Bashman

Hello,
My wife and I will spend our second part of our vacation in the Burgundy region after a week in the Amalfi Coast. We are in our mid 50's, enjoy red wines and beautiful towns to visit.
The following are the questions I have. Please feel free to add any advice you feel would be helpful. The dates of our travel to burgundy are as follows, arriving May 19 and departing Paris (CDG) on May 26. Will be renting a car most likely out of Dijon after departing from Train.
1. We will be flying in from Naples, Italy. Should we fly in to paris (CDG) or Lyon? My initial plan is to rent a car from Dijon after taking the train from paris or Lyon.
2. If arriving on the 19th and departing on the 25th, do you recommend staying in two different locations? If so, what two areas or towns should I look at? Some of the towns, I was considering were Semur En Auxois, Auxerre and Beaune. Recommendations would be appreciated such as wineries to visit or even stay.
3. It is realistic to depart from Burgundy on the 26th, by taking train to from Dijon to Paris (CDG) for a 1:20 pm flight? Flying Aer Lingus to Dublin, then home to California.

Would love to visit at least two wineries and possibly ship some red wines back home. Maybe not a Grand Cru....

Thank you in advance.

HappyTrvlr

We have stayed in Semur En Auxois, Auxerre and Beaune( several times.)They all are lovely places to visit.
Stay in either Semur or Auxerre and Beaune. There is a lot of contrast between these towns and Beaune.
There are many vineyards right outside of Beaune and the winery shops in Beaune.
Enjoy this beautiful part of France.

bilboburgler

Interesting question

Auxerre is a lovely town and worth staying in, the best nearby red is at Irancy which looks like a sleepy town and most of the producers store their wines under the town. Nothing wonderful but certainly interesting. Auxerre allows red in the AC but I know nothing about it so I can offer no advice.

Beaune is a good place to visit, not sure I'd stay there, all a bit industrial for me.

If it were me I'd look at the line of villages that starts at Marsannay and goes down to Savigny, you will see them clearly on Google maps. This is a line of gravel which follows an ancient river bed. Not every winery wants visitors but all the visits are relatively close and you or your hotel can organise visits. Do not drive if tasting, the French police are tough about this and lurk along such roads.

I would also recommend you visit Caves des Hautes Côtes de Beaune one of the super Coops with loads of members. The interesting thing for me is that when members have a sudden cash flow crisis they often sell their old wine through the shop. You never know your luck but you might find something interesting there. The shop will allow you to buy a bottle, and taste and then buy more. Courtesy is to let them taste it too ;-) (you will find staff come a-running).

Flight from Paris, no.

neckervd

There are 2 non stop flights from Naples to Lyon on Sunday May 19th (Easyjet dp 11.35 and Volotea dp 13.45).
Check the different luggage fares and book what suits you best.
Rent the car at Lyon airport, do the whole Burgundy trip from there and end there again Saturday 25th in the evening.
Sleep close to the airport.
May 26th: fly directly with Aer Lingus from Lyon to LAX: LYS dp 10.10 - DUB ar 11.20, dp 15.25 - LAX ar 18.30

Bashman

Thank you!
If you had the choice between Semur En Auxois or Auxerre, which one would you choose?
Since we will be taking the train from Dijon to paris to make our flight home, I was thinking possibly to stay one or two nights in Dijon.
Any opinions on Dijon?

HappyTrvlr

Auxerre but promise that you’ll visit Semur en Auxios too!

bilboburgler

Auxerre, but visit Chablis and Pontigny abbey, walk a bit of the canal and the Yonne, have a chat to at least one French person about life, less driving more holiday.

MmePerdu

Bilboburgler mentions the Burgundy Canal above so I feel I should expand a bit on that idea. One of the highlights of my travel life was several days walking along the canal at age 70. I began & ended in Dijon as described in my account of the walk, here:

https://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/wal...rgundy-canal-1

While being conveyed quickly between destinations has its value, there is nothing near as wonderful as the intimacy of walking through a landscape, especially one like you plan to visit. I hope you’ll consider the possibility.

neckervd

I suppose you realize that there is only 1 suitable train from Dijon to Paris, leaving at 7.27.
The slightest irrergularity means that you will miss your flight.
Threfore I would rather leave Dijon the evning before at 19.06.

Bashman

Unfortunately, we have already bought our return tickets. We're flying out of Paris on the 26th.
I figured we would fly into Lyon or Paris, take the train to Dijon, then rent a car. I figured it would probably be cheaper renting at a place where you would return it the same place.
What that information, would you still suggest flying into Lyon or it doesn't really make a difference?
If flying into Lyon, would you still recommend renting a car from there or take the train to Dijon and renting a car from there since we will take the train from Dijon to Paris?
I will have to carefully figure out like you said to possibly leave Dijon on the 25th or take my chances and leave on the 26th...

