Solo 3 days france: burgundy? Advice sought
Aug 24th, 2018, 06:43 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Solo 3 days France: Burgundy? Advice sought
I have a 3 or 4 day stopover in France between work trips in West Africa in September. I'm thinking of spending them in Dijon/Burgundy. I'm seeking advice on what to see, where to stay, what to do. I love biking and walking and wouldn't mind joining a small group for a day or two. I speak French, so I'm comfortable without English. Other ideas besides burgundy? I just visited Normandy with husband and kids in June, so looking for something new.
Last edited by drsh99; Aug 24th, 2018 at 06:53 PM. Reason: Error
Aug 24th, 2018, 08:34 PM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Burgundy is fine. Dijon, along with Toulouse, is our favorite city in France - after Paris. And Beaune is one of our "top 5" smaller cities in France. Below is something I wrote several years ago for a friend who was staying in the same gite we stayed in for 1 week..
Burgundy
Visiting Chateaux
Look for a brochure titled “Route des Ducs de Bourgogne”. Route des Ducs de Bourgogne -Site officiel
Save your ticket for the first chateau, and you will get a discount on the second chateau. Save the ticket on the second chateau & you will get a discount on the third, etc, etc, etc.
Monday (remember, shops close in Dijon & Beaune in the AM).
Leave the Gite & take the D17 south to La Rochepot – this is a pretty drive. The town of Orches is quite cute. Continue on the D17 to La Rochepot or Nolay.
Market in Nolay. This is a very small market, but the town has several antique shops. If this interests you, go there. I think the shops are open on Monday because there is a market there on Monday
Vist Chateau Rochepot*. Pg 279 in my Green Guide.. Note that it closes for lunch
Visit Chateau Sully* (pg 305 in GG) or Chateau Couches .
Tuesday
Visit Beaune*** in the AM. This is one of our “top 5” medium sized cities in France. Spend the better part of the morning there. The “popular” Hotel Dieu*** gets a lot of attention and it is quite elegant from the outside – but only OK on the inside. But it deserves a visit on the inside.
Afternoon – one of the chateaux you didn’t visit yesterday.
Wednesday.
Head out northwest on the A6. Get off the A6 at Exit # 21 and head towards Tanlay
Get the “Route des Ducs de Bourgogne” brochure. Remember about saving the entrance tickets.
Visit the Chateau de Tanlay**. This was our favorite chateau in the region. Tours start at 10 – so get there then . It is about a 1 ¾ drive from the gite (1 hr of freeway).
Next, drive to Noyers & explore this cute village. Note on villages in Burgundy - compared to Provence, Dordogne, and many other places you have visited in France – there are not as many “cute little villages” in Burgundy. This is one of them, but not in the “top 50%” in France.
Visit Chateau Ancy le Franc** Note that it closes for lunch – that’s why I have you visiting Noyers during lunch. If you can get to Ancy le Franc by 11:30 when their last tour of the morning departs – do that if you don’t mind back-to-back chateaux.
Visit Abbaye de Fontenay*** if you like abbeys.
Take the D980 south from the Abbey to Semur en Auxois*. See pg 296 in the GG. This village is more interesting from the outside than from the inside. As you take the R de Paris from the D980 toward Semur – there is a very nice view of the perched village. If you want to see the “scene” pictured on pg 298 of the GG. Circle clockwise around the exterior of the village to where I have marked “fantastic view” on the GG map of Semur. Next, drive toward the informatioin center (marked on map) & park your car outside the “gate” of town & explore the old section of Semur if you like.
Thursday
Visit Dijon*** This is our favorite city in France – after Paris. Find the “Dijon the Owl’s trail” brochure I sent you & follow this walk. The walk is fantastic. The “centerfold” has the route for the walk.. This may be market day in Dijon at Les Halles – but only in the AM. Lots of interesting sites to visit.
Friday
Head out north on the A6. Take the exit #22 and find your way west to Vezelay** pg 314. We did not approach Vezelay from this direction – we visited Vezelay after Auxerre. But I figured that on your last day in the gite, you might only want to do a half-day – so I “cut out” Auxerre – which is too bad because we really enjoyed Auxerre.
After Vezelay, head south on the D958 on a pretty drive to Chateau Bazoches. I mentioned Vauban earlier – this is his chateau. There is a “self guided” tour, but note that it closes for lunch.
