Beaune • Burgundy’s Wine Villages • Abbey of Fontenay • Vézelay • Château de Guédelon • Bourges • Cluny • Taizé
Map: Beaune Hotels & Restaurants
Wine Villages and Sights near Beaune
Map: North Vineyard Loop & Route des Grands Crus
Back-Door Burgundy Towns and Sights
Between Burgundy and the Loire
Sleeping and Eating in Vézelay
Sleeping and Eating in Bourges
The rolling hills of Burgundy gave birth to superior wine, fine cuisine, spicy mustard, and sleepy villages smothered in luscious landscapes. This deceptively peaceful region witnessed Julius Caesar’s defeat of the Gauls, then saw the Abbey of Cluny rise from the ashes of the Roman Empire to vie with Rome for religious influence in the 12th century. Burgundy’s last hurrah came in the 15th century, when its powerful dukes controlled an immense area stretching north to Holland.
Today, bucolic Burgundy (roughly the size of Belgium) runs from about Auxerre in the north to near Lyon in the south. Crisscrossed with canals and dotted with quiet farming villages, it’s also the transportation funnel for eastern France and makes a convenient stopover for travelers (car or train), with easy access north to Paris or Alsace, east to the Alps, and south to Provence.
Traditions are strong. In Burgundy, both the soil and the farmers who work it are venerated. Although many of the farms you see are growing grapes, only a small part of Burgundy is actually covered by vineyards.
This is a calm, cultivated, and serene region, where nature is as sophisticated as the people. If you’re looking for quintessential French culture, you’ll find it in Burgundy.
With limited time, stay in or near Beaune. If you only have one day, spend the morning in Beaune and the afternoon exploring the surrounding vineyards and wine villages (good by bike, car, or minibus tour). If you have a car (cheap rentals are available), or good legs and a bike, the best way to spend your afternoon is by following my scenic vineyard drive to Château de la Rochepot.
With more time, visit unspoiled Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, the museum dedicated to the historic victory that won Gaul for Julius Caesar (in Alise-Ste-Reine), and France’s best-preserved medieval abbey complex at Fontenay. These are close to each other and on the way to Paris, or doable as a long day trip from Beaune. The soul-stirring church at Vézelay is more famous but harder to reach, and is best done as an overnight trip, or en route to Paris or the Loire Valley. If you’re connecting Burgundy with the Loire, don’t miss the medieval castle construction at Guédelon and the fine “High” Gothic cathedral in Bourges (either of these pairs well with Vézelay). And if you’re driving between Beaune and Lyon, take the detour to adorable Brancion and once-powerful Cluny, then head south along the Beaujolais wine route.
Trains link Beaune with Dijon to the north and Lyon to the south; some stop in the wine villages of Meursault, Nuits-St-Georges, Gevrey-Chambertin, and Santenay. Several buses per day cruise between vineyards north of Beaune on D-974, though precious few buses connect Beaune with villages to its south (see “Beaune Connections” on here). Bikes, hikes, minibus tours, and short taxi rides get you from Beaune into the countryside without a car. Drivers enjoy motoring on Burgundy’s lovely roads; you’ll cruise along canals, past manicured vineyards, and on tree-lined lanes. Navigate using the excellent (and free) map of the region available at all TIs.
Arrive hungry. Considered by many to be France’s best, Burgundian cuisine is peasant cooking elevated to an art. Entire lives are spent debating the best restaurants and bistros.
Several classic dishes were born in Burgundy: escargots de Bourgogne (snails served sizzling hot in garlic butter), bœuf bourguignon (beef simmered for hours in red wine with onions and mushrooms), coq au vin (rooster stewed in red wine), and œufs en meurette (poached eggs in a red wine sauce, often served on a large crouton), as well as the famous Dijon mustards. Look also for delicious jambon persillé (cold ham layered in a garlic-parsley gelatin), pain d’épices (spice bread), and gougères (light, puffy cheese pastries). Those white cows (called Charolais) dotting the green pastures are Burgundian and make France’s best steak and bœuf bourguignon.
Native cheeses are Époisses and Langres (both mushy and great), and my favorite, Montrachet (a tasty goat cheese). Crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) is another Burgundian specialty; look for it in desserts and snazzy drinks (try a kir).
Along with Bordeaux, Burgundy is why France is famous for wine. From Chablis to Beaujolais, you’ll find great fruity reds, dry whites, and crisp rosés. The three key grapes are chardonnay (dry white wines), pinot noir (medium-bodied red wines), and gamay (light, fruity red wines, such as Beaujolais). Sixty percent of the wines are white, thanks to the white-only impact of the Chablis and Mâcon regions.
The Romans brought winemaking knowledge with them to Burgundy more than 2,000 years ago; medieval monks perfected the art a thousand years later, establishing the foundations for Burgundy’s famous wines. Those monks determined that pinot noir and chardonnay grapes grew best with the soil and climate in this region, a lesson that is followed to the letter by winemakers today. The French Revolution put capitalists in charge of the vineyards (no longer a monkish labor of love), which led to quantity over quality and a loss of Burgundy’s esteemed status. Phylloxera insects destroyed most of Burgundy’s vines in the late 1800s and forced growers to rethink how and where to best cultivate grapes in Burgundy. This led to a return of the monks’ approach, with the veneration of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, a focus on quality over quantity, and a big reduction in the land area devoted to vines.
Today the government controls how much farmers can produce (to sustain high quality). This has a huge effect—in Burgundy, the average yield is only about 40 hectoliters per hectare (about 1,000 gallons), whereas in California it’s more than double that. There are about 4,200 wineries in 44 villages in Burgundy. (I review about a third of them in this chapter—it’s a dirty job...) The wineries are tiny here (12-15 acres on average) thanks to Napoleon, who decided that land should be equally divided among a family’s children when parents died. It’s not unusual for a farmer to own just a few rows in a vineyard and piece together enough parcels to make a go of it.
In Burgundy, location is everything, and winery names take a back seat to the place where the grape is grown. Every village produces its own distinctive wine, from Chablis to Meursault to Chassagne-Montrachet. Road maps read like fine-wine lists. If the wine village has a hyphenated name, the second half usually comes from the town’s most important vineyard (such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Aloxe-Corton, and Vosne-Romanée).
Burgundy wines are divided into four classifications: From top to bottom you’ll find grand cru, premier cru (or 1er cru), village, and Bourgogne. Each level allows buyers to better pinpoint the quality and origin of the grapes in their wine. With Bourgogne wines, the grapes can come from anywhere in Burgundy; village identifies the exact village where they were grown; and grand cru and premier cru locate the precise plots of land. As you drop from top to bottom, production increases—there is far more Bourgogne made than grand cru. In general, the less wine a vine produces, the higher the quality.
Look for Dégustation Gratuite (free tasting) signs and prepare for serious wine tasting—and steep bottle prices. For a more easygoing tasting experience, head for the hills: The less prestigious Hautes-Côtes (upper slopes) produce some terrific, inexpensive, and overlooked wines. The least expensive wines are Bourgogne and Passetoutgrain (both red) and whites from the Mâcon and Chalon areas (St-Véran whites are also a good value). If you like rosé, try Marsannay, considered one of France’s best. And les famous Pouilly-Fuissé grapes are grown near the city of Mâcon. For general tips on tasting, see the “French Wine-Tasting 101” sidebar on here.
You’ll feel comfortable right away in this prosperous, popular, and perfectly French little wine capital, where life centers on the production and consumption of the prestigious Côte d’Or wines. Côte d’Or means “Gold Coast” (from when the sea covered the valley in the Jurassic era). Today, Burgundy’s “gold coast” is a spectacle to enjoy in late October as the leaves turn around Beaune.
Medieval monks and powerful dukes of Burgundy laid the groundwork that established this town’s prosperity. The monks cultivated wine and cheese, and the dukes cultivated power. A ring road (with a bike path) follows the foundations of the medieval walls, and parking lots just outside keep most traffic from seeping into the historic center. One of the world’s most important wine auctions takes place here every year during the third weekend of November.
Beaune is compact (pop. 22,000), with a handful of interesting monuments and vineyards knocking at its door. Focus your Beaune ramblings on the town center, lassoed within its medieval walls and circled by a one-way ring road, and leave time to stroll into the vineyards. All roads and activities converge on the town’s two squares, Place Carnot and Place de la Halle. Beaune is quiet on Sundays and Monday mornings. The city’s monuments are beautifully lit at night, making Beaune ideal for a post-dinner stroll. The lighting gets downright dazzling from mid-June through mid-September and again during the Christmas holidays, when a glimmering light show called “Les Chemins de Lumières” plays on important buildings (ask at TI or hotel for map).
The main TI is located across from the post office on the ring road’s southeastern corner (look for the Porte Marie de Bourgogne sign above the doorway; daily June-Sept 9:00-19:00, April-May and Oct until 18:30, Nov-March 9:00-12:30 & 13:30-18:00, closes earlier Sun year-round; +33 3 80 26 21 30, www.beaune-tourisme.fr). A small TI annex (called “Point-I”) is in the market hall, across from Hôtel Dieu (daily 9:30-13:00 & 14:00-18:00).
Both TIs have extensive information on area wine tasting, a list of chambres d’hôtes, bus schedules, and an excellent, free regional road map. (Free bike maps are available, but the bike-rental shop probably has better ones.) The main TI rents audioguides (€5, 1.5 hours) and can also arrange a local guide (figure €200/4 hours, €350/all day, reserve ahead, guides@beaune-toursime.fr, or see my recommendations later). Don’t miss the Maison des Climats display at the main TI (described under “Sights in Beaune,” later).
The TI offers small discounts on some key sights in Burgundy (including the Abbey of Fontenay and Château of Clos Vougeot) and some wine cellars (including the recommended Patriarche Père et Fils). Buy tickets at the TI or online.
For a shortcut into Beaune’s center from the main TI, walk out the back door, cross a small street, angle right, turn left through a long courtyard, and land on Place Carnot.
By Train: To reach the city center from the train station (no baggage storage), walk straight out of the station up Avenue du 8 Septembre, cross the busy ring road, and continue up Rue du Château. Follow it as it angles left and pass to the left of the mural, veering right onto Rue des Tonneliers. A left on Rue de l’Enfant leads to Beaune’s pedestrian zone, Place Carnot, and the TI annex.
By Bus: Beaune has no bus station—only several stops along the ring road (see map on here for stop locations). Ask the driver for le Centre-Ville. The Jules Ferry (zhul fair-ee) stop is the most central. (For details on bus service, see “Getting Around the Beaune Region” on here.)
By Car: Follow Centre-Ville/Place de la Madeleine signs and park for free in Place Madeleine (turnover is quick). The free Parking du Jardin Anglais at the north end of the ring road (see map on here) usually has spaces, and there are free parking spots all along the ring road. Parking inside Beaune’s ring road is metered from 9:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 19:00; there’s a convenient pay parking garage next to the main TI on the ring road.
Market Days: Beaune hosts a smashing Saturday market and a meager Wednesday market. Both are on Place de la Halle and run until 12:30. The Saturday market fires up much of the old town and is worth planning ahead for. For either market, watch the action from the Baltard Café on Place de la Halle, then do as the locals do and have lunch at an outdoor café (see “Eating in and near Beaune,” later, for ideas; sit down by 12:30 or forget it).
Laundry: Beaune’s lone launderette is open daily 7:00-21:00 (65 Rue Lorraine).
Supermarkets: Supermarché Casino has several small shops in Beaune, a store in the town center (next to 10 Rue Carnot), and a mothership store through the arch off Place Madeleine (daily 8:30-19:30 except closed Sun afternoon).
Bike Rental: See “Getting Around the Beaune Region—By Bike” on here.
Taxi: Call mobile +33 6 11 83 06 10 or +33 6 09 35 63 12.
Car Rental: ADA is close to the train station (Mon-Sat 8:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Sun, 26 Avenue du 8 Septembre, +33 3 80 22 72 90). Hertz is outside the center at 52 Route de Serre (+33 3 55 87 05 50). Europcar is also on the outskirts (53 Route de Pommard, +33 3 80 22 32 24).
Beaune Greeters: The TI can arrange to have an English-speaking local show you their city for free. These kind folks donate their time in the hopes of helping travelers better appreciate their Burgundian home.
Best Souvenir Shopping: The Athenaeum has a great variety of souvenirs, wine and cookbooks in English, and a good children’s section. They also offer informal wine tastings (small fee, daily 10:00-19:00, across from Hôtel Dieu at 7 Rue de l’Hôtel Dieu). Le Vigneron is another good place crammed with local products and clever Burgundian souvenirs (daily 9:00-19:00, just off Place Carnot at 6 Rue d’Alsace).
