BURGUNDY REGIONAL GUIDE

Burgundy is rich in history and heritage, where food and wine are an art form and a warm welcome is always on tap.

 

The world-famous wines are Burgundy’s greatest ambassadors, and visitors can discover more and indulge in a little wine-tasting at the numerous cellars.

 

Hearty cuisine comes in the form of traditional dishes such as Bresse Chicken, Charolais Beef and Burgundy Snails.

 

Relax in glorious countryside adorned with historic abbeys and chateaux.

 

Highlights are the Morvan Regional Park, the capital city of Dijon and the many peaceful waterways.

 

 

Dijon

Splendid architecture, top class restaurants and rich cultural life make Burgundy’s historic capital a particularly pleasing place. Easy to explore on foot, visit the Tuesday, Friday and Saturday food markets and shop for some of Burgundy’s wonderful products, wines of course, but also several which originated here. Look for the famous Dijon mustard (learn its history at the Mustard Museum) and kir - an aperitif made from creme de cassis and white wine, named after a former mayor of Dijon who pioneered the twinning movement after the Second World War.

 

Take in the Fine Arts Museum housed in a former palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. Enjoy the Botanical Gardens, and don’t forget to stroke the carved owl at Notre Dame church and make a wish.

 

Beaune

At the heart of the Burgundian wine trade since the eighteenth century, this small town with its ramparts, narrow cobbled streets, squares and Saturday market is the place to sample Burgundy’s famous wine and gastronomy. Discover wine-making history in the Musee du Vin de Bourgogne, housed in one of many beautiful Gothic and Renaissance buildings. Don’t miss Beaune’s most famous building, the gloriously ornate Hotel-Dieu, with galleried courtyard, massive hall and highly patterned, turreted roof. Built originally as a charity hospital with vineyard finance in 1443, it is now the site of a major wine auction each November - part of the 3 day wine festival known as ‘Les Trois Glorieuses’.

 

Arcy-sur-Cure, Pre-historic Cave

Limestone caves formed by the River Cure, once home to Stone Age man. Wall paintings of bears, mammoths and other animals were discovered in the 1990s. The largest cave is open to the public and has a lake, decorated ceiling and fantasy landscapes formed by water.

 

Chateau de St-Fargeau

Situated in the delightful rural Puisaye area of Burgundy with its tree-lined river banks, this pink, moated and turreted chateau was once home to Louise XIV’s sister - the ‘Grande Mademoiselle’. Le Vau, architect of Versailles, carried out renovations in the seventeenth  century. Enjoy guided tours of the chateau’s splendid rooms, summer ‘son et lumiere’ and historical re-enactments of France’s history involving 700 actors and 60 horsemen. 

 

St Madeleine Basilica, Vezelay

Wonderful abbey church founded in 864 which attracted medieval pilgrims as it reputedly housed relics of Mary Magdalene. Restored in the nineteenth century, and now one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, the central doorway is a famous example of Burgundian Romanesque architecture. It displays wonderful sculptures of Christ surrounded by a host of people - including apostles, giants and pygmies - going about their daily lives. Vezelay itself is a beautiful hilltop town packed with art galleries, antique and bookshops.  

 

Auxerre

Picturesque town with half-timbered houses, winding cobbled streets, fine cathedral and solar clock tower. See the town by cruising along the Nivernais Canal or cycle along the towpath.

 

Morvan Regional Park

The ‘black mountains’ of Morvan Regional Park extending into Southern Yonne, are actually forested hills which once supplied wood and charcoal to Paris. The park is a granite plateau covering nearly a quarter of a million hectares, providing 3,400km of marked trails including a circular 220km walk (GR13) through places of interest. A land of pasture, moorland, vast reservoir lakes, and gorges with river rapids for white water rafting, canoeing and fishing. Increasingly popular as a place for outdoor pursuits, the park also has animal reserves, museums, crafts shops and information centres.  

 

Burgundy and Nivernais Canals

Burgundy has 1,200 km of rivers and canals including some of France’s prettiest waterways. Enjoy the peace of the Nivernais Canal as you drift past vineyards, spotting grey herons, kingfishers and many nesting breeds. Skipper yourself, or join barges and cruises operating from river ports such as Vermenton. The Burgundy Canal linking the Saone and Yonne rivers has a total of 190 locks along its 242km length. Watch an ever-changing panorama of green pastures and wooded hillsides. Cycle and picnic on tree-lined tow paths and stop at villages and historic sites such as the chateau at Tonnerre or Fontenay Abbey.

