The most beautiful places on the Côte-d’Or: the best of our Burgundy tour

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Let’s rewind to the fall of 2018. At that time, we took the TGV to France on a Friday afternoon. The destination: Dijon, the capital of the historic eastern French region of Burgundy. When planning this city trip, I had toyed with the idea of including a day trip to the centre of the Burgundy wine-growing region – Beaune. In the end, reason prevailed and we concentrated on Dijon’s sights for the time being.

But the longing for the hilly landscape idyll of Burgundy, crisscrossed by vineyards and pretty wine villages, did not let go of me and so we made our way to France once again in early summer. This time with three days in the luggage to explore the most beautiful places of the Côte-d’Or.

Dijon: starting point of our 3-day Burgundy tour

For now, however, there is a reunion with Dijon. Dijon is not only the capital of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, but also the largest city in the Côte-d’Or department. From Zurich, Dijon can be reached in 2:24 hours by TGV Lyria without having to change trains. It’s quicker to get to Dijon than to Geneva – remarkable, isn’t it? And with a convincing point why a detour to the wonderful wine region is also suitable for a long weekend. With the Thursday afternoon connection (departure from Zurich at 13:34) you can reach Dijon shortly before 16:00. Ideal for checking into a centrally located hotel and then taking a stroll through Dijon’s pedestrian-friendly city centre.

This time we check in at the stylish Vertigo Hotel (member of the Design Hotels). We were particularly impressed by the bar (with really good drinks) and the fantastic breakfast buffet. And of course, we can’t resist taking a closer look at another excellent restaurant. This time, the choice falls on the restaurant L’un des Sens on Rue Jeannin. A bull’s eye! Beautifully arranged, tasteful courses served in an intimate ambience (or if there hadn’t been a thunderstorm, we would have been sitting on a wonderfully secluded terrace).

Stop No. 1: History excursion in Alésia

The next morning we go to the train station a bit wistfully. Sure, I’m really looking forward to the three upcoming road trip days, but the evening before I really realized how much I like Dijon. Right next to the train arrivals hall are the counters of the well-known car rental companies. Beaune could easily be reached from Dijon in 30 minutes by train.

But in addition to the small town south of Dijon, we also want to visit one or the other sight that is not accessible by public transport. First we follow the A38 in a westerly direction. Less than an hour’s drive from Dijon is the MuséoParc Alésia. Opened in 2012, the museum stands on a field where the Roman army under Julius Caesar fought against the Gallic army under Vercingetorix in 52 BC. In addition to the fact that I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to Roman history, a visit to the MuséoParc is also interesting from an architectural perspective. The three-storey building, clad in larch wood, with a birch forest growing on its roof, was designed by the Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi.

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain: one of the most beautiful and cutest villages in France

A visit to the MuséoParc Alésia can be combined with a visit to the Abbey of Fontenay (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981) or a visit to the village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain. If you want to visit all three places, you should plan a full day for this corner of the Côte d’Or.

In the late afternoon, however, we want to continue down the A6 towards Châteauneuf and therefore limit ourselves to the closer Flavigny-sur-Ozerain. The medieval village, which is picturesquely perched on a hill, is one of the “plus beaux villages de France”. And rightly so – everything looks really adorable here!

If you make a stop in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, you should definitely take a look at the Anis de Flavigny manufactory, which is located in the former Benedictine abbey of Saint-Pierre. Since the end of the 16th century, the famous sweets have been produced here according to a consistent recipe. To this day, the production process from anise grain to candy takes 15 days each.

But the patience pays off. Catherine Troubat has been running the family business since 1990 and has further strengthened the profile of one of the oldest brands in France through skilful marketing and collaboration with selected partners. The manufactory has a small café and a boutique where you can buy the sweets including the beautifully nostalgic tins. By the way, the Anis de Flavigny taste best when you put two together in your mouth – then the aroma really comes into its own, as Catherine Troubat assures me with a wink.

A stone’s throw from the manufactory is the farmer-run cooperative “La Grange“. Here you can enjoy local specialties as well as simple but fine lunch dishes.

Picture-perfect Burgundy: Semur-en-Auxois and Châteauneuf-en-Auxois

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is far from the only pretty, photogenic village in Burgundy. We pass two more on this first day of road trips. On the way to Châteauneuf (which also meets all the criteria of “picturesque”), we make a detour to Semur-en-Auxois. The old town with the Porte Sauvigny and the still preserved round towers of the citadel fortifications is an imposing sight.

The same applies to Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, a 45-minute drive to the south, which is one of the last surviving examples of medieval Burgundian fortification. The fortress and the formerly fortified village around it are located in a panoramic location above the Canal de Bourgogne (a shipping canal over 200 kilometres long that connects the Yvonne with the Saône and is now primarily used for recreational boating). The fortress can be visited all year round, closing at noon from 12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

A night at the Hideaway Château Sainte-Sabine

After a jam-packed first day, we are looking forward to a quiet evening not far from Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. We check in at Château Sainte-Sabine, just under five kilometers away. Surrounded by eight hectares of parkland, this châteauneuf hotel offers panoramic views of Châteauneuf and excellent cuisine. Our expectations were high – but the chef outdid himself. The tasting menu tasted good from A to Z.