A TGV-esque little “Visiotrain” putts around Beaune and nearby vineyards (€8, runs April-Oct 11:00-17:30, almost hourly departures from Hôtel Dieu, no morning trips on Wed and Sat market days, 45 minutes, waits for 10 people before it starts).
You have several great choices for walking or driving tours.
Kelly Kamborian is an effective teacher who trained as an archaeologist in the US. She has 20 years of experience guiding walking tours of Beaune, Dijon, and beyond, as well as driving tours of the region (€250/half-day, €380/day, mobile +33 6 63 41 21 10, kellykamborian@gmail.com).
For tours that focus on vineyards and Burgundian history, Colette Barbier is an engaging guide who is fluent in English and passionate about her region. Recently retired from the University of Burgundy, where she taught the history of gastronomy and wines for more than 25 years, she knows Burgundy as only a local can (her family has lived in the region for 250 years). Book well in advance (€300/half-day, €550/day, +33 3 80 23 94 34, mobile +33 6 80 57 47 40, www.burgundy-guide.com).
Delightful and wine-smart Stephanie Jones came from her native Britain to Burgundy to get a degree in oenology while working in Burgundian wine cellars. Today she leads informative, enjoyable, private tours of the vineyards (RS%—use code “RS2020”; see website for rates, prices are per person and decrease with more people, 2-person minimum, 6-person maximum; +33 3 80 61 29 61, mobile +33 6 10 18 04 12, www.burgundywinetours.fr).
Burgundy Discovery Tours, led by Robert Pygott, British by birth but Burgundian by choice, offers relaxed and informative tours exploring Burgundy wines (€240-320/day, mobile +33 6 38 53 15 27, www.burgundydiscovery.com).
Several outfits offer half- and all-day tours of the villages and vineyards around Beaune. Half-day tours generally provide just one tasting while all-day tours include three or more.
Likable Florian Garcenot at Bourgogne Evasion/Active Tours offers walking or biking tours into the vineyards and rents all sorts of bikes that can be delivered to your hotel or picked up from their office at Parc de la Bouzaize. Some of his bike tours follow routes similar to those I describe later (see “Vineyard Loops near Beaune” on here) and include wine tastings and sightseeing. On the full-day bike tour, you’ll be shuttled up to Château de la Rochepot and then sail downhill back to Beaune, stopping for lunch and at a few wineries (half-day walks from €25, 6-person minimum; half-day bike tour-€46, full-day bike tour-€139 including lunch; mobile +33 9 67 03 40 59, www.burgundybiketour.com).
Chemins de Bourgogne runs fun and informative tours, with an SUV to get you off the beaten path (€75/half-day, €150/day, three itineraries, lunch not included, mobile +33 6 60 43 68 86, www.chemins-de-bourgogne.com).
Safari Wine Tours has four itineraries (€48-65, tours #2 and #4 are best for beginners; tours depart from TI, +33 3 80 24 79 12, www.burgundy-tourism-safaritours.com, or call TI to reserve).
This medieval charity hospital is now a museum. The Hundred Years’ War and the plague (a.k.a. the Black Death) devastated Beaune, leaving three-quarters of its population destitute. Nicholas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy (enriched, in part, by his power to collect taxes), had to do something for “his people” (or, more likely, was getting old and wanted to close out his life on a philanthropic, rather than a greedy, note). So, in 1443 Rolin paid to build this place. It was completed in just eight years and served as Beaune’s hospital until 1971, when the last patient checked out. You’ll notice Hospices de Beaune on wine labels in fine shops—they are Burgundy’s largest landowner of precious vineyards, thanks to donations made by patients over the centuries (and still happening today). Besides its magnificently decorated courtyard, Hôtel Dieu is famous for Rogier van der Weyden’s superb Last Judgment altarpiece, which Rolin commissioned. It’s also wonderfully animated from the outside during Beaune’s summer light show (see here).
Cost and Hours: €9, €12.50 combo-ticket with Museum of the Wine of Burgundy, includes audioguide, daily 9:00-18:30, mid-Nov-March 9:00-11:30 & 14:00-17:30, last entry one hour before closing; it’s dead center in Beaune, dominating Place de la Halle; +33 3 80 24 45 00, www.hospices-de-beaune.com. River-cruise tour groups crowd the place from 9:30 to 11:00 in high season.
Self-Guided Tour: While the audioguide delivers key facts and good information, this self-guided tour gives your visit more meaning (posted information is in French only). Tour the rooms, which circle the courtyard, in a clockwise direction (following Sens de la Visite signs). Allow an hour for your visit.
• To start, enter the courtyard and find the stone bench.
Courtyard of Honor: Honor meant power, and this was all about showing off. The exterior of the hospital and the town side of the courtyard are intentionally solemn, so as not to attract pesky 15th-century brigands and looters. The dazzling inner courtyard features a colorful glazed tile roof, establishing what became a style recognized in France as typically “Burgundian.” The sturdy tiles, which last 300 years, are fired three times: once to harden, again to burn in the color, and finally for the glaze. They were last redone in 1902. The building is lacy Flamboyant Gothic with lots of decor—and boasts more weathervanes than any other building in France.
• Now enter the hospice from the courtyard on the left side (follow Salle des Pôvres signs).
Paupers’ Ward (Salle des Pôvres): This grandest room of the hospital was the ward for the poorest patients. The vault, typical of big medieval rooms, was constructed like the hull of a ship. The screen separates the ward from the chapel at the front. Every three hours, the door was opened, and patients could experience Mass from their beds. Study the ceiling. Crossbeams are held by the mouths of creatively carved monsters—each mouth is stretched realistically, and each face has individual characteristics. Between the crossbars are busts of real 15th-century townsfolk—leading citizens, with animals humorously indicating their foibles (for example, a round-faced glutton next to a pig).
The carved wooden statue over the door you just entered shows a bound Christ—demonstrating graphically to patients that their Savior suffered and was able to empathize with their ordeal. Its realism shows that Gothic art had moved beyond the stiff formality of Romanesque carving. Behind the little window next to the statue was the nuns’ dorm. The sisters (who were the first nurses) would check on patients from here. Notice the scrawny candleholder; if a patient died in the night, the candle was extinguished.
Find the small tables near the beds on the right. Rolin, who believed every patient deserved dignity, provided each patient with a pewter jug, mug, bowl, and plate. A painting on an easel at the left shows patients being treated in this room in 1949, 500 years after the hospital’s founding. During epidemics, there were two to a bed. The ward didn’t get heat until the 19th century (notice the heating grates on the floor), and the staff didn’t get the concept of infection (and the basic practices of handwashing) until the late 19th century (thanks to Louis Pasteur). Before then, most patients would have been better off left in a ditch outside.
• Enter the chapel.
Chapel: The hospice was not a place of hope. People came here to die. Care was more for the soul than the body. (Local guides are routinely instructed in writing by American tour companies not to use the word “hospice,” because it turns off their clients. But this was a hospice, plain and simple, and back then, death was apparently less disturbing.) The stained glass shows Nicolas Rolin (lower left) and his wife, Guigone (lower right), dressed as a nun to show her devotion. Nicolas’ feudal superior, the Duke of Burgundy, is portrayed above him; St. Nicholas is shown in green and St. Anthony in yellow (the saints you want on your side if death looks imminent).
Notice the action on Golgotha. As Jesus is crucified, the souls of the two criminals crucified with him (portrayed as miniature naked humans) are being snatched up—one by an angel and the other by a red devil. At the bottom, Mary cradles the dead body of Christ. You’re standing on tiles with the love symbol (or “gallant device”) designed by Nicolas and Guigone to celebrate their love (as noble couples often did). The letters N and G are entwined in an oak branch, meaning that their love was strong. The word seule (“only one”) and the lone star declare that Guigone is the only star in Nicolas’ cosmos.
• Exit right to the next room...
St. Hugue Ward: In the 17th century, this smaller ward was established for wealthy patients (who could afford Cadillac insurance plans). They were more likely to survive, and the decor displays themes of hope, rather than resignation: The series of Baroque paintings lining the walls shows the biblical miracles that Jesus performed. As the wealthy would lie in their beds, they’d stare at the ceiling—a painting with the bottom of an angel’s foot, surrounded by the sick waiting to be healed by Jesus in his scarlet robe.
St. Nicolas Room: Originally divided into smaller rooms—one used for “surgery” (a.k.a. bloodletting and amputation), the other as an extension of the kitchen that you’ll see next—this room now holds a model of the steep roof support and tools of the doctoring trade (amputation saws, caulking gun-size syringes, pans for bloodletting, and so on). The glass panel in the floor’s center shows the stream running below; the hole provided a primitive but convenient disposal system after dinner or surgery. Living downstream from the hospital was a bad idea.
Operation of the hospice was primarily funded through auctions of its great wines (made from land donated by grateful patients over the years). Today, the auction of Hospices de Beaune wines is an internationally followed event and gives the first indication of prices for the previous year’s wines. Proceeds from the auction still support the “modern” hospital in Beaune.
• Continue to the kitchen.
Kitchen: Five nuns manned the kitchen at all times, preparing mostly soups and some meat dishes for their patients. Notice the 16th-century rotisserie. When fully wound, the cute robot would crank away, and the spit would spin slowly for 45 minutes. The 19th-century stove provided running hot water, which spewed from the beaks of swans. This kitchen dished food until 1985 (serving its retirement home residents).
• Before entering the pharmacy, peek out back to the garden and outbuildings. Before those buildings were added, this was a huge garden growing herbs and other plants used for medications. The buildings were added in the early 1900s to serve as a retirement home.
Pharmacy: Inside the pharmacy, strange and wondrous concoctions were mixed, cooked, distilled, and then stored in pottery jars. In the first room, the big bow over the mortar (large container) allowed the weighty pestle to be worked more easily for hours on end, grinding ingredients into fine pastes and powders. The alembic shows an ancient method for distilling medicines used in this pharmacy. A painting on the back wall shows the gardens before the retirement home addition. The second room displays jars whose shapes corresponded to the types of medications they contained—the biggest jar (by the window) was for theriaca (“panacea,” or cure-all). The most commonly used medicine back then, it was a syrup of herbs, wine, and opium.
• Continue to the St. Louis Ward, which provides access to the room with the Last Judgement.
St. Louis Ward: A maternity ward until 1969, this room is lined with fine 16th- and 17th-century tapestries illustrating mostly Old Testament stories. Dukes traveled with tapestries to cozy up the humble places they stayed in while on the road. The 16th-century pieces have better colors but inferior perspective. (The most precious 15th-century tapestries are displayed in the next room, where everyone is enthralled by the great Van der Weyden painting.)
Rogier van der Weyden’s Last Judgment: This exquisite painting, the treasure of Hôtel Dieu, was commissioned by Rolin in 1450 for the altar of the Paupers’ Ward. He spared no cost, hiring the leading Flemish artist of his time. The entire altarpiece survives. The back side (on right wall) was sliced off so everything could be viewed at the same time. The painting is full of symbolism. Christ presides over Judgment Day. The lily is mercy, the sword is judgment, the rainbow promises salvation, and the jeweled globe at Jesus’ feet symbolizes the universality of Christianity’s message. As four angels blow their trumpets, St. Michael the archangel—very much in control—determines which souls are heavy with sin. Mary and the apostles pray for the souls of the dead as they emerge from their graves. But notice how both Michael and Jesus are expressionless—at this point, the cries of the damned and their loved ones are useless. In the back row are real people of the day.
The intricate detail, painted with a three-haired brush, is typical of Flemish art from this period. While Renaissance artists employed mathematical tricks of perspective, these artists captured a sense of reality by painting minute detail upon detail.
The attendant will move the magnifying glass (le loup) for groups—and maybe for you if it’s quiet—to help you appreciate the exquisite detail in the painting. You can also use the touch screen (outside the room) to zoom in. Stare at Michael’s robe and wings. Check out John’s delicate feet and hands. Study the faces of the damned; you can almost hear the gnashing of teeth. The feet of the damned show the pull of a terrible force. On the far left, notice those happily entering the pearly gates. On the far right, it’s the flames of hell (no, this has nothing to do with politics).
Except for Sundays and holidays, the painting was kept closed and people saw only the panels that now hang on the right wall: on top, the Annunciation—the beginning of man’s salvation; and at the bottom, Nicolas and Guigone piously at the feet of St. Sebastian, invoked to fight the plague, and St. Anthony, whom patients called upon for help in combating burning skin diseases.
The unusual 15th-century tapestry A Thousand Flowers, hanging on the left wall, tells the medieval story of St. Eligius.