 

Rich, best sums up the sumptuous Burgundy cuisine which makes liberal use of the region’s famous red wines and equally famous beef from tender lean Charolais cattle. Many dishes are served ‘a la bourguignone’ which indicates a red wine sauce of shallots, mushrooms and butter, most famously ‘boeuf bourguignon’ and ‘coq au vin’ - chicken in red wine.

 

The range of quality wines from the great Burgundy vineyards is enormous, from delicate, dry white Chablis to the reds and whites of the Cotes-de-Nuits and Cotes-de-Beaune such as Chambertin and AOC Pommard.

 

Burgundy also boasts the biggest snails (escargots) in France - raised on vine leaves to make them extra tasty. Enjoy river fish poached in white wine with onions, butter and garlic, delicious smoked Morvan ham tasting of the rugged countryside, soft creamy Toucy goats cheese and Yonne cherries. Dijon mustard is world famous and perhaps Sens macaroons - exquisitely light dry cakes made with almond paste - ought to be.

 

Wine-tasting

Travel one of the great wine routes of France, the N74 south from Dijon, passing through villages with famous names such as Nuits St-George, Beaune and Mersault. Visit in springtime to avoid the crowds or at harvest time when the air is heavy with the scent of grape juice. Use walking and cycle trails and look for signs saying ‘degustation gratuit’ for a free tasting. Be warned, despite the sleepy nature of the villages, vineyards are big business, the wines are excellent and can be expensive. Cellars in wine centre Beaune offer tastings and tours can be arranged through the tourist office. See the wine-making process as well as tasting at Chateau du Clos-de-Vouget 15km to the north.  

 

Outdoor pursuits

Horse trekking and hiking trails are abundant in ‘Les Chemins de Puisaye’ and the terrain is great for mountain biking. Ballooning is popular in Burgundy; contact companies like ‘Air Escargot’ at Remigny to arrange flights over canals and vineyards. Cycle along tow paths, past vineyards, on country roads, up steep hills and down gentle valleys, and through Morvan Regional Park where you can also find walking, climbing and water sports. Coarse fishermen enjoy lake, river, canal and reservoir fishing with the simple purchase of a local licence.

 

Rock-climbing

Burgundy is a great place for a rock climbing holiday offering a series of good quality limestone crags - mainly single pitch sports routes. The area has over 50 crags including 19 major ones and thousands of sports routes of all grades. The steep ‘combes’ above the vine-covered hillsides of the Cote d’Or are particularly popular. Saffres cliff near Vitteaux is part of a wonderful landscape but can get crowded in spring. Cormot cliff, south of Beaune, is the highest crag in Burgundy and on famous Le Saussois there is evidence of climbing from the Middle Ages. Some cliffs are protected sites where bird nesting periods from February to the end of June should be avoided.

 

Dijon - Annual Antiques Fair

Takes place each May at the Parc des Expositions. In addition to antique dealers, you can also expect to find craftsmen ready to demonstrate and talk about their speciality including cabinet-making and restoration.

 

Formula One World Championship (20 ,21 & 22 June 2008) - Magny-Cours

Motoring enthusiasts from around the world gather to see their heroes close up. This ‘king of sports’ gathers over 100,000 spectators at the Circuits de Nevers in Magny-Cours which attracts all the best talent in the world of motor racing.

 

Burgundy Wine Press Festival (Sept 2008, 2pm - 7pm) - Chenove

Celebrating viticulture and folklore. Held at the Pressoirs des Ducs de Bourgogne, the event includes traditional dances, demonstrations of arts and crafts and Burgundian cuisine such as smoked sausage and snails. Visit the gardens and listen to New Orleans jazz.

 

Burgundy Tourist Board

BP 20623

21006 Dijon Cedex

 

Tel: (00 33) 380 28 02 80

 

Please check precise details and dates with event organisers before making your holiday and travel arrangements.

 

Copyright: Holiday France Direct 2008