If you don't mind a small drive, visit the Chateau Cormatin** – this is one of our favorites. The interior & especially the gardens are fantastic.
La Route des Châteaux - Cormatin
From our 2006 visit
Top 3 restaurants
Stephane Derbord in Dijon – one of the top 5 meals of all time in France (we dine out about 40 times per year in France)
Michelin 1 star
First round of Amuse Bouches
Bite sized squares of Croque Monsieurs
Carp mousse with black & white sesame seeds
Parmesan chip and a bite sized tomato “truffle” with a semi-liquid center
Second round of Amuse Bouches
Sushi (California roll) with cockle, with Asian spices & bean sprouts
Potato puree
Leek Mousse with green beans
55E menu
-Smoked sander – thin rolls stuffed with finely julienned vegetables served with tart greens (incl dandelion greens) topped with paper thin lengthwise sliced carrots. The plate was edged with a piping of honey mustard and crumbled hazelnuts
-Perch with a wild mushrooms and green beans served in a deep plate with a “soup de poisons” reduction sauce
-cheese chariot
-Poached , pealed pear with a red wine sauce in pain epice with sage ice cream – all very refreshing
65E menu
-Sauteed scallops, each served on a cucumber “coin” with a topping of lemon cream & caviar, with julienned apples & dandelion greens
-Sandre on a bed of spinach with a butter sauce accompanied by a small tomato stuffed with diced cepes on a squash “coin”
-Filet of Cerf, served with berries & a dark berry reduced sauce with green beans & wild mushrooms with a ‘grain” of some sort
-Cheese chariot
-pre-dessert refresher
-Chocolate fondant – top & bottom layers of dark chocolate “sandwiching” lighter chocolate mousse with dark chocolate wafers & vanilla ice cream
-Post-dessert refresher
Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin in Bouilland, just north of Beaune
Also a hotel
www.le-moulin-de-bouilland.com
Michelin 1 star
Amuse Bouches
Skewered rolled duck breast slice, with mustard dollop
Homard tartare “confit”
Arugula sorbet with whipped cream top layer & balsamic drizzle (in a glass cylinder)
39E menu
-Seared tuna with fennel sorbet and a side of pickled vegetables
-Supreme de Pintade thinly sliced in a “spiral” presentation on a bed of herbed crushed potatoes, with vegetables in a side casserole
-Excellent cheese chariot
-Seasonal fresh fruit with pepper-flecked yoghurt ice cream
65E menu
-Daurade with vegetables a la Pistou
-Rougets with a confit of fennel and a bouillabaisse reduction with macadamia nuts
-Pigeon with polenta and zucchini “packet” stuffed with caviar d’aubergine and a rich reduction sauce
-Cheese chariot
-Poached plum with amaretto cream and puff pastry triangles
-Post dessert of Marc de Bourgogne ice and assorted sweets
Charlemagne in Pernand-Vergelesses just north of Beaune
Slight Asian twist
Michelin 1 star
37E menu
Six amuse bouches which arrived on a Plexiglas “cube” with holes & shelves to present the various items
California rolls with a “crisp”, held in place by a teeny wooden clothes pin
Fish mousse on a cracker
Parmesan pastry palmier
Pickled fish filling wrapped in a won ton wrapper on a skewer
Marble sized savory (no idea what it was)
Small piece of spiced pork on a bone
Second Amuse Bouche course
Glass of creamy smoked fish puree (to drink)
A herb-crusted langoustine
-Bread presentation – 3 different breads stacked on a skewer, with a wooden base into which a recess had been routed to hold a corked vial with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which were to be shaken before pouring onto your bread plate as a dipping sauce
-Tuna ceveche served at the bottom of a glass with a smoked tomato cream, slivered green onions, and a dot of washabi cream
-Cabillaud a la vapeur with a vanilla/olive oil drizzle, layered with wild mushrooms, served with a pork bun with a crustacean filling, on a bed of cucumber-wrapped ratatouille. This was not your grandmother’s cabillaud recipe
-Strawberry/red berry gazpacho – heavenly creamy/frothy served in a slanted glass with a brochette of halved strawberries and strawberry marshmallow cubes
45E menu
Same Amuse Bouche courses
-California rolls with snails and langoustines speckled with black and white sesame seeds
-Lisettes (small mackerel) served atop a bone marrow tube filled with spinach & julienned carrots tossed in Asian spices
-Porc cotolet (cutlet/loin) served with artichoke mousse, drizzled with peanut butter with a cluster of small wild mushrooms in tempura
-Pyramid of chocolate with other sweets
Other restaurants – all were excellent
Le Jardin des Remparts in Beaune. We dined here several years ago, and it was one of our top 5 of all time then. It didn’t “wow” us as much this visit. Michelin 1 star.
