Help with weekend in Burgundy
 

My husband and I are in the process of planning our trip to Europe in June. We are flying into London June 21 (just for the weekend), taking the train to Paris June 23 and staying there for 5 days. We would like to visit the Burgundy region for the weekend of June 27 - June 29 to do some wine tasting/vineyard tours before heading to Angers where he needs to be for business. Any suggestions for our trip to Burgundy? We were thinking of staying in Dijon since we would be taking the TGV from Paris. I am open for any hotel/chateau recommendations. Would it be worth it to rent a car or make reservations with a private wine tour company? This will be our first time in Europe, so as you can imagine... I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Thanks to anyone who is willing to help me.

Hi and welcome on board :-)
Staying in Dijon is always a good idea especially if you have a train to take.
There is no chateau but you'll find a few nice and expensive hotels like the Sofitel "La Cloche" which a few min walk from the train station and the car rental agencies. Rooms from 175 to 450€
http://www.hotel-lacloche.com/
Further south in Dijon but still right in the center the Best Western Le Chapeau Rouge, near St Benigne church
(from 132 to 222€)Well known for its restaurant.
http://www.chapeau-rouge.fr/uk/index.htm
You'll find all the hotels in Dijon and around on www.cotedor-tourisme.com
Welcome to Burgundy!

www.myhomeindijon.com

Many Fodorites have raved about their stay in this spiffy flat B&B or whatever you call it in the heart of Dijon

And Coco above owns it and gives personal service that Fodorites rave about - so you get an insider's view of where and what to do

Coco is a frequent contributor to Fodor's about Burgundy and friend to many Fodorites

I hope i got the website right?

Two wine tour companies I have seen recommended are Burgundy Discovery Wine Tour (www.burgundydiscovery.com) and Max's 5 star private Burgundy Wine (http://www.dijon-rentahome.com/wine-tours.html). I haven't been on either tour, so I can't vouch for them, but we are booked with Burgundy Discovery for our up coming trip. They may only work out of Beaune, I'm not sure. Its a splurge, but we decided to do it because of our limited French and knowledge of French wines.

I've ridden a bike and drove along the Route des Vins Bourgogne (sp?) a signposted side road that twists amongst the vineyards and by lots of famous wine houses

it's easy enough driving as the distances are not far.

Beaune is i think the commercial wine capital of Burgundy wines and a cutesy town in case you want to stay in a smaller and perhaps more charming (because it's smaller) town than Dijon - but be sure to hop into Dijon at least and take the Owl Trail around town

Dijon, dis donc, gives a Hoot. You can also easily transfer trains in Dijon and get to Beaune by rail in about 20 mins i think

Hi Pal it's been a while! I'm still waiting for you ;-)

I also recommend the owl's trail (2,50€ brochure from the tourist office) and the companies Ninkette mentioned have good comments on tripadvisor.

I'm surprised StuDudley hasn't suggested his favourite hotel near the railway station hôtel du Jura!

Notre Dame church front has been cleaned very recently and the gargoyles look great!>:-)

PalenQ thanks for the recommedation to Coco's place but unfortunately there is no availability. Too bad because it sounded just like what we were looking for. Are there any other hotels that are worth looking into? I would like it to be somewhat romantic since we will be celebrating our 10 yr. ann. The Hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge looks amazing (Coco's recommendation), do they offer any daily wine tours that you are aware of?

Really sorry I can't accommodate you, why don't you come the week after? ;-)

Seriously I saw this "On request, we can organise guided tours of Burgundy’s vineyards and wine tastings." on the Chapeau Rouge website. You can always ask them but it might be more expensive if they charge a commission for that service.
You may also ask Max for a wine tour and he will collect you at your hotel. He and his wife Béatrice owns apartments as well and if they are not fully booked you can combine both lodging and wine tour.

You can also check Hotel Philippe le Bon and Wilson hotel, they both have very good restaurants.
http://www.hotelphilippelebon.com/
http://www.wilson-hotel.com/index-en.htm
((S))

Hi G,

Re your winery tours.

Are you interested in seeing how grapes are harvested and wine is made, or do you want to taste different wines?

If the latter, any good wine bar will do.

I recommend a car for visiting the Burgundy countryside. You could also drive to Angers.

We very much liked our stay at http://www.hotel-grillon.fr/ in Beuane.

There is a very nice resto (Le Verger), next door, as well as in the town center.
See www.restaurant-le-verger.fr/

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

We stayed here last spring and it was fantastic! There's not much in the town of Nitry itself, but the inn and restaurant were great. Restaurant was packed every night.
http://www.beursaudiere.com/

You might also check on innsoffrance.com

My family and I are also planning a trip to Dijon this spring (in May), so the hotel suggestions here are much appreciated! We plan to take the TGV from Paris to Dijon. Does anyone have information on car rental companies? Is there one near the train station?

There are no doubt all major car rentals near the station and probably AVIS in the station

Coco Cherie - Ca Va? J'espere

nhsherr you'll find Hertz Avis and Europcar (and maybe more)in the main square in front of sthe railway station (near Quick restaurant)

I'm fine Pal ;;)
Tomorrow I'm going to spend the day with Cotedor tourisme staff members, checking and rating new self catering accommodations in Flavigny sur Ozerain, Venarey les Laumes and around (6 new homes all together):-)

Coco Cherie

Passe une bonne vacanelle!

vacanCelles! Bon week end :-)

We also had a bit of a splurge and went on a one day wine tour last summer with Burgundy on a Plate as we didn't want to have to drive and thought we should go with the experts.
http://www.burgundyonaplate.com.
The highlight was the artisanal father/son winemakers cellar in Cote de Beaune; we felt privileged to be in their cellar and it was great fun and a learning experience as was the rest of the tour. We haven't forgotten our lunch in Volnay - the best coq au vin we have ever tasted! We would like to go to Burgundy again but it is clearly a region where you could easily spend a week or more and still not see everything and so we would recommend not rushing through it. The vineyard landscape is superb.

