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Cycling through Wine Labels in Burgundy: Dijon - Beaune - Dijon
offered by supplier M09630 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 8
day(s)
Group Size: 1
- 20
people
Destination(s):
France
Specialty Categories:
Bicycle Touring
Food & Wine
Season: April - October
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 690 Euro (EUR)
Maximum Per Person Price: 690 Euro (EUR)
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Browsing the shelves of your favourite wine shop doesn’t compare to cycling through the wine labels themselves! Watch the names of some of the most coveted wines in the world come alive as you ride our route through Burgundy, one of France’s foremost wine regions. For those who enjoy some classic wines, the names of the towns and villages will be sure to have a distinct resonance: Beaune, Nuits-Saint-George, Vosne-Romanée, Meursault, just to name a few!
Wine-ing and cavorting through the vineyards is not the only pleasure though. Your itinerary will also have you pedaling by lush pastures, woodlands, and charming medieval villages of this inimitable region of France. Burgundian architecture is distinctive with many fine old half-timbered buildings, brilliantly adorned with steeply-pitched roofs patterned in multi-colored tiles.
Our Burgundy itinerary is all about appreciating the delectable gastronomy of the region and making the most of the food and wine, while also providing some healthy exercise in the countryside to justify those very justified indulgences! Enjoy the best of both as you eat, drink and ride your way through the lattice of quiet lanes and tracks - following rivers, meandering along canals and climbing into the hills. You'll explore the enchanting countryside, ancient abbeys, historic towns, magnificent chateau and charming medieval villages that make up this rich region.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Dijon
Our tour begins in Dijon, the capital of Burgundy. We can’t recommend enough an early arrival, so as to allow plenty of time to explore Dijon, which instead of a city, feels more like the world’s largest open-air museum devoted to medieval art and architecture. To depart without visiting this magical city would be like opening a 2002 Perrot-Minot Nuits St. Georges and experiencing it only by bouquet. To provide for ample exploring, you’ll stay in the center of town in a 15th century postal building turned into a charming hotel.
Day 2: Dijon – Beaune (approx. 40 km or 25 miles)
In the morning you’ll leave behind the bustle of the city for the hush of the country, immediately finding yourself in the midst of wine superstardom—let the clinking begin! Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-Saint-Georges headline these “Hills of God.” In between toasts, bouquets, legs, and swirling, you’ll find many restaurants and open-air cafes chockfull with regional specialties. Or if you prefer, you can have a picnic roadside and acquire a firsthand understanding as to how the French countryside has inspired so many artistic masterpieces. The easy pace of this route will also allow ample time to visit the many museums and architectural wows that dominate this special region. You’ll stay the night in Beaune, the unofficial wine capital of Burgundy.
Day 3: Beaune to Nolay (approx. 40 km or 25 miles)
Today’s low mileage will allow you to do some morning sightseeing in Beaune. You’ll then strike out south of Beaune for the Cote de Beaune vineyards and another epic day of biking and tasting. The villages of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet are tiny in size but huge with charm. Both make for good lunch stops before continuing on to Nolay, where you will overnight in a 2-star hotel property facing the 16th century covered market. Please note that the shorter ride will not take you through Puligny-Montrachet.
Day 4: Rest day in Nolay
Nolay is a small village steeped in 15th century architecture. The town is delightful with an excellent array of restaurants and wine cellars, and a magnificent 14th century market hall. It is a great place to spend the day off the bike, or if you prefer, you can go for a short ride to take in the sights around the village.
Day 5: Nolay to Chateauneuf-en-Auxois (approx. 40 km or 25 miles)
Leave the vineyards behind and cycle through the forested uplands to the hilltop village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, overlooking the surrounding countryside. Today’s scenery changes dramatically as you’ll pedal beyond the vineyards and into the lush forests and rustic farmlands of the Burgundy plateau. This picturesque countryside emits a captivating stillness, as if permanently posing for yet another postcard shoot. For lunch you’ll stop in Bligny-sur-Ouche, a small farming village laden with Gothic and Roman architecture. From here you’ll cross the Burgundy Canal and arrive in the medieval village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, whose storybook-like architecture and hilltop setting make it easy to understand why it has been deemed one of France’s most beautiful villages.
Day 6: Loop around Chateauneuf-en-Auxois (approx. 40 km or 25 miles)
Today you may choose to do the loop or take a day off the bike. Our optional loop, short in length, but big on sites, is highlighted by the Castle of Commarin, which has been in the hands of the same family for over 700 years. The rooms of the castle are ornamented with antique furniture and tapestries from the 16th century. From here, you’ll pedal back to Chateauneuf-en-Auxois at your own pace, while following a picturesque route along the Burgundy Canal.
Day 7: Chateauneuf – Dijon (approx. 40 km or 25 miles)
Leaving fairy-tale like Chateauneuf-en-Auxois behind, the majority of the day follows the Burgundy canal, taking in rustic villages and castle dotted-hillsides, cycling past Velars-sur-Ouche, and then on to Dijon to complete the circuit. If you did not get a chance the first time round, this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the Ducal Palace, Roman ruins, and Notre Dame cathedral, among all the other lovely things which make up Dijon.
Day 8: End of trip. After a leisurely breakfast, depart Dijon at the time of your choice.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 7-night accommodations in 2- and 3-star properties
- Daily breakfast
- 3 dinners (drinks are not included)
- Meeting with our local representative
- Marked maps and/or cue sheets
- Tourist information
- Assistance if necessary
- All tax and service charges.
Price Excludes:
- Expenses of personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Bicycle rentals. Hybrids are available at the rate of 95 euros per bike.
Note: Single supplement is 290 euros. Solo rate (when traveling on your own) is 1,125 euros.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Food & Wine
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