineyards & in wine towns. An absolute must for wine lovers !

Wine Tasting
Gourmet Food
Countryside
Duration
10 days
Price
US$ 4120
Region
in Burgundy, Alsace & Champagne

On this itinerary, you'll go North-East ! Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne are all located East of Paris and near the Swiss and German borders. Quite unknown, these regions have a lot to discover !

Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Duration
16 days
Price
US$ 7040
Region
in Paris, Alsace, Burgundy, Lyon & Provence

This itinerary takes you to Eastern France from North to South. After spending a few days in Paris, you will enjoy the Alsace region on the German border and then drive your way south all the way to Provence. The best itinerary to discover l'Est de la France !

Heritage & History
Countryside
Duration
20 days
Price
US$ 6950
Region
in Alsace, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Normandy & Paris

From East to West, discover the Northern half of France at your own pace. Visit Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, and Normandy, ending your wonderful adventure in Paris.

Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Duration
8 days
Price
US$ 3750
Region
in Paris, Burgundy & Champagne
Wine Tasting
Countryside
Burgundy

How to Get to Burgundy

Burgundy is about 3hr30 drive from Paris (center or CDG is about the same). On the way, you may visit Vaux-le-Vicomte palace and it makes a great day. 

This region is perfectly located, half-way between Paris and Provence regions and it makes a formidable step if you can spend at least 3 nights - 2 full days touring Burgundy. 

There are also direct TGV trains to Dijon from Paris (about 1hr40) but then in Dijon it is not guaranteed to get an automatic car rental so you may consider it only if you are ok driving a manual stick shift. 

 

Wine Tasting in Burgundy

The Burgundy wine route is quite touristy and not always the most scenic road. However, we know local guides who will take you where classical tours can’t go. We will also provide maps of the most scenic roads in the area, guaranteeing you a much more pleasant excursion than you would have with any old tour. Away from the traditional Burgundy wine tasting tours, you will discover the some of the region’s most stunning hidden gems. Your guide will fill you with local knowledge and show you the various wineries in Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits.

Burgundy wines are quite expensive, even in France: a decent quality Burgundy wine will cost at least 25 to 30 euros. We can also include more wine regions to your trip.

 Burgundy vineyards by Alain Doiré

 

Accommodation in Burgundy

We select premium B&Bs in the very heart of the wine-producing Burgundy. This way, on your self-drive tour in Burgundy, you will always be close to the wineries, Dijon or Beaune towns, allowing you to truly make the most of your time in Burgundy. 

For those you would prefer to stay in the city, we can offer you a magnificent guesthouse just 100 yards from the Beaune hospices, within the surrounding medieval ramparts of the city.

We will give you a selection of our favorite restaurants where you will be able to try local culinary specialities such as truffles, escargots de Bourgogne (Burgundy snails), coq au vin (chicken braised in wine), boeuf bourguignon (beef Burgundy), oeufs en meurette (poached eggs in Burgundy red wine sauce), etc.

We will keep you away from the tourist traps offering the so called “menus bourguignon”. 

 

Burgundy Gastronomy

La Moutarde de Dijon

Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is famous across the globe for its mustard: moutarde de Dijon. Compared to its twin English version, the mustard produced in Dijon is mixed with vinegar, which gives it a milder taste. With this mustard, you can make a typical salad dressing: Dijon vinaigrette.

Another of Burgundy’s gastronomic wonders is its incomparable Boeuf Bourguignon. This dish is a stew prepared with Burgundy red wine sauce, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Originally a peasant meal, Boeuf Bourguignon has become a staple of French Haute de Cuisine.

Burgundy dishes - Treasures of the French cuisine

Other famous French dishes prepared with the local Burgundy wine are the coq au vin (chicken with wine), a braised chicken cooked with red wine, garlic, mushrooms and bacon, as well as the oeufs Meurette which are eggs poached in Bourgogne red wine.

Wine & Cheese in Burgundy by Alain Doiré

 

Burgundy Truffle

For the treasure hunters, they will enjoy a delicious Burgundy truffle, a rare mushroom. This particular truffle is considered the most qualitative of France and makes the best truffle oil or aperitive called Ratatruffe - the name sounds weird but trust us: it’s delicious! You should try our truffle mushroom pasta.