A wonderful place to relax, enjoy the beautiful scenery all around and taste your way through the local wines. Yes, you can easily stay two or three nights longer here.

Walking tour of Beaune

The next morning, bright sunshine awaits us again and a set breakfast table on the sun terrace of the Château Sainte-Sabine. Gorgeous, I’ll tell you!

Then we follow the winding country road further south-east into the heart of the prestigious wine-growing region around Beaune. The old town centre of Beaune is surrounded by mighty city walls and can be explored on foot. First we head for the Hôtel-Dieu in the centre of the historic city centre. The medieval hospice is one of the most important historical monuments in France and is also an architectural jewel with its magnificent late Gothic architecture. The Hôtel-Dieu was founded by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Philippe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy after the Hundred Years’ War in the mid-15th century. Built for the poorest of the Côte d’Or, the Hôtel-Dieu was used as a hospital until 1971. Impressive, I think. Also interesting is the tour of the complex with a view of the large poorhouse, the Gothic kitchen or the pharmacy with its tin vessels (open daily, entrance fee for adults 10 euros).

Directly opposite the Hôtel-Dieu is the covered market of Beaune. Every Saturday, the square in between fills up with market stalls. We avoid the hustle and bustle of the weekly market and go on a tour of the city walls. To do this, keep an eye out for the “Amis des Remparts” symbols discreetly attached to the city walls and follow them over the approximately 2.5-kilometre-long wall belt around the old town.

On this circular route, you will pass the friendly wine bar la Parenthèse, among other things. Since it only opens in the evening, we looked around for an alternative at noon and ended up in the wine bar La Dilettante. A chance discovery – but what a discovery it was! Relaxed atmosphere, delicious freshly prepared salads and appetizers and a fantastic selection of cheeses. You can also order a glass of wine or taste your way through the beers on display.

A few steps from La Dilettante is the headquarters of the Moutarderie Fallot. The traditional mustard manufacturer, which is still independent today, is one of the culinary figureheads of Burgundy and offers guided tours (cost: from 10 euros) through its production plant. Of course, you can also stock up on all conceivable mustard variations here.

Cycling through the vineyards of the Côte d’Or

We walk from the Moutarderie Fallot via the Square des Lions to the Parc de la Bouzaize on the outskirts of the city. This is where I find the bike rental station of «Bourgogne Evasion». We want to use the rest of the afternoon to explore the wine villages around Beaune by bike. The cycling infrastructure here in the area is well developed and signposted.

We follow the cycle path through the idyllic vineyards via Pommard and Volnay to Meursault. The cycle path would continue from here to Santenay. In each of the villages, wine cellars can be visited and tastings can also be booked. Alternatively, you can also take part in a guided bike tour including tasting stops at “Bourgogne Evasion” (daily bike rental from 20 euros / guided half-day bike tours incl. wine tasting from 46 euros).

Return to Dijon via the Route des Grands Crus

The extensive wine-growing regions of the Côte d’Or are not only criss-crossed by cycle paths, but there is also the so-called “Route des Grands Crus” – a wine route that crosses the prestigious part of Burgundy wines. The wine route also leads from Santenay via Baeune to Dijon and crosses 38 villages – it follows the D974 for the most part, but branches off the main road from time to time and leads you along country roads through the wine-growing region.

The route is signposted with appropriate labeled road signs (which are very visible). The best thing to do is to take the D974 and look for these signs. For the way back from Beaune to Dijon, we chose the route via Route des Grands Crus and completed the route with individual stops in about two hours.

Finaler Boxenstopp im Maison aux Milles Truffes

Less than a five-minute drive from Magny-lès-Villers, which you cross on the Route des Grand Crus, is Maison Aux Mille Truffes by L’Or des Valois. Not only can you buy a wide variety of truffle products, but you can also look over the shoulders of Thierry Bezeux, owner and founder of the family business, in search of truffles. In addition to the “practical part” out in the forest, his two-hour guided tours also include a very informative introduction to truffles in general and – depending on the tour – a tasting of truffle products or a 5-course lunch, which is all about truffles. Cost: between 28 and 61 euros – online booking possible.

Practical tips for your trip through Burgundy

• From Zurich and Basel, there are direct TGV connections to Dijon several times a day (journey time from Zurich < 3 hours).
• The Dijon-Beaune route is also easy to travel by train. If you want to visit more remote villages and sights, you can travel much more flexibly with a car. The most common car rental companies (Hertz, Avis, Sixt, National) are represented at Dijon station.
• For the latest entry information (coronavirus), it is best to consult the corresponding website of France Diplomacy. The rules are still constantly changing and also depend on whether you are vaccinated or not.
• The distances in the Côte d’Or are comparatively manageable. We covered almost two hundred kilometers in the three days.
• You can find more information about the sights on the Burgundy Tourism website.