La Rotisserie du Chambertin in Gevrey Chambertin. It has an upstairs Bistro, and a downstairs restaurant in a wine cave, with animated winemaking scenes as you descend into the cave. We dined downstairs.
Le Montrachet in Puligny Montrachet. It was “complet” the first few times we tried to reserve. Obviously very popular. My St Pierre was overcooked. Lovely setting.
Relais de la Diligence in Meursault. Excellent value. It was the “sleeper” of the group
Les Gourmets in Marsannay la Cote. Michelin 1 star. Very nice
One day we took an overnight trip to Troyes, and dined there. On another occasion, we met some friends at a Michelin 1 star restaurant in Macon – which is not in Burgundy. We also spent 2 weeks in Beaujolais
We “checked out’ about 10 other restaurants in Burgundy (including 1 stars) and the menus did not seem interesting enough to make us choose them over the ones we selected. There’s a lot of Charollais beef on menus in this region. I have not experienced any beef in France that’s as good as the beef we have in the US, or beef I’ve tasted in Italy (one exception may be Aubrec beef). Bresse chicken is also a very popular item on menus. I’ve tried this several times in other areas of France & thought it wasn’t really that much better than a good farm-raised chicken.
Stu Dudley
Burgundy
Visiting Chateaux
Look for a brochure titled “Route des Ducs de Bourgogne”. Route des Ducs de Bourgogne -Site officiel
Save your ticket for the first chateau, and you will get a discount on the second chateau. Save the ticket on the second chateau & you will get a discount on the third, etc, etc, etc.
Monday (remember, shops close in Dijon & Beaune in the AM).
Leave the Gite & take the D17 south to La Rochepot – this is a pretty drive. The town of Orches is quite cute. Continue on the D17 to La Rochepot or Nolay.
Market in Nolay. This is a very small market, but the town has several antique shops. If this interests you, go there. I think the shops are open on Monday because there is a market there on Monday
Vist Chateau Rochepot*. Pg 279 in my Green Guide.. Note that it closes for lunch
Visit Chateau Sully* (pg 305 in GG) or Chateau Couches .
Tuesday
Visit Beaune*** in the AM. This is one of our “top 5” medium sized cities in France. Spend the better part of the morning there. The “popular” Hotel Dieu*** gets a lot of attention and it is quite elegant from the outside – but only OK on the inside. But it deserves a visit on the inside.
Afternoon – one of the chateaux you didn’t visit yesterday.
Wednesday.
Head out northwest on the A6. Get off the A6 at Exit # 21 and head towards Tanlay
Get the “Route des Ducs de Bourgogne” brochure. Remember about saving the entrance tickets.
Visit the Chateau de Tanlay**. This was our favorite chateau in the region. Tours start at 10 – so get there then . It is about a 1 ¾ drive from the gite (1 hr of freeway).
Next, drive to Noyers & explore this cute village. Note on villages in Burgundy - compared to Provence, Dordogne, and many other places you have visited in France – there are not as many “cute little villages” in Burgundy. This is one of them, but not in the “top 50%” in France.
Visit Chateau Ancy le Franc** Note that it closes for lunch – that’s why I have you visiting Noyers during lunch. If you can get to Ancy le Franc by 11:30 when their last tour of the morning departs – do that if you don’t mind back-to-back chateaux.
Visit Abbaye de Fontenay*** if you like abbeys.
Take the D980 south from the Abbey to Semur en Auxois*. See pg 296 in the GG. This village is more interesting from the outside than from the inside. As you take the R de Paris from the D980 toward Semur – there is a very nice view of the perched village. If you want to see the “scene” pictured on pg 298 of the GG. Circle clockwise around the exterior of the village to where I have marked “fantastic view” on the GG map of Semur. Next, drive toward the informatioin center (marked on map) & park your car outside the “gate” of town & explore the old section of Semur if you like.