<vacanCelles>?

pourquoi tu met the lettre 'c' en Caps?

il doit etre <vacancelles> je pense

fait-attention!

mais qu'est-ce je sait de francaise?

You're right it is vacancelles (even if we don't say it in French ;-)) but I put a capital C because you ALWAYS forget it!

Salut Coco,
How did the inspection with the personnel of le tourisme de bourgogne go?
ggg

Well they found a few bed bugs in Coc's B&B flat and some cockroaches in the drains but besides that it all went well, except for the peeling paint with lead in it of course.

She may get her certification back next year, pending another inspection

bon fin de la semaine Coco cherie

Naughty Pal! :-( I saw maybe 2 flies in 3 years and because the windows were wide open... And I was doing inspection of new rentals, not mine. Very interesting, lots of different places and levels of comfort...

Bon week end! :-)

Tu sait j'espere que j'etais faire la un joke

j'espere

Passez une bonne vacanCelles aussi

Naughty Pal! I saw maybe 2 flies in 3 years and because the windows were wide open...

Ah i finally have the 'dirt' on coco cherie i've been seeking for years

not as squeaky clean as so many Fodorites who've stayed there say and make her out to be a veritable saint!

Maybe rename your flat Les Deux Magots?

BTW - i'm just joking - i'm sure Coco runs a clean ship - as really so many Fodorites rave about their experiences there and with Coco's personal attention like meeting them at the train station, etc. and advising them on touring nearby Burgundy.

"Ah i finally have the 'dirt' on coco cherie i've been seeking for years"
They were nice and clean flies though! ;-) (What's wrong with les Deux Magots, did you find a fly in your soup?)

I wish the dollar were a bit higher...[-o<

Garcon - Il y a une mouche dans ma soupe!

Bonne vacanCelles a toi et ta famille

mais encore je ne comprends pas pourquoi tu fair the C en caps?

<mais encore je ne comprends pas pourquoi tu fair the C en caps?>
Just like I put a capital S on "bonneS vacancelles" because you forgot it ;-)
Bonne semaine! (have a good week!)
:-)

Just like I put a capital S on "bonneS vacancelles" because you forgot it ;-)
Bonne semaine! (have a good week!)

C'est Ouf! Pourquoi il y a un(e) S en caps dans la mot bonneS?

C'etait une langue tres tres Ouf

bonneeS vacanCelles? J'ai un chemin tres tres dur pour apprendre francaise plus parfait - mais je suis si bon comme mon professeur, tu sait.

BonneS journeeS!

Oh come on! I'm sure you know I do that to emphasize your mistakes. If I don't, you won't see them, et le français n'est pas ouf! [-X

OK ('to the docks') Prof Coco

yah i was jess foolin with yous

pardon-moi

Sylvain a gagner tous "A's" cet semestre dans un cours tres tres difficile - aerospace engineering dans un des grandes universities au monde pour ces etudes

Grace aux les lycees francilien je pense - il m' a dit que son lycees de science et math specilize l' a preparer lui tres tres bien.

(He thinks the French lycee he went to prepared him extremely well in Math and Science, even though he was kind of a lazy student)

Anyway bonne jourNee!

To the OP -

We stayed at the Sofitel and really loved it. Coco's place was booked...by our best friends, so we got to visit and see what everyone raves about! It's all true.

Anyway, the Sofitel is very lovely. Room was quite small but elegant -- it was the nicest bed I had ever slept in. Dijon is fun, but I just wanted to stay in that bed! We came home and bought a new featherbed, changed the way we arrange the sheets, etc., trying to replicate the experience.

The breakfast is extensive and the dining room overlooks the garden. Very pretty. Staff everywhere was beyond courteous. Location very good, near the train station for a morning departure.

<it was the nicest bed I had ever slept in.> Hi Amy :-)I read that Sofitel hotels have a very exclusive bed which seems fantastic.
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...icle506308.ece
Very long and difficult to make everyday, the chamber maids need a special training. But when you get used to it, you have to choose Sofitel everywhere!
Give Harvey and Joanie a warm hello for me :-)

Pal bravo à Sylvain!

Madame Coco

Je te souhaite une treS bonneS vacanCelles!

Come on monsieur, you should know there is no S with singular words!:-B
une bonne vacancelle...
Summer is here !((H))

Coco, thanks for the link.

Will say hi to H&J for you. We chat with them every few days!

We will visit Montreal this summer together...have to stay closer to home unfortunately. I wanted to stay in the Sofitel...but the Marriott won out. Too bad!

Come on monsieur, you should know there is no S with singular words!

Cher ProfeSSeur Coco:

Un etudiant est si bien que son professeur!

Ca dit tu a un profession tres tres due avec cet etudiant!

CheerS!

Ton choux-choux (how do you spell teacher's pet?)

Je ne comprends pas ton français @-), quel dommage!
On dit chouchou for a boy and chouchoute for a girl ;;)
A pluS!

Je suiS ta chouchou

or je suiS ton chouchou?

Il doit etre tres tres beau au Bourgogne maintenant, avec les arbres fleuris?

BonneS journeeS

Tu es mon chouchou, je suis ta chouchoute ;;)
Oui il a fait beau pour la fête du muguet ((#))((W))

BonneS VacanCelles - ton chouchou!

<Oui il a fait beau pour la fête du muguet>

QCQ? (qu'est c'est que) cette fete du muguet - Muggers festival?

serieusement - QQCE cette fete - est-ce a Dijon seuelement?

-Ton chouchou