Burgundy Cheeses

When it comes to Burgundy cheeses, visitors are in for a treat. They are typically ripened with local alcohol (like in Normandy) and are a true taste sensation. The most prestigious one is l’Epoisse. On your Burgundy tour, we will offer you the chance to visit the Epoisse factory, where you will be able to taste this miraculous dairy creation, coupled with a delicious Burgundy wine. We can also plan for a trip discovering the best cheeses of France!

 

FAQs about Burgundy

Burgundy is in east-central France, about 60 miles southeast of Paris. Self-drive touring in Burgundy is very easy from Paris or CDG Airport.

Burgundy is most famous for its wine and gorgeous vineyards! In fact, it has some of the most expensive wines and vintages in the world. Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is of course famous for its mustard. And the gorgeous town of Beaune is famous for its stunning medieval hospices. Our Burgundy tours will be tailor made to match the items you like in the above list.

 

Over the centuries, Burgundy has become best known for producing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Pommard, Meursault, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits Saint Georges are among the best wines in the world.

If you're a collector, these are some of the most famous wine producers in Burgundy:

  • Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
  • Domaine Leroy
  • Domaine Dujac
  • Domaine Georges Roumier
  • Domaine Rousseau
  • Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
  • Domaine Faiveley
  • Domaine J.F
  • Domaine Leflaive

If you're interested in focusing on wine-tasting, we would be more than happy to plan a customized self-guided wine tour of Burgundy for you.

Our favorite way to explore Burgundy is by car. It gives you the chance to travel at your own pace, stay as long as you want at each place, and discover more off-the-beaten-track villages and vineyards that organised bus tours don't go to. If you want to do plenty of wine-tasting and would prefer to have someone else drive, we recommend hiring a private wine guide for a day or two. They will be able to take you to vineyards and wineries that you wouldn't find on your own, and share their expert knowledge about each of the wines. Self-drive tours in Burgundy will give you the right pace to fully enjoy the region.

Our favorite time to visit Burgundy is in September and October, during the grape harvest. The weather is still mild and the fall/autumn colors in the vineyards are absolutely stunning - ideal scenery for a road trip! And if you're there in the right time (normally early to mid September), you may be able to experience the annual grape harvest, where most harvesting is still done by hand.

Mid-to-late springtime is also a beautiful time to explore Burgundy. Summer can also be okay, but we prefer spring or fall as there are fewer tourists and more comfortable temperatures. Summer can get very hot and crowded! But don't worry - if you want to travel in summer, we will plan an itinerary that includes plenty of vineyards, wineries and other places of interest that most tourists don't know about!

Visit other French regions

Brittany

Alsace

Lyon

Somme

Champagne

Verdun

Normandy

Provence

Dordogne

Loire Valley

Paris

Bordeaux

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Natalie & Family
My husband was born in France and moved to Australia in 1970 when he was just 5. He went back for the last time in 1980 and had not returned since. In January 2017 I started to formulate an idea to surprise him with a trip back home. Being Australian, we love road trips but without his French language skills I felt a bit scared to start booking …
Robert
From Bordeaux, Medoc wineries, Basque country of France and Spain, Carcassone, Dordogne, pre-historic caves, beautiful medieval towns and villages, switch-back mountain roads, sunshine, truffles, food & wine and gracious b&b hosts to final flight home, this was the trip of a lifetime! We drove over 3,200 kms with the help of our included gps and …
Robert
My wife and I completed a 3 week driving trip out of Bordeaux which was organized by France Just for You. The Bed and Breakfast accommodations were superb, the personalized guidebook comprehensive and well-organized, and the booked activities were high quality. Having the rental car booked for us was a major advantage (Don’t drive in France without …

Our Travelers’ Photos

David
From the US
Celebrating his 80th birthday at a cooking class in Burgundy
Ginette and Craig
from the US
In Chaumont castle, Loire Valley
Mita & Bip from the US
In Biarritz, Basque Country
Joe
From the US
Digging & Finding a truffle in Provence
Nancy, Don, Jane & Ron
from Canada
In Honfleur, Normandy
Lytha & Ron
From the US
Canoeing in the Dordogne region
Bonnie & Steve
from the US
in Provence
Bruce from Australia
Cooking outdoor in Provence, bon appétit !
Kathy & David
from Canada
In Avignon, Provence
Leslie & Family
from the US
A la Tour Eiffel, Paris
Bonnie & her 2 daughters
from Canada
In Ménerbes, Provence
David & Lindsay
From the US
Celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in France