Thursday
Visit Dijon*** This is our favorite city in France – after Paris. Find the “Dijon the Owl’s trail” brochure I sent you & follow this walk. The walk is fantastic. The “centerfold” has the route for the walk.. This may be market day in Dijon at Les Halles – but only in the AM. Lots of interesting sites to visit.
Friday
Head out north on the A6. Take the exit #22 and find your way west to Vezelay** pg 314. We did not approach Vezelay from this direction – we visited Vezelay after Auxerre. But I figured that on your last day in the gite, you might only want to do a half-day – so I “cut out” Auxerre – which is too bad because we really enjoyed Auxerre.
After Vezelay, head south on the D958 on a pretty drive to Chateau Bazoches. I mentioned Vauban earlier – this is his chateau. There is a “self guided” tour, but note that it closes for lunch.
If you don't mind a small drive, visit the Chateau Cormatin** – this is one of our favorites. The interior & especially the gardens are fantastic.
La Route des Châteaux - Cormatin
From our 2006 visit
Top 3 restaurants
Stephane Derbord in Dijon – one of the top 5 meals of all time in France (we dine out about 40 times per year in France)
Michelin 1 star
First round of Amuse Bouches
Bite sized squares of Croque Monsieurs
Carp mousse with black & white sesame seeds
Parmesan chip and a bite sized tomato “truffle” with a semi-liquid center
Second round of Amuse Bouches
Sushi (California roll) with cockle, with Asian spices & bean sprouts
Potato puree
Leek Mousse with green beans
55E menu
-Smoked sander – thin rolls stuffed with finely julienned vegetables served with tart greens (incl dandelion greens) topped with paper thin lengthwise sliced carrots. The plate was edged with a piping of honey mustard and crumbled hazelnuts
-Perch with a wild mushrooms and green beans served in a deep plate with a “soup de poisons” reduction sauce
-cheese chariot
-Poached , pealed pear with a red wine sauce in pain epice with sage ice cream – all very refreshing
65E menu
-Sauteed scallops, each served on a cucumber “coin” with a topping of lemon cream & caviar, with julienned apples & dandelion greens
-Sandre on a bed of spinach with a butter sauce accompanied by a small tomato stuffed with diced cepes on a squash “coin”
-Filet of Cerf, served with berries & a dark berry reduced sauce with green beans & wild mushrooms with a ‘grain” of some sort
-Cheese chariot
-pre-dessert refresher
-Chocolate fondant – top & bottom layers of dark chocolate “sandwiching” lighter chocolate mousse with dark chocolate wafers & vanilla ice cream
-Post-dessert refresher
Hostellerie du Vieux Moulin in Bouilland, just north of Beaune
Also a hotel
www.le-moulin-de-bouilland.com
Michelin 1 star
Amuse Bouches
Skewered rolled duck breast slice, with mustard dollop
Homard tartare “confit”
Arugula sorbet with whipped cream top layer & balsamic drizzle (in a glass cylinder)
39E menu
-Seared tuna with fennel sorbet and a side of pickled vegetables
-Supreme de Pintade thinly sliced in a “spiral” presentation on a bed of herbed crushed potatoes, with vegetables in a side casserole
-Excellent cheese chariot
-Seasonal fresh fruit with pepper-flecked yoghurt ice cream
65E menu
-Daurade with vegetables a la Pistou
-Rougets with a confit of fennel and a bouillabaisse reduction with macadamia nuts
-Pigeon with polenta and zucchini “packet” stuffed with caviar d’aubergine and a rich reduction sauce
-Cheese chariot
-Poached plum with amaretto cream and puff pastry triangles
-Post dessert of Marc de Bourgogne ice and assorted sweets
Charlemagne in Pernand-Vergelesses just north of Beaune
Slight Asian twist
Michelin 1 star
37E menu
Six amuse bouches which arrived on a Plexiglas “cube” with holes & shelves to present the various items
California rolls with a “crisp”, held in place by a teeny wooden clothes pin
Fish mousse on a cracker
Parmesan pastry palmier
Pickled fish filling wrapped in a won ton wrapper on a skewer
Marble sized savory (no idea what it was)
Small piece of spiced pork on a bone
Second Amuse Bouche course
Glass of creamy smoked fish puree (to drink)
A herb-crusted langoustine
