By Bus in Burgundy

Local bus services are extensive; where the biggest private companies, Les Rapides de Bourgogne and TRANSCO, do not venture, the national SNCF routes often do. TRANSCO's No. 44 bus travels through the Côte d'Or wine region, connecting Dijon to Beaune (1 hr, EUR 6.30) via Vougeot (40 mins, EUR 2.70) and Nuits-St-Georges (47 mins, EUR 3.60). The buses of Les Rapides de Bourgogne connect Auxerre to Chablis (20 mins), Pontigny (20 mins), and Sens (90 mins), all trips costing EUR 2.50. The No. 7 bus from Chalon-sur-Saône's train station takes you over to Cluny. It's hard to reach Vézelay: the best bet may be to train to nearby Sermizelles, then catch the one bus on Saturday at noon. To get to Avallon and Saulieu, take a train to Montbard, a TGV station stop, and then get a bus to either town. Cars Taboreau operate in the Parc du Morvan and go as far as Montsauche-les-Settons, close to the Lac des Settons; Autun is a good place to catch buses going to the southern reaches of the Morvan. Always inquire at the local tourist office for timetables and ask your hotel concierge for information.

Bus Information

Cars Taboureau (Matrat, Gouloux. 03-86-78-71-90). Les Rapides de Bourgogne (3 rue des Fontenottes, Auxerre. 03-86-94-95-00. www.rapidesdebourgogne.com). TRANSCO (Gare Routière, Cour de la Gare, Dijon. 03-80-42-11-00).