France Driving Directions - Paris to Beaune
 

Help! We are leaving for France on Thursday night and flying into Paris-CDG (flight arrives at 7:45am Friday). We are picking up a car and driving to Beaune.

The ViaMichelin directions have me taking the A1 to the A3 to the ring road around Paris and then down the A6 to Burgundy.

My first question: Give that it's probably going to be around the morning rush, is heading towards Paris to pick up the A6 really the best route?

Second, any suggestions for stops along the drive to Beaune?

(Continued... Sorry, posted before I was ready!)

Looking for short hikes, castles to explore, places to eat, etc. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Several years ago we drove from the Orly airport to Beaune. We found it to be a very easy drive.
Along the A-6 we stopped and visited the town of Vezelay. It was a lovely town with beautiful views and friendly people. We ate at a very nice restaurant called Le Saint Etienne. Very nice!!
Enjoy Beaune..

Mappy has a better route:

http://www.mappy.co.uk/direct/mappy/accueil?country=GBR

You'll be close to Auxerre, but consider detouring through Chablis [exit 20 and back on at 21] and Semur-en-Auxois [exit 23]. Vezelay is a little more out of the way.

I second and third and fourth the recommendation of Vezelay for a stop - a few hours is enough to experience this Wunderbar Burgundy hill town that in the Middle Ages was one of Europe's premier pilgrimage meccas - until the bones (? i think the bones) of Mary Magdalene were exposed as fakes and the pilgrim stream dried to a trickle and the town went into hibernation - leaving the medieval-looking village draped over a hill in pristine medieval condition when it was rehabbed in the mid 1800s i think. A very exceptional place - the basilica is still stunning as it was when medieval pilgrims were mesmerized upon reaching it in hopes the bones would answer their prayers.

Thanks for the suggestions... doing a bit more research now.

The mappy directions do seems a bit better. Thanks for the tip RonZ.

Thanks again,
Alan