-Bread presentation – 3 different breads stacked on a skewer, with a wooden base into which a recess had been routed to hold a corked vial with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which were to be shaken before pouring onto your bread plate as a dipping sauce
-Tuna ceveche served at the bottom of a glass with a smoked tomato cream, slivered green onions, and a dot of washabi cream
-Cabillaud a la vapeur with a vanilla/olive oil drizzle, layered with wild mushrooms, served with a pork bun with a crustacean filling, on a bed of cucumber-wrapped ratatouille. This was not your grandmother’s cabillaud recipe
-Strawberry/red berry gazpacho – heavenly creamy/frothy served in a slanted glass with a brochette of halved strawberries and strawberry marshmallow cubes
45E menu
Same Amuse Bouche courses
-California rolls with snails and langoustines speckled with black and white sesame seeds
-Lisettes (small mackerel) served atop a bone marrow tube filled with spinach & julienned carrots tossed in Asian spices
-Porc cotolet (cutlet/loin) served with artichoke mousse, drizzled with peanut butter with a cluster of small wild mushrooms in tempura
-Pyramid of chocolate with other sweets
Other restaurants – all were excellent
Le Jardin des Remparts in Beaune. We dined here several years ago, and it was one of our top 5 of all time then. It didn’t “wow” us as much this visit. Michelin 1 star.
La Rotisserie du Chambertin in Gevrey Chambertin. It has an upstairs Bistro, and a downstairs restaurant in a wine cave, with animated winemaking scenes as you descend into the cave. We dined downstairs.
Le Montrachet in Puligny Montrachet. It was “complet” the first few times we tried to reserve. Obviously very popular. My St Pierre was overcooked. Lovely setting.
Relais de la Diligence in Meursault. Excellent value. It was the “sleeper” of the group
Les Gourmets in Marsannay la Cote. Michelin 1 star. Very nice
One day we took an overnight trip to Troyes, and dined there. On another occasion, we met some friends at a Michelin 1 star restaurant in Macon – which is not in Burgundy. We also spent 2 weeks in Beaujolais
We “checked out’ about 10 other restaurants in Burgundy (including 1 stars) and the menus did not seem interesting enough to make us choose them over the ones we selected. There’s a lot of Charollais beef on menus in this region. I have not experienced any beef in France that’s as good as the beef we have in the US, or beef I’ve tasted in Italy (one exception may be Aubrec beef). Bresse chicken is also a very popular item on menus. I’ve tried this several times in other areas of France & thought it wasn’t really that much better than a good farm-raised chicken.
Stu Dudley
Aug 26th, 2018, 03:48 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dijon no car-biking?
StuDudley, what a wealth of information. Thank you!! I think I'll plant myself in Dijon and find a daily bike ride or two. I studied there for a summer about 35 years ago but hadn't visited other towns except Beaune. I'm looking for a low key rest stop so not planning to rent a car. If you have a suggestion of a b&b or friendly relais ( midrange), that would be good to know. I'll check the usual travel sites, of course, but bigger hotels don't interest me.
Aug 26th, 2018, 05:23 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dijon is a large busy city - I'd ensconce myself in a small wine town between Dijon and Beaune - Nuits-Stes-Georges, etc - easy access to countryside and birding. Landing in Paris? Then take trains to Dijon and wine towns. Book trains early for discounted tickets - a few may go direct from CDG Airport but usually have to take RER into Gare du Lyon for frequent TGVs to Dijon then TER regional trains to Beaune and little wine towns in between. Book trains really early for sweet discounted fares - www.oui.sncf book your own - for lots about trains and Burgundy check www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Geneva Airport could be closer I guess but more flights to CDG.
Aug 26th, 2018, 06:13 AM
#5
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perfect place - and a favorite of Fodors people. Coco's place - who posts here from time to time. She will cater to your needs.