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, during the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture, Beaune’s cathedral was a “daughter of Cluny” (built in the style of the Cluny Abbey, described on here). The church features a mix of both styles: Its foundation is decidedly Romanesque while much of the rest is Gothic. View it from the square before entering. That porch was added in the 16th century and (sadly) masks the original facade. Enter the second chapel on the left to see the faint remains of frescoes depicting the life of Lazarus, and then, behind the altar, find five vibrant, 15th-century tapestries illustrating the life of the Virgin Mary (English explanations available for frame-by-frame descriptions).
Cost and Hours: Free to enter cathedral; tapestries on view generally 14:00-18:00, but hours change frequently.
Located at the main TI, this helpful display covers the famous Côte d’Or vineyards. There are English explanations about the unique combination of land (terroir) and climate that have made this region ideal for wine production for the last 2,000 years.
In 2017, the Côte d’Or vineyards were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of grape cultivation and wine production, thus making them available for financial assistance for preservation. La Maison des Climats is a result of that designation (free, open same hours as the main TI).
From this well-organized folk-wine museum, which fills the old residence of the Dukes of Burgundy, it’s clear that the history and culture of Burgundy and its wine were fermented in the same bottle. Wander into the free courtyard (beautifully illuminated during summer light shows—see next listing) for a look at the striking palace, antique wine presses, and a concrete model of Beaune’s 15th-century street plan (a good chance to appreciate the town’s once-impressive fortified wall). Inside the museum, you’ll find rooms devoted to the region’s topography, tools of the trade, barrel making, traditional wine festivals, and more. English explanations are posted in every room.
Cost and Hours: €5, €12.50 combo-ticket with Hôtel Dieu; Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00 except closed Mon off-season, closed Dec and Tue year-round; in the Hôtel des Ducs on Rue d’Enfer, +33 3 80 22 08 19, www.beaune.fr.
Getting There: With your back to the cathedral, turn left down the cobbled alley called Rue d’Enfer (“Hell Street,” named for the fires of the Duke’s kitchens once located on this street), keep left, and enter the courtyard of Hôtel des Ducs. There’s also an entrance off Rue Paradis, opposite Le Petit Paradis restaurant.
Nightly from mid-June through mid-September, and during the Christmas holidays, Beaune puts on an entertaining light show accenting the exteriors of many buildings in the town center and along its ramparts walk. The main attractions are seven razzle-dazzle light shows (lasting about five minutes each) highlighting Beaune’s most historic buildings. The most centrally located are Hôtel Dieu, Collégiale Notre-Dame church, the Museum of the Wine of Burgundy courtyard, and the bell tower at Place Monge (behind the Notre-Dame church). The lights start when daylight ends, making this ideal for an after-dinner event (TIs have maps with all the details).
The last of the independent mustard mills in Burgundy, owned by the Edmond Fallot company, opens its doors for guided tours in French (with a little English). They offer two tours: one with a hands-on focus on production (Découvertes tour) and another that highlights the history of mustard (Sensational Experience tour). The tours are long yet informative—you’ll learn why Burgundy was the birthplace of mustard (it’s about wine juice), and where they get their grains today (Canada). It takes over an hour to explain what could be explained in half that time—you’ll see a short film, learn about the key machines used in processing mustard, and finish with a tasting. But at the end there’s a good boutique with a cool mustard-sampling counter.
Cost and Hours: €10, daily at 10:00 and 11:30, also on summer afternoons, call to reserve or book online—space is limited; free mustard tasting—daily 9:30-18:00, Nov-March closed 13:00-14:00 and all day Sun, across ring road in the appropriately yellow building at 31 Rue du Faubourg Bretonnière, +33 3 80 22 10 10, www.fallot.com.
Stroll across the ring road, through a pleasant Impressionist-like park, and into Beaune’s beautiful vineyards. This walk is ideal for those lacking a car, families (good toys in park), and vine enthusiasts. The vine-covered landscape is crisscrossed with narrow lanes and stubby stone walls and provides memorable early morning and sunset views.
Follow Avenue de la République west from the center, cross the ring road, stay parallel to the stream along a few grassy blocks for about five minutes, and then veer right into the serene Parc de la Bouzaize (opens at 8:00 and closes a bit before sunset). Walk through the park alongside the pond and pop out at the right rear corner (find the path to a small opening in the iron fence behind the kid’s play area). Turn left on the small road and keep left, hugging the stone wall, then enter the Côte de Beaune vineyards. Find the big poster showing how the land is sliced and diced among different plots (called clos, for “enclosure”). Each clos is named; look for the stone marker identifying the area behind the poster as Clos Les Teurons (1er cru). See “Burgundy’s Wines,” earlier, for more about the wines produced here.
Poke about Clos Les Teurons, noticing the rocky soil (wine grapes need to struggle). As you wander, keep in mind that subtle differences of soil and drainage between adjacent plots of land can be enough to create very different-tasting wines—from grapes grown only feet apart. Vive la différence. (Read “Wine Tasting in Burgundy” above to learn more.) A perfectly situated picnic table awaits under that lone tree up Chemin des Tilleuls.
You can wander along sections of the medieval walls that protected Beaune from les bad guys. Much of the way is a paved lane used for parking, storage, and access to homes built into the wall, but you’ll still get a feel for the ramparts’ size and see vestiges of defensive towers. Find the path just inside the ring road that stretches counterclockwise from Avenue de la République to Rue de Lorraine (see map on here). The section near Avenue de la République is good for picnics, with shade, benches, and views to vineyards. You can enter or exit the ramparts at any cross street (free, always open).
Here are two good places to learn about Burgundy wines without leaving Beaune. For tastings in nearby wine villages, see here.
Home to Burgundy’s largest and most impressive wine cellar, this is the best of the big wineries to visit in the city. With helpful video presentations at key points, you’ll walk for about 500 yards exploring some of their three miles of underground passages. Your self-guided walk culminates in the atmospheric tasting rooms, where you’ll try several Burgundian classics (3 whites and 7 reds); each bottle sits on top of its own wine barrel. The walk back to the elegant boutique and sortie helps sober you up.
Cost and Hours: €18 for 10 wines (mattress provided), reservation essential for private tours and tasting with guide—€250/small group, daily entry times 9:30-11:15 & 14:00-17:15, 5 Rue du Collège, +33 3 80 24 53 78, www.patriarche.com.
For a good introduction to Burgundy wines, try the informative wine classes given by Céline or Damien. You’ll gather around a small counter in the comfortable wine bar/classroom and learn while you taste. Since the young owners do not make wine, you’ll get an objective education (with blind tastings) and sample from a variety of producers. Call, email, or book online to arrange a class/tasting.
Cost and Hours: Class length and wines tasted vary by season (€35 for 1.5-hour class with 7 wines, €95 for 3-hour class with 10 wines, €165 for all-day tastings with 12 wines, 2-person minimum—aspirin and pillow provided). Ask about their intimate tastings-in-the-vineyards class for two people (3-4 hours, €275/person; daily except closed Sun in winter, 2 Rue Paul Bouchard, +33 3 80 22 17 57, www.sensation-vin.com, contact@sensation-vin.com).
Beaune has accommodations with all levels of comfort in all price ranges. To sleep peacefully (and usually for less), choose one of the nearby wine villages (see here). Unless otherwise noted, the rooms listed next have air-conditioning but don’t have elevators.
$$$$ Hôtel le Cep**** is the venerable place to stay in Beaune, if you have the means. Buried in the town center, this historic building comes with fine public spaces inside and out, and 65 gorgeous wood-beamed, traditionally decorated rooms in all sizes (family rooms, fitness center, spa, pricey pay parking, 27 Rue Maufoux, +33 3 80 22 35 48, www.hotel-cep-beaune.com, resa@hotel-cep-beaune.com).
$$$ Les Jardins de Loïs**** is a four-star B&B run by welcoming winemakers Philippe and Anne-Marie. The five big rooms all overlook large gardens and show a no-expense-spared attention to comfort (also huge all-equipped apartment, includes custom-order breakfast; elevator, parking, on the ring road a block after Hôtel de la Poste at 8 Boulevard Bretonnière, +33 3 80 22 41 97, mobile +33 6 73 85 11 06, www.jardinsdelois.com, contact@jardinsdelois.com). Their atmospheric wine cellar, Domaine Loïs Dufouleur, offers tastings for guests (arrange ahead).
$$ Hôtel Athanor*** has a privileged location and charges for it. A block from Collégiale Notre-Dame church, you’ll get modern, if tired, comfort with a touch of old Beaune. The lounge sports a pool table and a full-service bar. The hallways are faded and rooms are a tad pricey; some have a little street noise and less than half have air-conditioning (family rooms, elevator, 9 Avenue de la République, +33 3 80 24 09 20, www.hotel-athanor.com, reservation@hotel-athanor.com).
$$ Hôtel des Remparts*** is a peaceful oasis in a rustic manor house built around a soothing courtyard. It features attentive service, Old World comfort, many rooms with beamed ceilings, big beds, and a few good family suites (RS%, laundry service, bike rental, pay garage parking, just inside ring road between train station and main square at 48 Rue Thiers, +33 3 80 24 94 94, www.hotel-remparts-beaune.com, hotel.des.remparts@wanadoo.fr).
The first three hotels are a few blocks from the city center and train station, with easy parking. If you need to sleep cheap and have a car, there’s a gaggle of motels between Beaune and the highway.
$$ Hôtel de la Paix,*** a few steps off Place Madeleine, is a top Beaune choice, with rooms in two buildings. In the main building (with reception, breakfast room, bar, and comfy lounges), there are 30 three-star, handsome, well-appointed rooms, including several good family rooms and “apartments” sleeping up to six. In a nearby annex are seven good-value, comfortable two-star rooms and two family rooms (good breakfast, pay parking, 45 Faubourg Madeleine, +33 3 80 24 78 08, www.hotelpaix.com, contact@hotelpaix.com).
$ Hôtel de France*** is a simple but good place with fair prices and updated rooms that’s easy for train travelers and drivers. It’s run by fun, English-speaking owners Nicolas and Virginie (family rooms, bar, good bistro, pay garage parking, 35 Avenue du 8 Septembre, +33 3 80 24 10 34, www.hoteldefrance-beaune.com, contact@hoteldefrance-beaune.com).
$ Hôtel Ibis Beaune Centre,*** with free and easy parking a few blocks south of Hôtel Dieu, has 73 efficient and comfortable rooms with tight but well-configured bathrooms. It’s a good value—better if you have kids and want a pool. The bigger-and-better-appointed “Club” rooms are worth the extra euros (elevator, free parking, 5-minute walk to town center, 7 Rue Henri Dunant, +33 3 80 22 75 67, https://ibis.accorhotels.com, h1363@accor.com). There are two other Ibis hotels in Beaune.
$ Hôtel La Villa Fleurie, a cozy 10-room refuge, is a solid value (a 15-minute walk from the center). First-floor-up rooms are wood-floored, plush, and très traditional; second-floor rooms are carpeted and cozy. Most rooms have queen-size beds, and all rooms have big bathrooms (family rooms, easy and free parking, 19 Place Colbert, +33 3 80 22 66 00, www.lavillafleurie.fr, contact@lavillafleurie.fr). From Beaune’s ring road, turn right in front of the Bichot winery.
For a small town, Beaune offers a wide range of reasonably priced restaurants. Review my suggestions before setting out, and reserve at least a day ahead to avoid frustration (especially on weekends). Many places are closed Sunday and Monday. This region offers a bounty of worthwhile upscale dining options (I’ve listed several), but before you book, check their wine lists (easiest to do online)—the prices may double your total dinner cost. For eating recommendations in the wine villages near Beaune, see here.
$$ Caveau des Arches is a reliable choice for Burgundian specialties; you’ll experience romantic stone cellars with top service and fine table settings. It has a €26 menu with the classics, a €36 menu with greater choices, and a €58 gourmand menu, but portions can be small (closed Sun-Mon and Aug, impressive wine list, where the ring road crosses Rue d’Alsace—which leads to Place Madeleine—at 10 Boulevard Perpreuil, +33 3 80 22 10 37).
$$ La Ciboulette, intimate and family-run with petite Hélèna as your hostess, offers fine cuisine that mixes traditional Burgundian flavors with creative dishes and lovely presentation. It’s worth the longer walk—and you can do your laundry next door while you dine (indoor seating only, closed Mon-Tue; from Place Carnot, walk out Rue Carnot to 69 Rue Lorraine; +33 3 80 24 70 72).
$$ Les Pôpiettes is a lively place that’s popular with locals and foodies. There’s a communal table on one side, booths on the other, and a cheery ambience. The chef-owner produces cuisine that’s an eclectic blend of delicious and inventive—though limited in choice—such as risotto and snails (inside dining only, closed Tue-Wed, 10 Rue d’Alsace, +33 3 80 21 91 81).
$$$ Le Goret (slang for pig) turns its back on Beaune’s sophistication, serving farmer-sized portions of regional dishes prepared by a jolly chef. Pork is their thing, and dietary concerns are not. This is the place to experience down-and-dirty Burgundy. There are no fixed menus (order from the pig chalkboards), and the selection is limited. You won’t find first courses here, only big servings of well-garnished main courses and killer desserts (closed Sun-Mon and Thu evening, inside tables only, reserve ahead by phone, behind Collégiale Notre-Dame at 10 Place Notre-Dame, +33 3 80 22 05 94).
$$ Brasserie le Carnot is a perennially popular café with good inside seating and better exterior tables in the thick of the pedestrian zone. It serves pizza, salads, and pasta dishes as well as the usual café offerings (open daily, 18 Rue Carnot where it meets Rue Monge, +33 3 80 22 32 93).
