Hello,

My wife and I are thinking about spending a few nights in Beaune in August. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for hotels in the area. We do not have a lot of money, but we are searching for that "not so expensive" place that still has a lot of charm. Any suggestions?

Additionally, I was wondering about Dijon. We basically need to choose one place or the other to stay in. I am picturing Dijon much more of a "city" and Beaune much more of a country french village. Any thoughts?

Also, I heard that you can rent bicycles and ride into the countryside to visit the vineyards and sample wine. Has anyone done this? Any reccomendations?

Any information you have will be much appreciated.

Cheers

In Beaune, many of us recommend the charming and well-price Hotel Grillon. Type "grillon" and/or "hotel AND Beaune" into the text box to pullup lots of threads.

You are correct that Dijon is a bigger city, though Beaune is more than a country village.

Cannot help with the bicycles, as I rented a car. The wineries mostly prefer that you reserve a time to visit in advance, though there are several places to taste in Beune itself where you may drop in any time.

I "yahoo'd" "bike tours Burgundy" and got lots and lots of hits.
I'll bet you can't go wrong in any town in France! But if you check out those sites, there are various recommendations.

Bon chance

There's a good tasting room in Savigny-lès-Beaune, and a number of the small wine villages along the "Route du Vin" have tasting rooms also. A very good large one is the Château de Meursault.

Thanks for the advice! I will check on that hotel, I have heard about it before and heard good things. Also I will try doing a web search on bike tours.

Cheers

Hello: we have only stayed at the Best Western in Beaune (read: inexpensive, acceptable), first as grateful inexperienced travellers 7 years ago, in the rain, when there was not a room to be found in Dijon. Last time we were there, we had a nice walk all around the city, and the larger hotels in the city looked nice from the outsides and lobbies, and I have read only good things of the various hotels, inns, and chateaux in the near vicinity. You might check out www.chateauxhotels.com; I have had good luck with them. In the Fodor's Rivages France Country Hotels and Inns is Hotel Le Home, where friends stayed 2x and loved both the Inn and the location. Ditto, however, on making reservations for winetasting; the alternative is to drive to open public tasting spots along the main road that serve wine not worth tasting. Enjoy your trip! Jane