Thank you!

StuDudley

Since 1999, most years we've spent 2 months traveling around to different regions in France.

We were near Chablis & Auxerre for 2 weeks last year. And in 2008, we spent 2 weeks near Beaune and 2 weeks in Beaujolais near Julienas. On both occasions, we found ourselves spending too much time in the car getting from A to B. The major sites were too few & too far apart, compared to the many other regions we've visited in France. But you'll find plenty to do & see in 3-4 days. We've lived close to the Napa & Sonoma wine areas for the past 42 years. So visiting vineyards & wineries does not hold much appeal to us - although we are major wine enthusiasts.

A few comments:
- We did not find Chablis to be very interesting. We went to dinner there three times, and visited their Sunday morning farmer's market too. Also to get groceries.
- Dijon is tied with Toulouse as one of our second favorite large cities in France. We stayed there for 3 nights last year (and four previous trips earlier this century). Make sure you pick up a copy of the Owl Trail walking itinerary booklet at the tourist office. Dine at Cibo restaurant https://www.cibo.restaurant/en/home/
- Hertz & Europcar offices are closed on Sat & Sun, Don't know if this will change when you'll be there.
- Beaune is in our "top 5" group of medium-sized cities
- Auxerre is down the list on our favorite large cities. Pick up a walking itinerary at the tourist office and watch for the markers on the sidewalk.
- On our first visit to Semur in 2008, we thought it was an "A" when viewed from the outside, but only a "C" when we wandered around the inside. Last year we picked up a walking itinerary at the tourist office. Much better - a "B+" now. Note that I've mentioned "walking itineraries" for the 3 mentioned cities above (did not need one for Beaune).
- We've visit Flavigny twice. Both times we were disappointed.
- Like many places in France, be aware of the lunch closings. Especially for the chateaux.

Stu Dudley

neckervd

The train ride from Lyon to CDG airport is much easier because there are direct trains:
Lyon PD dp 19.00 - Aéroport Charles de Gaulle ar 21.01
resp
Lyon PD dp 8.30 - Aéroport Charles de Gaulle ar 10.31.
If you start from Dijon, you will have to cross Paris by RER (a kind of metro trains) with 2 changes in stations with moving stairways.

As I told you in my post 4, the best solution would have been to leave Lyon airport at 10.10 by Dublin bound Airlingus flight.

Bashman

Which website are you seeing the 7:27 Dijon to Paris train departure? I only see the later departures. I may be willing to take the risk.
Worst case scenario, we will take a taxi.
Thanks again for all your help!

neckervd

TGV 6700
Mulhouse dp 6.05 - Dijon dp 7.27 - Montbard dp 8.04 - Paris Gare de Lyon ar 9.08
Actually bookable until April 7th

Larsay

Winery visits are arranged by your hotels. i would stay in two places : Beaune and the amazing
https://lugny.fr/en/

Bashman

I'm sorry to bug you again, but for some reason I can not find 7:27 dp from Dijon. The earliest I see is 9:33 dp from Dijon.
Is that for May 26 date? If we arrive in Paris at 9;08, that would give us plenty of tie to get to CDG.
I checked most web sites, but still don't see it.

bilboburgler

many visits to wineries (really don't like that US term) can be arranged by walking in the front door, look out for "degustation" on the road, do try to buy something, even just corkscrews as tasting and not buying is considered rude. Some places charge for a visit but some do not.

Lugny is a high volume producer of a sort of middle of the road wine (mainly Chardonnay), while it is an interesting industrial visit, it is not especially significant or representative of wine making in the area.

StuDudley

Bilborgler. I think Larsay was referring to the Chateau de Vault Lugny - not any wine place. We stayed at the Chateau in 2022. Fabulous. And a Michelin 1 star restaurant.

Stu Dudley

bilboburgler

Ah, could be, my mistake

Lugny is, of course, an AC of wine of which Lugny coop is the largest producer. I admit my interest in wine far eclipses my interest in food or accomodation.

MmePerdu

Not just arranged by hotels. In Beaune I went to the tourist office & they arranged a very satisfying 1/2 day small group vineyard & winery (tasting) tour with an excellent guide for 3 of us who'd booked. He drove us in his jeep which meant we could climb the vineyard hillsides for access to some very interesting places. Quite reasonably priced. Everyone involved spoke English.