$ Bien et Bon serves cheap le fast food meals like crêpes, salads, and sandwiches with good outdoor seating (daily until 19:00, next to Brasserie le Carnot at 22 Rue Carnot, +33 3 80 21 78 99).
$ Aux Hospices, in the middle of a cluster of places on the main square, serves simple, light meals at bargain prices. You’ll get a fun outdoor experience, but there’s good inside seating, too (daily, 32 Place Carnot, +33 3 80 24 99 01).
Some of my favorite restaurants face this big square.
$ Le Bistro des Cocottes is a warm place where locals go for top regional cuisine and a nice selection of both light and filling dishes at good prices. Interior tables buzz with regulars while terrace tables seem popular with tourists (closed Sun-Mon, 3 Place de la Madeleine, +33 3 80 24 02 60).
$$$ Les Caves Madeleine serves owner/chef Martial’s recipes, inspired by his grandmother’s favorites. Step down into the warm little dining room and choose a private table—or better, join the communal table, where good food and wine kindle conversation and new friendships (making the place noisy for some). Service can be slow and wine by the glass or half-bottle is scarce (closed Wed and Sun, near Place Madeleine at 8 Rue du Faubourg Madeleine, +33 3 80 22 93 30).
$$ L’Ardoise is a warm bistro serving creative versions of regional and classic French dishes with easygoing service (closed Sun-Mon, 14 Rue du Faubourg Madeleine, +33 3 80 21 41 34).
$$ Le Tast’Vin, across from the train station at the recommended Hôtel de France, has a tasty menu and fun cheeseburgers with Burgundian cheese in an air-conditioned room (closed Sat and Mon for lunch and all day Sun, 35 Avenue du 8 Septembre, +33 3 80 24 10 34, www.hoteldefrance-beaune.com).
A short drive from Beaune brings great rewards for fine dining at affordable prices. Along with L’Agastache, listed below, consider Le Chevreuil in Meursault, 10 minutes from Beaune (see here); Auprès du Clocher in Pommard, just a few minutes away; or Maison Lameloise—one of France’s top restaurants—a 20-minute drive south in Chagny (see here).
$$$ L’Agastache, an intimate place buried in the wine village of Volnay 10 minutes from Beaune, offers a break from Burgundian tradition. The charming front terrace gathers several tables, and the small interior mixes contemporary with tradition. It’s run by a young Franco-Italian couple who prepare original and wonderfully presented dishes with a very limited selection—two- and three-course menus only—check their website to be sure you like the choices (closed Sun-Mon, 1 Rue de la Cave in Volnay, +33 3 80 21 12 30, www.lagastache-restaurant.com).
For traveling to nearby wine villages, see “Burgundy’s Wine Villages,” below.
From Beaune by Train to: Dijon (15/day, 20 minutes), Paris Gare de Lyon (nearly hourly, 2.5 hours, most require reservation and easy change in Dijon; more via Dijon to Paris’ Gare de Bercy, no reservation required, 3.5 hours), Bourges (1/day direct, 2.5 hours, more with transfer in Nevers), Colmar (10/day, 3 hours via TGV between Dijon and Mulhouse, reserve well ahead, changes in Dijon and Mulhouse or Belfort), Arles (hourly, 5 hours, transfer in Lyon), Chamonix (7/day, 7 hours, several changes), Annecy (8/day, 4.5 hours, change in Lyon and Chambéry), Amboise (6/day, 6 hours, transfer at Nevers and/or St-Pierre-des-Corps; more with multiple connections).
Exploring the villages and vineyards in the region near Beaune, by car or by bike, is a delight.
By Car: Driving provides the ultimate flexibility for touring the vineyards, though drivers should prepare for narrow lanes and use the handy buckets to spit back after tasting.
By Bike: Pedaling on a bike from Beaune takes you into the world-famous vineyards of the Côte d’Or within minutes. The many quiet service roads and bike-only lanes make this area wonderful for biking. (Beware of loose gravel on shoulders and along small roads.) A signed bike route, La Voie Verte, runs south from Beaune all the way to Cluny, and a new route from Beaune north toward Dijon should be in place by your visit. My favorite rides are described in detail in “Vineyard Loops near Beaune” (see later).
Well-organized, helpful, and English-speaking Florian and Cédric at Bourgogne Randonnées rent excellent bikes of all types, bike racks, kid bikes, and trailers, and offer maps and detailed itineraries. Ask about their favorite routes that follow only small roads and dedicated bike paths, and soak up their trustworthy wine-tasting tips. They can deliver a bike to your hotel anywhere in France if booked well ahead (standard bikes-€19/day, electric bikes-€35/day, includes helmet, daily 9:00-12:00 & 13:30-18:00, near Beaune train station at 7 Avenue du 8 Septembre, +33 3 80 22 06 03, www.bourgogne-randonnees.fr, helloinfobr@aol.com).
ADA Car Rental (listed under “Helpful Hints,” on here) and Galmard Vehicle Rental (18 Boulevard Jules Ferry, +33 3 80 24 10 23) also rent bikes.
By Bus: Mobigo bus #113 links Beaune with all the important wine villages to the north along the famous Route des Grands Crus, and runs to Dijon’s train station (7/day; http://viamobigo.fr). Buses to Dijon stop at the train station, and at two stops along Beaune’s ring road (see map on here). Bus service south of Beaune to villages like Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet is hopeless—take a taxi, hop a train (limited options), or rent a bike.
By Train: Trains stop intermittently in the wine villages of Meursault and Santenay to the south of Beaune. Trains also serve Nuits-St-Georges (best service), Vougeot (near Château de Clos Vougeot), and Gevrey-Chambertin to the north. Most of these stations require a 15-minute walk to the town center or main sight. Bikes are generally allowed on local trains, though it’s smart to check before you set out.
By Minibus Tour: Try Chemins de Bourgogne or Safari Wine Tours (see here).
By Taxi: Call Julien Dupont at Allo Beaune Taxi (mobile +33 6 11 83 06 10); for another taxi option, see here.
You’ll find exceptional tasting, eating, and sleeping values in the workaday villages and towns within a 15-minute drive of Beaune. The Côte d’Or has scads of chambres d’hôtes; get a list at the TI and reserve ahead in summer. See also the suggestions along the Route des Grands Crus (here).
For driving/biking loops that tie these villages together, see here; for the Route des Grands Crus, see here.
The small village of Pommard lies on the bike path just two miles south of Beaune. Walkers can follow the bike path and make it here in 45 minutes. Pommard has cafés, restaurants, and many tasting opportunities.
Appellation Chocolat makes its own chocolat, a fun and tasty diversion (Tue-Sat 9:30-19:00, closed Sun-Mon, a short block to the right off the main road at 5 Place de l’Europe, +33 3 45 63 85 89).
Domaine Lejeune is a small family winery with an unusual twist—it has been handed from mother to daughter for seven generations, a rare occurrence in this traditionally male-dominated business. During the hour-long tour you’ll see old-style wooden vats and the cellar before sampling three wines for free (Mon-Sat 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, best to call ahead, behind the church, +33 3 80 22 90 88, www.domaine-lejeune.fr).
Eating in Pommard: Eat inside or outside at $$ La Compagnie de Fanny, a nifty little wine-bar-meets-diner that serves cheese-and-meat platters, bruschetta, and salads to happy clients (closed Tue, a short block off the main road at 12 Place de l’Europe, +33 3 45 63 16 53). $$ Hôtel du Pont, on the main road, serves a good lunch at fair prices on a nice terrace (daily, Rue Marey Monge, +33 3 80 22 03 41). To really do it up right, dine at $$$$ Auprès du Clocher, overlooking the bell tower, with stylish, contemporary decor, a formal yet intimate atmosphere, and a focus on la cuisine gastronomique (closed Tue-Wed, 1 Rue Nackenheim, +33 3 80 22 21 79, www.aupresduclocher.com).
This appealing town 10 minutes south of Beaune is like a mini-Beaune, with a vast main square ringed with a TI, cafés, wine shops, and a small grocery market. A good selection of hotels and restaurants is available in its compact center. Eat or sleep here for that small-town feel and quick access to Beaune, vineyards, and villages. The train station is a 20-minute walk from the town center (limited service).
Sleeping and Eating in Meursault: $$ Hôtel du Globe*** is a sharp and central boutique hotel with stylish rooms, handsome public spaces, and a restaurant with a fine outdoor terrace (Rue de Lattre de Tassigny, +333 80 21 64 90, https://hotel-globe.fr, contact@hotel-globe.fr).
$$$ Hôtel/Restaurant le Chevreuil** attracts foodies and locals wanting a special Burgundian meal. With its country-elegant setting and lovely terrace in back, this place merits a detour from Beaune. They offer a good range of choices blending old and new. Come early for a glass of wine on the square (lunch deals, book ahead, closed Wed and Sun for dinner, 9 Place de la République, +33 3 80 21 23 25, http://lechevreuil.fr, reception@lechevreuil.fr).
$ Hôtel du Centre** offers an unpretentious menu for lunch or dinner, a sweet courtyard, and humble but cheap rooms (restaurant closed Wed-Thu, 4 Rue de Lattre de Tassigny, +33 3 80 21 20 75, contact@hotel-du-centre-meursault.com).
This village of around 400 people is situated about a 15-minute drive (or 60 minutes by bike) south of Beaune, on the scenic route to Château de la Rochepot (see here). It has just enough commercial activity to keep travelers well-fed, hydrated, and housed.
Located on the village’s central roundabout, the user-friendly Caveau de Puligny-Montrachet has a convivial wine-bar-like tasting room, a smart outdoor terrace, and no pressure to buy. Knowledgeable owner Julien is happy to answer your every question. He has wines from 200 Burgundian vintners, from Chablis to Pouilly-Fuissé, but his forte is Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault whites, which is why I taste here. His reds are young and less ready to drink (€20/6 wines, can ship to the US; daily 9:30-13:00 & 15:00-19:00, until 18:00 in winter; +33 3 80 21 96 78, www.caveau-puligny.com).
Sleeping in Puligny-Montrachet: $$$ Hôtel Le Montrachet delivers country-classy Burgundian comfort with formal service on Puligny-Montrachet’s main square. Stay here and enjoy a meal at its recommended, well-respected restaurant (elevator, 10 Place du Pasquier de la Fontaine, +33 3 80 21 30 06, www.le-montrachet.com, info@le-montrachet.com).
$ Chambres les Gagères is a swinging deal with four cozy and spotless rooms—some with vineyard views, and all with a common kitchen and view terraces overlooking vineyards. Adorable Maria speaks little English but manages to get her point across (includes breakfast, 17 Rue Drouhin, +33 3 80 21 97 46, mobile +33 6 15 97 64 71, www.les-gageres.fr, contact@les-gageres.fr).
Eating in Puligny-Montrachet: At $$$$ Le Montrachet, settle in for a truly traditional Burgundian experience—a justifiable splurge for refined and classy dining without stuffiness. It’s a great choice for a gourmet lunch on a lovely terrace (€32 lunch menu, €65-97 dinner menus, pricey wine list; open daily; see Hôtel Le Montrachet listing, earlier, for contact info). Come early for a glass of wine before dinner with Julien at the Caveau de Puligny-Montrachet (described earlier).
$$ L’Estaminet des Meix, a contemporary café in the heart of the village, serves good brasserie fare at reasonable prices and has fun outdoor seating (€20 dinner menu includes snails, bœuf bourguignon, and dessert; closed Sun, Place du Pasquier de la Fontaine, +33 3 80 21 33 01).