Elegant and comfortable apartment for two in the heart of Dijon
Stu Dudley
Elegant and comfortable apartment for two in the heart of Dijon
Stu Dudley
Aug 26th, 2018, 11:24 AM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The OP mentioned Dijon. If I was traveling alone, I would not want to stay in one of these sleepy little wine villages. I'd want a good selection of restaurants, cafes, boulangeries, maybe a museum that I could go to. Dijon or Beaune fits that requirement. She & her rented bike can take the train to the sleepy village & start from there for bike rides. I'm sure Coco could work out the bike rental and any group walking tours.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
Aug 26th, 2018, 01:35 PM
#8
Your mention of walking takes me back to a couple of weeks I spent in the vicinity of Dijon, including several days walking along the Burgundy Canal. I took a bus from Dijon to Pouilly-en-Auxois, a small town where the canal is below in a tunnel, spent the night, then began my walk on a path above the canal punctuated by air shafts, then on along the towpath for several days back to Dijon.
There are small hotels & B&Bs along the route, though not a lot, so it pays to plan ahead in that regard. A lovely deviation off the towpath and up a road to a mountain top takes one to the beautiful village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, well worth the hour or so for the medieval ambiance and the view.
Of course any part of the path is worthwhile given your few days. Local buses serve some but not all the villages along the canal so if using them find the online schedules. However the distances aren’t great so you could do a walk as a day trip using taxis to & from. Having lost track of the number of long walks I’ve done, mostly in England but a few in France, the Burgundy Canal was one of my very favorites. Should it interest you I’ll dig up the website of an Australian woman who has lots of excellent information on this and other walks all over France.
There are small hotels & B&Bs along the route, though not a lot, so it pays to plan ahead in that regard. A lovely deviation off the towpath and up a road to a mountain top takes one to the beautiful village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, well worth the hour or so for the medieval ambiance and the view.
Of course any part of the path is worthwhile given your few days. Local buses serve some but not all the villages along the canal so if using them find the online schedules. However the distances aren’t great so you could do a walk as a day trip using taxis to & from. Having lost track of the number of long walks I’ve done, mostly in England but a few in France, the Burgundy Canal was one of my very favorites. Should it interest you I’ll dig up the website of an Australian woman who has lots of excellent information on this and other walks all over France.
Aug 27th, 2018, 12:02 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your mention of walking takes me back to a couple of weeks I spent in the vicinity of Dijon, including several days walking along the Burgundy Canal. I took a bus from Dijon to Pouilly-en-Auxois, a small town where the canal is below in a tunnel, spent the night, then began my walk on a path above the canal punctuated by air shafts, then on along the towpath for several days back to Dijon.
There are small hotels & B&Bs along the route, though not a lot, so it pays to plan ahead in that regard. A lovely deviation off the towpath and up a road to a mountain top takes one to the beautiful village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, well worth the hour or so for the medieval ambiance and the view.
Of course any part of the path is worthwhile given your few days. Local buses serve some but not all the villages along the canal so if using them find the online schedules. However the distances aren’t great so you could do a walk as a day trip using taxis to & from. Having lost track of the number of long walks I’ve done, mostly in England but a few in France, the Burgundy Canal was one of my very favorites. Should it interest you I’ll dig up the website of an Australian woman who has lots of excellent information on this and other walks all over France.
There are small hotels & B&Bs along the route, though not a lot, so it pays to plan ahead in that regard. A lovely deviation off the towpath and up a road to a mountain top takes one to the beautiful village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, well worth the hour or so for the medieval ambiance and the view.
Of course any part of the path is worthwhile given your few days. Local buses serve some but not all the villages along the canal so if using them find the online schedules. However the distances aren’t great so you could do a walk as a day trip using taxis to & from. Having lost track of the number of long walks I’ve done, mostly in England but a few in France, the Burgundy Canal was one of my very favorites. Should it interest you I’ll dig up the website of an Australian woman who has lots of excellent information on this and other walks all over France.
But StuDudley has a good point about staying in a bigger town with choices. Plus there's the nostalgia piece. I haven't been back to dijon since studying at the university one summer. Hmmmm....
Aug 27th, 2018, 12:06 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dijon is a large busy city - I'd ensconce myself in a small wine town between Dijon and Beaune - Nuits-Stes-Georges, etc - easy access to countryside and birding. Landing in Paris? Then take trains to Dijon and wine towns. Book trains early for discounted tickets - a few may go direct from CDG Airport but usually have to take RER into Gare du Lyon for frequent TGVs to Dijon then TER regional trains to Beaune and little wine towns in between. Book trains really early for sweet discounted fares - www.oui.sncf book your own - for lots about trains and Burgundy check www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Geneva Airport could be closer I guess but more flights to CDG.
