The Best Burgundy Itinerary
The Ultimate Guide for a one week Burgundy Wine Itinerary
Planning a perfect vacation can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Burgundy is an area made of small charming villages, but is mostly famous for its wine production. In this guide, you will find a Burgundy one-week itinerary that follows the famous Route des Grands Crus, the must-see wine route in Burgundy, but also recommendations on wineries to visit. Click here to check out the map of the itinerary.
But before, a couple of notions to better understand this place. France has a worldwide reputation for its wines, and Burgundy has some of the best ones. The two main grapes that are grown in this area are Pinot Noir (black grape) and Chardonnay (white grape). Out of these, several wines can be made, from best quality to the least: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village (each village puts its own name on the label) and Regional (meaning that on the label the wine will be simply called "Bourgogne"). This label scale depends on the location of the grape plant. In order to belong to the Grand Cru definition, the grape plant has grown in a particularly favorable soil, and only the best grapes have been selected.
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Best places to stay in the Burgundy region:
Poilly-sur-Serein: Le Moulin de Poilly
Dijon: Hôtel République
Beaune: ibis Beaune Centre
1 - Dijon
The Route des Grands Crus is divided into two parts. The first part, Côte de Nuits (from Dijon to Corgoloin), contains the greatest red wines in the world, including 24 of Burgundy’s 33 Grands Crus such as Romanée-Conti, Clos de Vougeot, or Chambertin. The second part, Côte de Beaune (between Corgoloin and Beaune on to Santenay), produces some of the finest dry white wines in the world, with Corton Charlemagne, Meursault, and Montrachet. We started our itinerary from Dijon, which I advise you to visit (one day is enough to explore it). Below are some recommendations:
- L'Age de Raisin: a nice little restaurant where you can try French cuisine at affordable prices
- Mulot & Petitjean - Bossuet: A shop where you can buy local sweets (try the Pain d'epices, typical from Dijon)
- Maille Dijon mustard: mustard is a Dijon specialty, you can buy the original one in this store
2 - Côte de Nuits
The first area of the Route des Grand Crus itinerary includes the following stops (full itinerary on Google Maps here):
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- Vougeot
- Domaine Romanée Conti: here you must stop by, as it is where the best wine of the world is made. It is a Grand Cru area, owned entirely by this Domaine. Here there is a combination of factors that allow to produce the most famous wine ever (one bottle can cost 10000€)
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
- Aloxe-Corton
- Pernand-Vergelesses
- Henri de Villamont: I highly suggest this winery, they offer a canteen tour and tastings of six wines (30€). You can check the visits and book your spot on their website.
3 - Côte de Beaune
The second area of the Route des Grand Crus itinerary includes the following stops (full itinerary on Google Maps here):
- Beaune: it is worth to visit the city, as it is very charming. I suggest stopping by the Basilique Collégiale Notre-Dame and, if you have time, to the museum of the Maison des Climats (a museum that lays out the history and processes of winemaking). I also suggest a cheese shop called Alain Hess Cheesemonger, to buy typical French cheese.
- Château De Pommard: in this castle is possible to taste their wine and have a small tour. We booked our spot on their website. They offer different types of visits, also in English.
- Chassagne-Montrachet
- Puligny-Montrachet
- Saint-Romain
- Orches
- Château de la Crée: I highly suggest this visit, as it is quite affordable (22€ for tasting 5 wines), and the staff is very welcoming. I see that in Google Maps is labeled as closed temporarily, however, the website is still working and you can book the wine tastings.
4 - Chablis
Besides the Route of the Grand Crus, the Burgundy region includes Chablis, which is a bit north of Dijon. Between Chablis and Dijon, there are multiple little villages which are very beautiful. I also suggest stopping by the city of Auxerre. The full itinerary here on Google Maps.
- Chablis: we went to Céline et Frédéric Gueguen for trying the wines of this region. This place is within the city, so is not possible to visit the winery itself but you can try all their wines and the staff will explain them thoroughly.
- Noyers-sur-Serein
I also recommend the restaurant Les Terrasses du Moulin, at great prices you can try autenthic French cuisine.
Planning a perfect day trip doesn't have to be overwhelming. By following these steps and considering your preferences, you can create an unforgettable experience. So, pack your bags, choose your destination, and get ready for an adventure!