Splendid both inside and out, this pint-size, very Burgundian castle rises above its village, eight miles from Beaune (but may be closed in 2021—check before you visit). Construction began during the end of the Middle Ages (when castles were built to defend) and was completed during the Renaissance (when castles became luxury homes). So it’s neither a purely defensive structure nor a palace—it’s a bit of both. The castle was never attacked by foreigners, though the French Revolution laid waste to a good part of it. After being used as a quarry, it was purchased by a local family and rebuilt. Even if closed, the castle still makes for a great photo-op at the end of a scenic car or (arduous) bike ride.
Cost and Hours: May be closed; if open €8.50 (skip the scarce €11 guided tours in French only); July-Aug daily 10:00-18:00; March-June & Sept-Nov Wed-Sun until 17:00 and closed Tue; closed Dec-Feb; +33 3 80 20 04 00, www.larochepot.com.
Getting There: The highly recommended scenic route from Beaune to the château is described in the “South Vineyard Loop” (see later). Or, to reach the château more directly from Beaune, follow signs for Chalon-sur-Saône from Beaune’s ring road, then follow signs to Autun for 15 lovely minutes. A café with drinks and light snacks stares point-blank at the castle entry.
The only reason to come to this unexceptional town 20 minutes south of Beaune is to eat very well or to enjoy its terrific Sunday morning market (trains allow access for non-drivers).
Eating in Chagny: Well-known as one of France’s finest restaurants, $$$$ Maison Lameloise has Michelin’s top rating (three stars). The setting is elegant (as you’d expect), the service is relaxed and patient (which you might not expect), the cuisine is Burgundy’s best, and the overall experience is memorable. If you’re tempted to dive into the top of the top of French cuisine, book this place well ahead (menus from about €150 at dinner and €82 at lunch, very pricey wines, open daily, 36 Place d’Armes, +33 3 85 87 65 65, www.lameloise.fr). Or consider their nearby contemporary bistro $$$ Pierre et Jean, where you get the same quality with a simpler menu for less money (menus from €34, around the corner at 2 Rue de la Poste, +33 3 85 87 08 67, www.pierrejean-restaurant.fr).
This small, prestigious village has good tasting rooms (and not much more) for its remarkable red wines; it’s just a 10-minute drive north of Beaune.
At the Domaines d’Aloxe-Corton caveau, you can sample four famous Aloxe-Corton wines in a comfortable and relaxed setting. Prices are affordable, and friendly Denis speaks enough English (small fee for tasting, free if you buy one bottle, Thu-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-19:00, no midday break on high-season weekends, closed Tue-Wed, +33 3 80 26 49 85, http://aloxe.corton.free.fr). You’ll find the caveau a few steps from the little square in Aloxe-Corton.
At Mischief and Mayhem, British-born-and-raised Fiona and Michael make fine wines and sell them at fair prices (€15-60, but little middle ground). They are thoroughly immersed in Burgundian life and can help you make sense of this region’s wine culture. Tasting is by appointment only (tell them you’re a Rick Steves reader). It’s a few blocks below the church on D-115d to Ladoix-Serrigny at 10 Impasse du Puits, mobile +33 6 30 01 23 76, www.mischiefandmayhem.com.
Domaine Comte Senard is famous for its prestigious wines and table d’hôte, where you get a no-choice lunch menu (with lots of courses), with matching wines and thorough explanations from the wine steward—including a visit to their cellars (lunch served Tue-Sat 11:30-13:30, €75 with 4 wines, €105 with 6 wines, several of them grands crus). Book ahead for this convivial way to spend two hours learning about the local product. You can also just do a free tasting of two basic wines—or guided tastings with a sommelier (€28 for 4 fine wines for the first person, €15/person after that, Tue-Sat 10:00-11:30 & 14:00-17:30, closed Sun-Mon, reserve ahead by phone, 1 Rue des Chaumes, +33 3 80 26 41 65, www.domainesenard.com).
Sleeping in Aloxe-Corton: $$$ Hôtel Villa Louise*** is a romantic place burrowed deep in this wine hamlet. Many of its 14 spacious and tastefully decorated rooms overlook the backyard vineyards and a large, grassy garden made for sipping the owner’s wine—but, sadly, no picnics are allowed. There’s a small covered pool, a cozy lounge, and tastings of the owner’s wines (suites available, sauna, rental bikes available, near the château at 9 Rue Franche, +33 3 80 26 46 70, www.hotel-villa-louise.fr, contact@hotel-villa-louise.fr).
This Hautes-Côtes village is located 15 minutes north of Beaune via a beautiful wine road (drive up into Pernand Vergeles to find this road signed on the right).
Domaine Naudin-Ferrand is overlooked by most, but makes fine reds and whites at excellent prices, and offers an authentic, small-producer experience (simple tasting room with helpful Julie or Claire who speak English well). Its best values are wines from the Hautes-Côtes vineyards. Tasting is by appointment only—call or email (free for a short tasting of 2-3 basic wines, fee for more elaborate tastings; Mon-Fri 9:00-12:00 & 13:30-17:30 except closed Wed afternoon, Sat 14:00-18:00, closed Sun, Rue du Meix-Grenot—carefully track the faded signs, +33 3 80 62 91 50, mobile +33 6 87 76 85 42, www.naudin-ferrand.com, julie@naudin-ferrand.com).
About five minutes from Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune is a thriving village with all the services travelers need, but no central square or focal point to make me want to sleep here.
Savigny-lès-Beaune is home to Henri de Villamont, a big-time enterprise with a huge range of wines and a modern, welcoming tasting room. They grow their own grapes and also buy grapes from other vineyards, but make all the wines themselves. This allows them to create a vast selection of wines featuring grapes from virtually all the famous wine villages, from Pouilly-Fuissé to Chablis (€15 to taste 4 wines, hours vary but generally Wed-Fri 10:00-12:30 & 13:30-18:00, by appointment only on other days, Rue du Dr. Guyot, +33 3 80 21 52 13, www.henridevillamont.fr).
Sights in Savigny-lès-Beaune: The medieval castle Château de Savigny comes with a moat and an eclectic collection that includes 100 fighter jets, Abarth antique racing cars, tractors and fire engines, 300 motorcycles, 6,000 airplane models, vineyards—and no furnishings (castle-€12, daily mid-April-mid-Oct 9:00-18:30, shorter hours off-season, last entry 1.5 hours before closing, English handout; you can taste the owner’s wines for a small fee; +33 3 80 21 55 03, www.chateau-savigny.com).
Eating in Savigny-lès-Beaune: Beyond the château in the village, the $$ R. De Famille café-pizzeria faces a little square and has good outdoor seating (closed Mon). A grocery shop and a bakery are a few blocks past the café (grocery usually closed 12:30-15:00).
I’ve outlined two vineyard loops near Beaune, with recommendations for touring the Route des Grands Crus between Beaune and Dijon. These drives combine great scenery with some of my favorite wine destinations (for more on these towns, see “Wine Villages and Sights near Beaune,” earlier). Certain segments are doable by bike depending on your fitness and determination. Before planning to take your bike on the train, check with the bike shop to be sure it’s allowed on board.
Choosing a Route: If time is tight and you have a car, drive the beautiful “South Vineyard Loop” to Château de la Rochepot. The section between Puligny-Montrachet and La Rochepot is a tough ride (unless your bike is electric), so bikers should only do the first section of this route (ideally to Puligny-Montrachet and back—an easy, level ride; see route map on here).
My “North Vineyard Loop” takes you through Aloxe-Corton to Savigny-lès-Beaune and is good by car or by bike (manageable hills and distances). I also list worthwhile stops on the famous “Route des Grands Crus,” connecting Burgundy’s most prestigious wine villages farther north of Beaune, which should have a new bike path in place by the time of your visit.
Vineyard Tips: Along these routes, I avoid tasting at famous wine châteaux (such as those in Pommard and Meursault) and look for smaller, more personal places. Although you can drop in unannounced at a wine château or a caveau that represents multiple wineries (comme un cheveu sur la soupe—“like a hair on the soup”), at private wineries it’s best to call ahead and arrange an appointment (ask your hotelier for help). At free tastings, you’re expected to buy at least a bottle or two unless you’re on a group tour.
Before heading out, read the section on Burgundian wines (here). You’ll almost certainly see workers tending the vines. In winter, plants are pruned way back (determining the yield during grape harvest in the fall). Starting in spring, plants are trimmed to get rid of extraneous growth, allowing just the right amount of sun to reach the grapes. The arrival date of good weather in spring determines the date of harvest (100 days later).
Take this pretty, peaceful route, worth ▲▲, for the best approach to La Rochepot’s romantic castle. The castle may be closed in 2021, but the scenic route, gliding through several of Burgundy’s most reputed vineyards, is still worthwhile (and you can always view the charming castle exterior). Read ahead and note the hours of wineries and sights along the route (you can also do this loop in reverse). There are good picnic spots along the way; one is just before entering Puligny-Montrachet from the north (turn right, pass the first picnic spot, and continue 100 yards farther to one closer to the hills). The entire loop is 28 miles.
Bikers can follow the first part of this route to Puligny-Montrachet, along Burgundy’s best bike path (connects the wine villages of Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, and Puligny-Montrachet for a level, 18-mile loop; allow two hours round trip). Only power riders or those with e-bikes should tackle the hills to La Rochepot.
By Car: Drivers leave Beaune’s ring road, following signs for Chalon-sur-Saône (often abbreviated “Chalon-s/ S.,” first turnoff after Auxerre exit), then follow signs to Pommard/Autun. When you come to Pommard, you’ll pass several lunch and wine-tasting opportunities, including Domaine Lejeune (see here).
South of Pommard, the road gradually climbs past Volnay and terrific views. From here, follow signs into Meursault (Centre-Ville signs lead to its fine square, bakeries, grocery shops, and good restaurants; see here).
Drivers just passing through Meursault follow Toutes Directions to the lower end of the village, then turn right on D-113b, and follow signs for Puligny-Montrachet. Pass through low-slung vineyards south of Meursault, then enter Puligny-Montrachet (town and wineries described on here)—with good picnic spots on the right as you enter. At the big roundabout with a bronze sculpture of vineyard workers, find the Caveau de Puligny-Montrachet and a chance to sample from vines that produce “the world’s best whites.” A block straight out the door of the caveau leads to a small grocery and the town’s big square (Place du Pasquier de la Fontaine), with Hôtel-Restaurant Le Montrachet and Café de l’Estaminet des Meix.
Go back to the roundabout and follow signs to Chassagne-Montrachet and St. Aubin (D-113a), leading through more manicured vineyards.
Though it may be closed when you visit (check ahead), Château de la Rochepot makes a picture-perfect next stop. Make a hard right on D-906 to St-Aubin and following La Rochepot signs onto D-33. After heading over the hills and through the vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes (upper slopes), you’ll come to a drop-dead view of the castle (stop mandatory). Turn right when you reach La Rochepot and follow blue Le Château signs to the castle (described earlier under “Wine Villages and Sights near Beaune”).
Returning to Beaune: After seeing the castle, turn right out of its parking lot. You’ll crest the hill, then turn left following signs into Baubigny and track the D-17 through Evelle and rock-solid Orches. After Orches, climb to the top of Burgundy’s world—keeping straight on D-17, you’ll pass several lookouts on your right (simple dirt pullouts with exceptional views, the best is about 50 yards before the steel guardrail). Get out of your car and wander cliffside for a postcard-perfect Burgundian image. The village of St-Romain swirls below, and if it’s really clear, look for Mont Blanc on the eastern horizon.
Next, drive down to St-Romain, passing Burgundy’s most important wine-barrel maker, Tonnellerie Francois Frères (it’s above the village in the modern building, www.francoisfreres.com). Inside, well-stoked fires heat the oak staves to make them flexible, and sweaty workers use heavy hammers to pound iron rings around the barrels as they’ve done since medieval times. The workshop is closed to the public, but discreet travelers can take quick peeks through the glass doors to the far left.
Next, follow signs for Auxey-Duresses, and then Beaune for a scenic finale to your journey.
By Bike: Take the vineyard bike path by leaving the ring road toward Auxerre, and turning left at the signal after Lycée Viticole de Beaune (look for bike-route icons and Voie Verte Beaune-Santenay signs). Pommard has lunch and wine-tasting stops (listed earlier). South of Pommard, follow bike icons along the bike-only path, then ride into Meursault (restaurants and more). Follow more bike icons out of town through manicured vineyards to reach Puligny-Montrachet (described earlier).