Aug 27th, 2018, 11:59 AM
#14
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The first response is excellent. I personally, wasn't crazy about Dijon (too busy). In Burgundy, we really like Beaune. I did not see mention of Hospices de Beaune (aka Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune) in the first response. It is a "must see" sight in Beaune.
Sep 4th, 2018, 09:21 PM
#16
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,067
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not wanting to hijack this thread, but i have some relevant questions. My husband and I will be staying in Beaune (small village of Bligny sur Ouche) in a few more days - we are in the Alsace village of Kayserberg right now for a week, after five days in another small village in the Mosel River Valley.
We are very much enjoying our leisure days in these lovely small villages - with a rental car, we have been able to explore the countryside easily. I am imagining being in a small village in Beaune will be more of the same.
We we will be returning our rental car in Dijon after our five nights in Beaune, and taking a morning train to Paris. I am now rethinking the idea of driving in to Dijon that same morning, and perhaps instead rearranging our plans to spend a night (or two) in Dijon, turning in the car when we arrive.
I’m already thinking about the scramble to get from Beaune to the car rental return and then to the train station in time in the morning - we have non refundable tickets for the 10:07 train.
I’m not concerned that we will lose the money we’ve spent on the cottage in Beaune by switching to an earlier departure date, and also think we might be ready to trade in the bucolic countryside for the city sights and sounds.
Any my suggestions for a hotel near the city center? Or near the train station? Or both 😉
We are very much enjoying our leisure days in these lovely small villages - with a rental car, we have been able to explore the countryside easily. I am imagining being in a small village in Beaune will be more of the same.
We we will be returning our rental car in Dijon after our five nights in Beaune, and taking a morning train to Paris. I am now rethinking the idea of driving in to Dijon that same morning, and perhaps instead rearranging our plans to spend a night (or two) in Dijon, turning in the car when we arrive.
I’m already thinking about the scramble to get from Beaune to the car rental return and then to the train station in time in the morning - we have non refundable tickets for the 10:07 train.
I’m not concerned that we will lose the money we’ve spent on the cottage in Beaune by switching to an earlier departure date, and also think we might be ready to trade in the bucolic countryside for the city sights and sounds.
Any my suggestions for a hotel near the city center? Or near the train station? Or both 😉
Sep 4th, 2018, 09:34 PM
#17
Sep 5th, 2018, 04:28 AM
#18
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great idea to focus on Burgundy
It is a great idea to focus on Burgundy for a few days. Burgundy is an ideal combination of lovely historical towns (Dijon, Beaune), fabulous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines and the reputed Burgundy cuisine. Dijon and Beaune both deserve a full day. There are many guided wine tours from Dijon or Beaune combining sightseeing in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, white and red wine tasting and great restaurants. Check https://www.parisdigest.com/burgundy/burgundy.htm.
Sep 5th, 2018, 04:58 AM
#19
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In dijon : Hostellerie du chapeau rouge. We were there recently, we loved it. ¨4 stars and well deserved, spacious rooms, cheap (we paid 120 € for the three of us), we had 2 big beds in 2 separate rooms + splendid bathroom. The hotel hosts a 2 stars michelin restaurants which was fantastic. Staff welcoming and friendly. I even gave a tip when I left (they had parked and brought back my car to a nearby parking) - the first time in more than 10 years in hotels in Europe.
When you are in Beaune, we had a fantastic meal at Nuits Saint Georges close by at 'la cabotte' with a 'porc ibérique' absolutely exceptional. Wine was also obviously fantastic. My wife was driving ...
My favorite red wine for the moment is a Côte Rôtie - and in white a Condrieu (unfortunately not cheap) - both from close by - have fun !
When you are in Beaune, we had a fantastic meal at Nuits Saint Georges close by at 'la cabotte' with a 'porc ibérique' absolutely exceptional. Wine was also obviously fantastic. My wife was driving ...
My favorite red wine for the moment is a Côte Rôtie - and in white a Condrieu (unfortunately not cheap) - both from close by - have fun !
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
lbrawer
Europe
5
Dec 4th, 2005 03:30 PM
