Gradually getting my schedule for June together, thanks to information on this website.
Would appreciate any recommendations for hotels in Dijon or Beaunne suitable for a 4 night stay in 23rd, out 27th June. We will have a car, will be on our way for 1 week stay in Paris, have never been to France before, keen to see this region's attractions, together with our interest in red wine.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

We spent three nights in October at Hotel Le Cep in Beaune (www.hotel-cep-beaune.com) We liked being in the center of Beaune and having a choice of restaurants to walk to each evening.

The hotel is lovely. Our room was large and beautifully appointed, the staff was helpful, friendly and spoke English. We would definitely stay there again.

I stayed at the Hotel Les Remparts in Beaune for 2 nights. It was well-located, within the town, but close to the ring road, so easy to find. There was also convenient parking on the ring road in case there wasn't a place on the hotel's street. For me, it was great, as I walked from the train station, and the Avis office where I picked up my car was closeby to the hotel. The hotel is not fancy, but nice, (I think it's a 3-star, but I'm not sure), and the room I had was quite large and comfortable. Breakfast was just OK. And the location was very quiet.

In Dijon, I stayed at the Sofitel Dijon La Cloche on Place Darcy. Nice hotel in a good location - more luxurious than the one in Beaune. However, there was quite a bit of outside noise at night (Dijon is full of students!). Dijon has a couple of great museums and churches to see, but I preferred Beaune, as it's so easy to get in and out of for touring the countryside.

With a car and wanting to tour, I'd pick Beaune.

With Dijon you'll either be fighting city traffic in and out of town and paying city parking rates or you'll be in the suburbs where parking is free, access is easy and it's bland, bland, blah.

Last spring I spent 2 nights in Beaune and 4 in Dijon. I did not have a car. In Dijon I stayed right downtown. In Beaune I stayed out by the train station which was fine. It was only a 10 minute walk from there into town. Beaune is really quite small.

I stayed in 2 star hotels in both locations. If you choose Beaune I recommend the Hotel Grillon for a nicer place. I didn't stay there but I walked by it. Just a few minutes to walk from there to the city center. On the edge of town it would be easy to drive from there out to the countryside. They have free parking on site which would be a big plus compared to Beaune's city center.

Here's their website www.hotel-grillon.fr

Here's my trip report for Beaune & Dijon last May.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34498288

ttt

In Dijon we stayed at the Best Western Chapeau Rouge. The restaurant there was excellent -- one of the best meals we had on that trip.

Thanks to all,
Judy - which type of room - the hotel website looks lovely. Would like to make enquiries.
Sue - do you have the website for the Sofitel? Can't seem to get it.
Indytravel - thanks for the information, particularly on Dijon. Beaunne certainly looks like a better bet.
Leburta - looks great! Have sent reservation query.
Thanks to all.

SherrillK, we reserved a standard room but were upgraded to a superior room. It was very large and had a balcony overlooking the courtyard. We did not see the standard room but if it were half the size of the one we had, it would have been fine.

We stayed this past September in Beaune at the wonderful Hostellerie de Bretonnaire. Just outside the ring road, but nice, quiet with a lovely garden sitting area. We were in one of the newer, loft style rooms. Walking distance into town, and private parking on site.

Sherrill, the website for Hotel de la Cloche is:
http://www.hotel-lacloche.com/FR/index.html

Thanks to all.

I would stay in Dijon. Why? Because on our one short stop in Beaune we found unpleasant evidence of a heavily visited small town with a very large case of tourist fatigue. Dijon (which I do not know hardly at all, but have visited) strikes me as a profoundly "French" city, plenty large and sufficiently sure of itself to be able to deal with whatever globalization throws at it. If you should happen to choose Dijon, do read M.K. Fischer's (do I have that last name spelled right?) delightful book -- of a "certain age" but republished in paperback within recent memory -- recounting her extended stay in Dijon. Finally, the real choice I would make if I were taking your trip (I promise I won't do that)
would be to stay in a chambre d'hote (bed and breakfast) outside town, in wine country, preferably with a view of a vineyard. If you consult the Rivages "Guides de Charmes" Web site (Google it) I'll bet you can find such a place, though the English-language translations on the site are admittedly abominable. We have used the guide on numerous occasions. We do always try to cross-check recommendations, but it has served us very well.

Have a great trip -- Dave

We stayed at a B &B in walking distance, called Le Home in Beaunne. www.lehome.fr
we ate at "Le Grand Bleu"
One of my dishes was Gougères d'escargots à la crème d'Epoisses

Dave,
MFK fisher has a book called "Long ago in France," The Years in Dijon.
The new biography is wonderful, "Poet of the Appetites.

Dave - wonderful thoughts...thank you..I'm on the right track. Thanks also for the insight on the book...sounds wonderful. I shall google today.

Thanks also to "cigalechanta".....I shall ensure I find a copy!

All suggestions and information has been much appreciated. I promise a "trip report" upon our return. We will have begun our trip with 10 days in London, 10 days in Ireland and 12 days in France.

I stayed at the Cloche in Dijon in 1988. Back then, it was the best hotel in Dijon. It was very luxurious, and the service was impressive. The location is excellent.