From Puligny-Montrachet, double back to Beaune or continue on the bike path to Santenay, ride along the canal to Chagny, and take the train back to Beaune (2/hour weekdays, 1/hour weekends, ask for la gare in Chagny—it is poorly signed). Continuing to Château de la Rochepot is not recommended unless you’re training for the Tour de France or have an e-bike.
For an easy and rewarding spin by car—or ideally by bike—through waves of vineyards that smother traditional villages, follow this relatively level 10-mile loop from Beaune, worth ▲. It laces together three renowned wine villages—Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses, and Savigny-lès-Beaune—connecting you with Burgundian nature and village wine culture.
With stops, allow a half-day by bike or 1.5 hours by car. Those wanting a little more should take the extension from Pernand-Vergelesses to Magny-les-Villers. Drivers can combine this loop with the “Route des Grands Crus” (all these options are described later).
Bring water and snacks, as there is precious little available until the end of this route. There’s a good picnic spot with shade on the small road halfway between Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses. Your tour concludes in Savigny-lès-Beaune, where you’ll find a café-pizzeria, wine tastings, a small grocery, and a unique château.
By Car: From Beaune’s ring road, drivers take D-974 a few blocks north toward Dijon. Follow Savigny-lès-Beaune signs left at the signal, then quickly turn right. On the outskirts of town you’ll cross over the autoroute and follow the second sign you see to Pernand-Vergelesses (D-18). Turn right at the first Aloxe-Corton sign, and glide into the town. Make a hard left at the stop sign and climb uphill to find a small parking area with several recommended wine-tastings close by.
By Bike: From Beaune’s ring road, turn right on Rue de Chorey after passing the public pool, following signs for Gigny (just before D-974 to Dijon). Continue following signs toward Gigny into Chorey-les-Beaune. In Chorey-les Beaune, veer left onto Rue Pavelot, pass through two stop signs, then follow the lane as it enters the vineyards and eventually curves left. Cross busy D-974, go straight up the tree-lined road, veer right at the fork, then make a left at the stop sign and climb uphill into Aloxe-Corton.
Aloxe-Corton: This tiny town, with a world-class reputation among wine enthusiasts, is packed with top tasting opportunities (but no cafés). The easygoing Domaines d’Aloxe-Corton, English-owned Mischief and Mayhem, and more upscale Domaine Comte all offer different kinds of tastings (see here).
• Drivers and bikers leave Aloxe-Corton and head up the hill on Rue des Chaumes, following signs for Pernand-Vergelesses (you’ll pass a nice picnic spot on the left in about 300 yards). At the T-intersection with D-18, most bikers will want to turn left and pick up the directions for leaving Pernand-Vergelesses (below). Otherwise, turn right and head into...
Pernand-Vergelesses: As you enter the village, look for a cute little café called $ La Grappe de Pernand (follow the umbrellas down to the right and find reasonably priced food and drink, closed Mon in off-season and Tue year-round, +33 3 80 21 59 46).
Drivers and power-bikers should consider two worthwhile detours from Pernand-Vergelesses: Climbing well above the village leads to one of the best vineyard panoramas in Burgundy. To get there, enter Pernand-Vergelesses, turn right at the roundabout and head up into the village, turning right on Rue du Creux St. Germain, and then continuing straight and up along Rue Copeau. Curve up past the church until you see small Panorama signs.
Drivers and bikers can take a scenic detour to Magny-les-Villers by turning right before the panorama (just after passing the church), then tracking a scenic and hilly wine lane for about two miles to one of my favorite wineries, Domaine Naudin-Ferrand (see here). Just a short distance down this lane brings rewards; the views are best on your return to Pernand-Vergelesses.
• Leaving Pernand-Vergelesses, bikers and drivers both follow the main road (D-18) back toward Beaune, and turn right into the vineyards on the first lane (at the Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru sign, about 400 yards from Pernand-Vergelesses). Keep left at the first fork and rise gently to lovely views. Drop down and turn right when you come to a T, then joyride along the vine service lanes (bikers should watch for loose gravel). The lane dumps you in the center of...
Savigny-lès-Beaune: A left leads to Henri de Villamont winery, and a right leads to the village center, Château de Savigny, and the R. De Famille café-pizzeria (all described on here).
• From Savigny-lès-Beaune, drive or pedal following signs back into Beaune. To avoid busy D-18 into Beaune, bikers can take a slightly longer route following D-2a from Savigny, tracking signs to D-974, then crossing it and taking the first right in Chorey-les-Beaune (along the stone wall), and then following Route de Beaune signs. Turn right at the “do not enter” sign then take your first left to reach Beaune’s ring road.
Those with a car may prefer continuing north from Savigny-lès-Beaune along the “Route des Grands Crus,” next.
While I prefer the areas south and west of Beaune, a more northern stretch of the Route des Grands Crus is a ▲ must for wine connoisseurs with a car, as it passes through Burgundy’s most fabled vineyards.
The first part, between Aloxe-Corton and Nuits-St-Georges, forces you onto the unappealing highway (D-974). But from Vougeot north, the route improves noticeably if you stick to D-122. Locals call this section the “Champs-Elysées of Burgundy.” Between Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin, the road runs past 24 grand cru wineries of the Côte de Nuits—pinot noir paradise, where 95 percent of the wines are red. The path of today’s busy D-974 road was established by monks in the 12th century to delineate the easternmost limit of land on which good wine grapes could be grown. (Land to the east of this road is fine for other crops but not for wine.) For lunch fixings, you’ll find grocery stores in Nuits-St-Georges and in Gevrey-Chambertin.
Here’s a rundown of my favorite places on the northern Route des Grands Crus, listed from Beaune toward Dijon (for locations, see the map on here). By car each stop from Nuits-St-George onward is a few minutes from the next.
Referred to simply as “Nuits” (nwee) by locals, this town has a pleasant pedestrian zone and makes a good stop for provisions if you’re planning a picnic. Red wines are king here, accounting for 95 percent of all wines.
Come to this little village high above the wine route (5 minutes northwest of Nuits-St-Georges) for a Back Door stop at the shop called Ferme Fruirouge. Adorable owners Sylvain and Isabelle grow cherries, raspberries, and black currants, and make crème de cassis, vinegars, mustards, and jams with passion. They (or their equally adorable staff) will explain their time-honored process for crafting these products. You can sample everything—including their one-of-a-kind cassis-ketchup—and get free recipe cards in French (Thu-Mon 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-19:00, closed Tue-Wed, 2 Place de l’Eglise, +33 3 80 62 36 25, www.fruirouge.fr, call ahead to arrange for a good explanation of their operation).
The fabled Romanée-Conti vineyards of this tiny hamlet produce the priciest wines in Burgundy (figure $6,000 per bottle minimum; sorry, all bottles are presold).
In many ways, this is the birthplace of great Burgundian wines. In the 12th century, monks from the abbey of Cîteaux (8 miles southeast from here) built the impressive stone Château du Clos de Vougeot to store equipment and make their wines. Their careful study of winemaking was the foundation for the world-famous reputation of Burgundian wines. It was here that monks discovered that pinot noir and chardonnay grapes were best suited to the local soil and climate. There’s little to see inside except for the fine stone construction, four ancient and massive wine presses, and the room where the Confrérie des Chevaliers Tastevin (a Burgundian brotherhood of wine tasters) meets to celebrate their legacy—and to apply their label of quality to area wines, called le Tastevinage. As you enter, ask if they can play the well-done, 20-minute film about the château and the Confrérie des Chevaliers Tastevin in English (but since it’s mostly images, it’s still worth seeing in French, shown in the upstairs monks’ dormitory). Skipping the entrance fee is a good option for some as you can still view the historic courtyard, see the cellar where Tastevin vintages are stored, and peruse the gift shop. The château has a good English handout and posted information on touchscreens, but no tastings (€7.50, Sun-Fri 9:00-18:30, Sat until 17:00, Nov-March daily 10:00-17:00, +33 3 80 62 86 09, well-signed just outside town, www.closdevougeot.fr).
Some of the region’s most scenic vineyards are just north of Vougeot, along D-122, where the next three villages lie.
Hiding in the northwest corner of the village of Chambolle-Musigny, Le Caveau des Musignys is a fine place to sample Burgundy’s rich variety of wines. Say bonjour to charmant Annie, who will introduce you to the region’s wines in a cool, vaulted tasting room. Representing 45 producers, she has wines from throughout Burgundy in all price ranges (recent vintages only for tasting). The whites and reds from the Hautes-Côtes are a good value, as are the midrange reds from Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée (free tasting, shipping available, daily 10:00-18:00, a block north of the church at 1 Rue Traversière, parking available within a few blocks, +33 3 80 62 84 01). You can eat upstairs in an elegant setting, where sharp, modern decor blends with traditional preparation, at the lovely $$$ Le Millésime (lunch menus except Sat, pricier dinner menus, indoor seating only, dazzling wine shelves, closed Sun-Mon, +33 3 80 62 80 37).
This village houses more vineyards, a café, a bakery, and another worthwhile tasting stop at the Caveau des Vignerons, with reasonably priced wines from 13 small producers (each too small to have its own tasting room). Gentle Catherine speaks enough English to welcome you to her free tasting room, where you can sample wines from the Côtes de Nuits. They have a good selection of wines from Gevrey-Chambertin, though I prefer those from Morey-St-Denis (daily 10:00-13:00 & 13:30-18:30, next to the church, +33 3 80 51 86 79).
For many pinot noir lovers, a visit to this flowery village is the pinnacle of their Burgundian pilgrimage. The appealing village has a TI (daily, 1 Rue Gaston Roupnel, +33 3 80 34 38 40), a small grocery, a café, a pizzeria, a few restaurants, and a good-value hotel.
Gevrey-Chambertin produces nine of the 32 grand cru wines from Burgundy. All are pinot noirs (no whites in sight), and all use the suffix “Chambertin” (“Gevrey” is the historic name of the village; “Chambertin” is its most important vineyard. Philippe LeClerc’s domaine, nestled in the town center, owns an atmospheric wine cellar with good tastings and a nifty wine museum (€10 for museum and 6 tastes, free if you buy, daily 9:30-19:00, Rue des Halles, +33 3 80 34 30 72, www.philippe-leclerc.com).
Sleeping in Gevrey-Chambertin: You can sleep well at $ Hôtel les Grands Crus,*** with simple, spotless, and traditional rooms overlooking vineyards, plus a pleasant patio and free, secure parking. And it’s an easy walk to the village center (air-con, at the northwest edge of town on Rue de Lavaux, +33 3 80 34 34 15, www.hoteldesgrandscrus.com, contact@hoteldesgrandscrus.com).
Eating in Gevrey-Chambertin: Enjoy simple, inexpensive fare at the local watering hole, $ Le Bar à Vins café (three-course Burgundian menu for €18, closed Tue). For lunch, try the funky, fun, and casual $ La Jeanette, a little boutique that doubles as a diner with a sliver of outdoor tables and a 1950s interior (small selection but good value, Thu-Tue 10:00-19:00, closed Wed, 12 Rue du Gaizot, +33 3 80 33 41 95).
North of Beaune, a handful of worthwhile places string together nicely for a full-day excursion: towering Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, remote Fontenay’s abbey, pretty little Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, and Julius Caesar’s victorious battlefield at Alise-Ste-Reine (with its good museum, MuséoParc Alésia).
As a bonus, following my driving tour of this area takes you along several stretches of the Burgundy Canal (Canal de Bourgogne). As in much of France, Burgundy’s canals were dug 200 years ago, in the early Industrial Age, as an affordable way to transport bulky materials. The Burgundy canal was among the most important, linking Paris with the Mediterranean Sea. The canal is 145 miles long, with 209 locks, and rises over France’s continental divide in Pouilly-en-Auxois, just below Châteauneuf-en-Auxois (where the canal runs underground for about two miles). Digging began in 1727 and the canal was completed in 1832—just in time for the invention of steam engines on rails, which soon eliminated the need for waterway transport (timing is, as they say, everything).
The towns and sights described next can be connected with my “Back-Door Burgundy Drive” outlined on here.
This living hill town, hunkered in the shadow of its 14th-century castle, merits exploring. The perfectly medieval castle once monitored passage between Burgundy and Paris, with hawk-eye views from its 2,000-foot-high setting. Châteauneuf means “new castle,” so you’ll see many in France. This one is in the Auxois area, so it’s Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. Park at the lot in the very upper end of the village (where the road ends), and don’t miss the panoramic viewpoint nearby. The military value of this site is powerfully clear from here. Find the Burgundy Canal and the three reservoirs that have maintained the canal’s flow for more than 200 years. The small village below is Châteauneuf’s port, Vandenesse-en-Auxois—you’ll be there shortly. If not for phylloxera—the vine-loving insect that ravaged France in the late 1800s, killing all its vineyards—you’d see more vineyards than wheat fields.
Saunter into the village, where every building feels historic and stocky farmers live side by side with tattooed artists. Walk into the courtyard, but skip the château’s interior (€5, Tue-Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Mon, English handout). You’ll get better moat views and see the more important castle entry by walking beneath the Hôstellerie du Château, and then turning right, following Eglise signs.
Sleeping and Eating in Châteauneuf-en-Auxois: A simple place, $ Hôstellerie du Château** houses an enticing budget-vacation ensemble: nine homey, inexpensive rooms with a rear garden overlooking the brooding floodlit castle at night (+33 3 80 49 22 00, www.hostellerie-de-chateauneuf.com, contact@hostellerie-de-chateauneuf.com). Their $$ good-value restaurant offers regional cuisine, salads, and grilled meats (closed Wed off-season). There are also several affordable cafés and restaurants along the town’s main drag, including cozy $ Orée du Bois, which makes a variety of good crêpes, including one stuffed with snails (+33 3 80 49 25 32).
A united Gaul forming a single nation animated by the same spirit could defy the universe.
—Julius Caesar, The Gallic Wars
Historians are convinced that Julius Caesar defeated the Gallic leader Vercingétorix on these lands surrounding the vertical village of Alise-Ste-Reine in 52 BC, thus winning Gaul for the Roman Empire and forever changing France’s destiny. Visit the museum-park and stand where Caesar did, then drive above the village to see things from the Gauls’ perspective.
This circular museum, looking like a modern sports arena, does this important site justice with easy-to-follow exhibits and well-delivered information (but no original artifacts from the battle). The circular structure symbolizes how, more than 2,000 years ago, Caesar ordered his outnumbered forces to surround the Gauls’ oppidum (hilltop village), starving them out and winning a decisive victory (see sidebar).
Cost: €10, includes essential audioguide (kid version, too), skip the €2 extra for the archaeological site on the hills above.
Hours: Daily 10:00-18:00, July-Aug until 19:00, Oct-Dec until 17:00, closed Jan-Feb, +33 3 80 96 96 23, www.alesia.com.
Visiting the Museum: With the help of the audioguide, touchscreens, and posted information, you’ll gain a keen understanding of the events that led up to this battle, why it happened here, and how it unfolded. You’ll learn much about the two protagonists, Caesar and Vercingétorix, their armies, and their motivations, and be drawn into the conflict with an 18-minute film.
Allow an hour for the museum’s single floor of exhibits, then climb to the top floor for views from a Roman perspective. Finally, walk out back to inspect the full-scale reconstruction of a section of the Roman wall and lookouts that pinned the Gauls to that hilltop.
Staff dressed as Romans or Gauls are present in high season to answer your questions and give demonstrations (some English spoken). Pick up the chain-mail suit (30 pounds) and learn that it took more than half a mile of metal line to make one. To add more meaning to this sight, read “The Romans in Provence” (see here).
Nearby: Drive up through the village of Alise-Ste-Reine and follow the Statue de Vercingétorix signs leading to the park with the huge statue of the Gallic warrior overlooking his Waterloo (skip the archaeological site). Stand as he did—imagining yourself trapped on this hilltop—then find the orientation table under the gazebo and appreciate the peekaboo views through the trees.
A few minutes from Alise-Ste-Reine, little Flavigny-sur-Ozerain’s (flah-veen-yee sur oh-zuh-rain) red-tile roofs cover its hilltop with a movie-set panorama. The town had its 15 minutes of fame in 2000, when the movie Chocolat was filmed here, but otherwise this unassuming and serenely situated village feels permanently stuck in the past. Flavigny makes a good coffee or lunch stop, as there’s little to do here but appreciate the setting, admire its beautiful church, and sample the local anis (anise) candies.
Flavigny has been home to an abbey since 719, when the first (Benedictine) abbey of St. Pierre was built. The town thrived during the Middle Ages thanks to its relative proximity to Vézelay (with its relics of Mary Magdalene) and the flood of pilgrims coming through en route to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. The little town was occupied by the Brits during the Hundred Years’ War (15th century), then ever-so-gradually slid into irrelevance. By the time the French Revolution rolled around, it had no religious or defensive importance and was left alone. The movie Chocolat (with Johnny Depp, Juliette Binoche, and Alfred Molina) put the town back on the map—at least for a while. The TI and anis shop have booklets of photos taken during the filming and can help you locate key buildings featured in the movie. Today, Flavigny has been reinvigorated by the return of 50 Benedictine monks to the Abbey of St. Joseph.
Park in the designated lot and enter the village, passing the café-restaurant along the Rue de l’Abbaye. You’ll soon come to the charming Anis de Flavigny shop and factory at the former Abbaye de St-Pierre. The shop has a sweet little café, information about the village, and tours of its candy production (open daily). The candies are sold in pretty tins for €2.50 and make great souvenirs—the coffee-flavored ones are très bon. Pick up a village map here or from the TI (limited hours, a block down from the church on Rue de l’Eglise). And peek into the evocative ninth-century Carolingian crypt next door.
The town revolves around its medieval Church of St. Genest, with its mesmerizing interior (closed 12:30-14:30). Climb to the balcony for fine views up the nave (Chocolat movie fans can relive the young priest’s anxious sermons). Outside the church, just below the recommended Grange restaurant, spot the location for the movie’s chocolate shop (behind the rounded brown windowsills).
Eating in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain: You’ll eat for a steal at $$ La Grange (“The Barn”) on cheap, farm-fresh fare, including luscious quiche, salads, plats du jour, fresh cheeses, pâtés, and delicious fruit pies (April-mid-Oct daily 12:30-18:00; open Sun only in off-season and closed Dec-Jan; across from church, look for brown doors and listen for lunchtime dining, +33 3 80 35 81 78).
The entire ensemble of buildings composing this isolated Cistercian abbey has survived, giving visitors perhaps the best picture of medieval abbey life in France. In the Middle Ages, it was written, “To fully grasp the meaning of Fontenay and the power of its beauty, you must approach it trudging through the forest footpaths...through the brambles and bogs...in an October rain.” Those arriving by car will still find Fontenay’s secluded setting—blanketed in birdsong and with a garden lovingly used “as a stage set”—truly magical.
Cost and Hours: €10, daily 10:00-19:00, mid-Nov-March 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, +33 3 80 92 15 00, www.abbayedefontenay.com. Private English tours can be booked by calling ahead (about €100/group).
Getting There: The abbey is a 10-minute drive (4 miles) north of Montbard. There’s no bus service—allow about €30 round-trip for a taxi from Montbard’s train station (taxi mobile +33 6 08 26 61 55 or 06 08 82 20 61), or rent a bike at Montbard’s TI and ride 30 minutes each way (electric and standard bikes available, TI is by the train station, +33 3 80 92 53 81).
Background: This abbey—one of the oldest Cistercian abbeys in France—was founded in 1118 by St. Bernard as a back-to-basics reaction to the excesses of Benedictine abbeys like Cluny. The Cistercians worked to recapture the simplicity, solitude, and poverty of the early Church. Bernard created “a horrible vast solitude” in the forest, where his monks could live like the desert fathers of the Old Testament. They chose marshland (“Cistercian” is derived from “marshy bogs”) and strove to be separate from the world (which required the industrious self-sufficiency these abbeys were so adept at). The movement spread, essentially colonizing Europe religiously. In 1200, there were more than 500 such monasteries and abbeys in Europe.
Like the Cistercian movement in general, Fontenay flourished from the 13th to 15th century. A 14th-century proverb said, “Wherever the wind blows, to Fontenay money flows.” Fontenay thrived as a prosperous “mini city” for nearly 700 years, until the French Revolution, when it became the property of the nation and was eventually sold.
Visiting the Abbey: Like visitors centuries ago, you’ll enter through the abbey’s gatehouse. The main difference: Anyone with a ticket gets in, and there’s no watchdog barking angrily at you (through the small hole on the right). Pick up the excellent English self-guided tour flier with your ticket. Your visit follows the route described here (generally clockwise). Arrows keep you on course, and signs tell you which sections of the abbey are private (as its owners still live here).
Start at the stone bench 75 yards from the abbey church. Read the abbey flier for background. Enter the church. Inside it’s pure Romanesque and built to St. Bernard’s specs: Latin cross plan, no fancy stained glass, unadorned columns, earthen floors—nothing to distract from prayer. The lone statue is the 13th-century Virgin of Fontenay, a reminder that the church was dedicated to Mary. Breathe in the ethereal light. Quiet your mind and listen carefully to hear the brothers chanting.
Stairs lead from the end of the church to a vast 16th-century, oak-beamed dormitory where the monks slept—together, fully dressed, on thin mats. Monastic life was pretty simple: prayer, reading, work, seven services a day, one meal in the winter, two in the summer. Daily rations: a loaf of bread and a quarter-liter of wine.
Back down the stairs, enter the cloister. Stand in the center surrounded by a gaggle of unadorned, rounded arches—so beautiful in their simplicity. This was the heart of the community, where monks read, exercised, washed, did small projects—and, I imagine, gave each other those silly haircuts.
The shallow alcove (next to the church door) once stored prayer books; notice the slots for shelves. Next to that, the vaulted chapter room was where the abbot led discussions and community business was discussed. The adjacent monks’ hall was a general-purpose room, likely busy with monks hunched over tables copying sacred texts (a major work of abbeys). The dining hall, or refectory, also faced the cloister (closed to the public).
Across the garden stands the huge abbey forge. In the 13th century, the monks at Fontenay ran what many consider Europe’s first metalworking plant. Iron ore was melted down in ovens with big bellows. Tools were made and sold for a profit. The hydraulic hammer, which became the basis of industrial manufacturing of iron throughout Europe, was first used here. Leaving the building, walk left around the back to see the stream, which was diverted to power the wheels that operated the forge. Water was vital to abbey life. The pond—originally practical, rather than decorative—was a fish farm (some whopper descendants still swim here).
Leave through the small museum and gift shop, which was the public chapel in the days when visitors were not allowed inside the abbey grounds. Upstairs you’ll see a model of the abbey complex and appreciate the isolation these monks found here. Next to it a sign displays a quote from St. Bernard: “We learn more from the woods than from books; the trees and rocks teach us things we could not learn elsewhere.”
This all-day, 125-mile loop links Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, Alise-Ste-Reine, and Fontenay, with short stops suggested in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Semur-en-Auxois. The trip trades vineyards for wheat fields, canals, and pastoral landscapes. You’ll drive along the Burgundy canal and visit a Cistercian abbey, medieval villages, and the site of Gaul’s last stand against the Romans. If you’re heading to/from Paris, this tour works well en route or as an overnight stop; I’ve listed accommodations and described sights along the way in greater detail under “Back-Door Burgundy Towns and Sights,” earlier.
Planning Your Drive: For this drive you’ll need a good map (Michelin maps #320 or #519 work well). Here’s how I’d spend this day: Get out early and joyride to MuséoParc Alésia in Alise-Ste-Reine (with at least a short stop in Châteauneuf-en-Auxois), tour the museum and battle site, have lunch a few minutes away in Flavigny, drive to Fontenay and tour the abbey, then consider a photo stop in Semur-en-Auxois on your way back (this plan also works for those continuing to Paris). Energetic sightseers could add Vézelay to this plan by getting on the road no later than 8:00 and focusing on Alise-Ste-Reine and Fontenay, then darting over to Vézelay on the way back.
The museum and battlefield at Alise-Ste-Reine and the Abbey of Fontenay are your primary goals; allow an hour to tour each. With no stops, this one-way drive from Beaune to Fontenay should take about an hour and a half. But you should be stopping—a lot. (Those in a hurry can get from Beaune to Fontenay in about an hour via the autoroute: Take exit #21 to Semur-en-Auxois, then follow D-980 to Fontenay.)
From Beaune to Fontenay and Back: Leave Beaune following signs for Auxerre and Bligny-sur-Ouche; from Bligny-sur-Ouche, take D-33 to Pont d’Ouche (following signs to Pont du Pany and Dijon), where you’ll turn left along the canal (D-18), following signs to Château de Châteauneuf. In five minutes, you’ll see the castle at Châteauneuf-en-Auxois looming above (see here). Turn right on D-18a and cross over the canal, then the freeway, for great views of the hill town, even if you’re not visiting it.
Return back down to the canal, press on to Vandenesse, and turn right, crossing the canal (nice picnic spot on the “port,” with views of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois). Next, turn left to Créancey (D-18) and pause once there. The Burgundy Canal tunnels underground for several miles through Pouilly-en-Auxois, as it passes its highest point between Paris and Dijon (rivers east of here flow to the Mediterranean, those to the west to the Atlantic). Look for small brown signs in Créancey reading Entrée de Souterrain du Canal for a short detour to see the canal tunnel’s opening.
Stay on D-18 from Créancey through Pouilly-en-Auxois, and then follow signs (on D-970) to Vitteaux. In St-Thibault turn right on D-26 toward Vitteaux. Consider a quick stop in St-Thibault to view its evocative 13th-century church (English descriptions inside). Turn left in Vitteaux on D-905 and drive north toward Alise-Ste-Reine. Just before Alise-Ste-Reine, look for signs to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain (5 scenic minutes away on D-9). Save Flavigny for lunch and tour Alise-Ste-Reine before or after.
Signs lead from Flavigny’s parking lot to Alise-Ste-Reine (described earlier), where Julius Caesar is said to have defeated the Gauls. Follow signs to Alésia and MuséoParc.
From here drop down to D-905, turn right (north), and follow signs to the secluded Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (described earlier). After the abbey, continue up D-905 to Montbard, then turn onto D-980 and drive south, stopping to admire the rooftop view over Semur-en-Auxois (across from the Citroën shop, where D-980 and D-954 intersect). From there, take D-970 via Pouilly-en-Auxois and retrace your route to Beaune. For a quicker option, you can dart from Semur-en-Auxois across to the A-6 autoroute and take it to Beaune (or head north to Paris).
Public Transit Options: Nondrivers can get to Alésia by taking the train from Dijon to Les Laumes-Alésia (one-mile walk to site) and to the Abbey of Fontenay by taking the train to Montbard and a taxi or bike from there (see Abbey of Fontenay listing for details).
These three sights—Vézelay and its Romanesque Basilica of Ste. Madeleine; the under-construction Château de Guédelon; and the underrated, overlooked city of Bourges, with its grand “High” Gothic cathedral—make good stops for drivers connecting Burgundy and the Loire Valley. Visiting all three in one day is impossible, so pick two and get an early start (allow 6 hours of driving from Beaune to the Loire, plus time to stop and visit the sights). The first two sights also work if you’re linking Burgundy and Paris (skip Bourges, which requires a long detour).
For more than eight centuries, travelers have hoofed it up through this pretty little town to get to the famous hilltop church, the Basilica of Ste. Madeleine. In its 12th-century prime, Vézelay welcomed the medieval masses. Cultists of Mary Magdalene came to file past her (supposed) body. Pilgrims rendezvoused here to march to Spain to venerate St. James’ (supposed) relics in Santiago de Compostela. Three Crusades were launched from this hill: the Second Crusade (1146), announced by Bernard of Clairveaux; the Third Crusade (1190), under Richard the Lionheart and King Philippe Auguste; and the Seventh Crusade (1248), by King (and Saint) Louis IX. Today, tourists flock to Vézelay’s basilica, famous for its place in history, its soul-stirring Romanesque architecture—reproduced in countless art books—and for the relics of Mary Magdalene.
Tourist Information: Vézelay’s TI is a block uphill as you climb through the village. Learn your options for visiting the basilica, including the TI’s €3 audioguide that covers the church and town (12 Rue St. Etienne; daily in summer 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, July-Aug until 19:00; closed Thu Oct-April, Sun Sept-June, and Mon Sept-March; +33 3 86 33 23 69, www.destinationgrandvezelay.com, vezelay.otsi@wanadoo.fr).
Getting There: Vézelay is about 1.5 hours northwest of Beaune. Drivers take the Nitry exit from A-6 and follow Vézelay signs for about 20 minutes. Pay parking is available at the lower end of the village (about €4/day).
Train travelers go to Sermizelles and take SNCF/Mobigo shuttle bus #LR505 (€1.50, 2/day, 15 minutes, have change ready, allows you about six hours in Vézelay or an easy overnight, details at TI website or www.viamobigo.fr). Or, take a taxi (6 miles, allow €20 one-way, mobile +33 6 74 53 45 76, www.cathytaxi-vezelay.fr). From Paris, Gare de Bercy trains run directly to Sermizelles (3/day direct, 2.5 hours, more with transfer in Auxerre, 3 hours); from other places, you’ll transfer in Auxerre or Avallon.
To accommodate the growing crowds of medieval pilgrims, the abbots of Vézelay enlarged their original church (1104), then rebuilt it after a disastrous 1120 fire. The building we see today—one of the largest and best-preserved Romanesque churches anywhere—was built in stages: nave (1120-1140), narthex (1132-1145), and choir (1215). The construction spanned the century-long transition from the Romanesque style (round barrel arches like the ancient Romans’, thick walls, small windows) to Gothic (pointed arches, flying buttresses, high nave, lots of stained glass). Vézelay blends elements of both styles.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 7:00-20:00; Mass Mon-Sat at 12:15, Sun at 11:00, vespers daily at 18:00.
Getting There: Allow 20 minutes to walk uphill from the parking lots and bus stop at the bottom of the village to the basilica. A free shuttle van runs along this climb daily in summer, weekends in spring and fall, none in winter (call the TI for updates). You’ll be tempted by shops, galleries, and cafés as you ascend—just as pilgrims have for 800 years.
Tours: The TI’s audioguide covers the basilica (described under “Tourist Information,” earlier). A presentation at the Maison du Visiteur center on the main drag a few blocks below basilica focuses on the basilica’s light and architecture with a film and explanations that prepare you for the basilica (€9, 4/day, 1.25 hours; tours of basilica interior also possible for individuals—usually in French with English handout, €10, or in English for private groups, about €130; +33 3 86 32 35 65, www.vezelay-visiteur.com, maisonduvisiteur@orange.fr). Monk- or nun-guided basilica tours are possible (+33 3 86 33 39 50, www.basiliquedevezelay.org [URL inactive]). Or be your own guide, either by following the route I describe next or buying the €8 guidebook as you enter.
Visiting the Basilica: The facade—with one tower missing its original steeple, another that’s unfinished, and an inauthentic tympanum—isn’t why you came. Step inside.
The narthex, or entrance hall, served several functions. Religiously, it was a place to cross from the profane to the sacred. Practically, it gave shelter to overflow pilgrim crowds (even overnight, if necessary) as they shuffled through one of the three doorways. And aesthetically, the dark narthex prepares the visitor for the radiant nave.
The tympanum (carved relief) over the central, interior doorway is one of Romanesque’s signature pieces. It shows the risen Christ standing on a tomb with welcoming arms wide open, ascending to heaven in an almond-shaped cloud, shooting Holy Ghost rays at his apostles and telling them to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth. The whole diversity of humanity (appropriate, considering Vézelay’s function as a gathering place) appears beneath: hunters, fishermen, farmers, pygmies, and men with long ears, feathers, and dog heads—the grotesque figures depicting those not touched by God’s word. The signs of the zodiac arch over the scene.
Gaze through the central doorway into the nave at the rows and rows of arches that seem to recede into a luminous infinity. The nave is long, high, and narrow (200 feet by 60 feet by 35 feet), creating a tunnel effect formed by 10 columns and arches on each side. Overhead is the church’s most famous feature—barrel vaults (wide arches) built of stones alternating between creamy white and light brown. The nave rises up between the low-ceilinged side aisles, lined with slender floor-to-ceiling columns that unite both stories. The interior glows with an even light from the unstained glass of the clerestory windows. The absence of distractions or bright colors makes this simple church perfect for meditation.
The capitals of the nave’s columns are masterpieces of saints and Bible scenes carved by several sculptors. All are worth studying (the guidebook sold at the entry identifies each scene). Here are some you might recognize. Start on the right aisle and locate the Conversion of St. Eustace (third column up), depicting the Christian conversion of Roman general Placidus and the ensuing challenges to his faith. On the next (fourth) column find the well-known “Mystical Mill,” showing Old Testament Moses and New Testament Paul working together to fill sacks with grain (and, metaphorically, the Bible with words). Cross to the left aisle and find David and Goliath (fourth column), Adam and Eve (ninth column), and Peter Freed from Prison (10th and final column).
The light at the end of the tunnel-like nave is the choir, radiating a brighter, blue-gray light. Constructed when Gothic was the rage, the choir has pointed arches and improved engineering, but for me it feels a little sterile.
In the right transept stands a statue of the woman this church was dedicated to—not the Virgin Mary (Jesus’ mother) but one of Jesus’ disciples, Mary Magdalene. She cradles an alabaster jar of ointment she used (according to some Bible interpretations) to anoint Jesus.
Go down into the crypt for the ultimate medieval experience in one of Europe’s greatest medieval churches. You’re entering the foundations of the earlier ninth-century church that monks built here on the hilltop after Vikings had twice pillaged their church at the base of the hill. Step carefully across the crude floor, and pause on a pew to reflect on the pure, timeless scene. Notice the utter simplicity of these capitals compared to those you saw earlier. File past the small container with the relics of Mary Magdalene. In medieval times, Vézelay claimed to possess Mary’s entire body, but the relics were later damaged and scattered by anti-Catholic Huguenots (16th century) and Revolutionaries (18th century), leaving only a few pieces.
Are they really her mortal remains? We only have legends—many different versions—that first appeared in the historical record around AD 1000. The most popular says that Mary Magdalene traveled to Provence, where she died, and that her bones were brought here by a monk to save them from Muslim pirates. In the 11th century, the abbots of Vézelay heavily marketed the notion that these were Mary’s relics, and when the pope authenticated them in 1058, tourism boomed.
Vézelay prospered until the mid-13th century, when King Charles of Anjou announced that Mary’s body was not in Vézelay, but had been found in another town. Vézelay’s relics suddenly looked bogus, and pilgrims stopped coming. For the next five centuries, the church fell into disrepair and then was vandalized by secularists in the Revolution. The church was restored (1840-1860) by a young architect named Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who would later revamp Notre-Dame in Paris and help plan the Statue of Liberty.
A glorious view over the Burgundian countryside hides in a park behind the basilica’s cloisters (out the right transept).
Sleeping in Vézelay: Hotels are gathered at the base of the village on Place du Champ-de-Foire, near parking and the bus stop.
$$ Hôtel de la Poste et du Lion d’Or*** has 39 comfortable, country-classy rooms and a fine $$$ restaurant to match (air-con, pay parking, at the foot of the village, Place du Champ-de-Foire, +33 3 73 53 03 20, www.hplv-vezelay.com, reservation@hplv-vezelay.com).
$ Hôtel le Compostelle** offers a solid value with 18 spotless rooms and a view breakfast room (Place du Champ-de-Foire, +33 3 86 33 28 63, www.lecompostellevezelay.com, le.compostelle@wanadoo.fr).
Eating in Vézelay: You’ll find pleasant cafés with reasonable food all along the street leading to the church.
$$$ Hôtel de la Poste et du Lion d’Or is a worthwhile splurge (see earlier).
$$ Le Cheval Blanc serves tasty Burgundian cuisine at pleasant outside tables or in their cozy dining room (closed Wed-Thu, Place du Champ-de-Foire, +33 3 86 33 22 12).
$ La Dent Creuse has the best terrace tables at the lower end of the village (left side), with decent salads, pizza, and such (daily until 21:00, Place du Champ-de-Foire, +33 3 86 33 36 33).
$ Le Vézelien bar/café, halfway up to the basilica, features cheap omelets and a small selection of salads and plats, with appealing seating outside and in (closed Tue-Wed, 1 Place du Grand Puits, +33 3 86 33 25 09).
Café Calabus offers tea, coffee, and other drinks in an atmospheric setting just below the basilica (Rue St. Pierre).
A historian’s dream (worth ▲▲, or ▲▲▲ for kids), this castle is being built from scratch by 35 enthusiasts using only the tools, techniques, and materials available in the 13th century.
Guédelon lies an hour west of Vézelay on D-955, between St-Amand-en-Puisaye and St-Sauveur-en-Puisaye. Finding it requires patient route-finding skills and time. Allow 2.5 hours from Paris or Beaune at a steady pace. Coming from Paris, take exit #18 off the A-6 autoroute (well before Auxerre) and follow D-3 to Toucy; then join D-955 south. Coming from Beaune, exit A-6 at Nitry, then carefully track signs to Vézelay (take a break to visit its basilica), Clamecy, Entrains-sur-Nohain, St-Amand-en-Puisaye, and finally Guédelon (direction: St-Fargeau). The castle is inaccessible by public transport.
Cost: €14 for adults, €12 for kids 5-17, cheaper online, free for kids 4 and under.
Hours: Castle open July-Aug daily 9:30-18:30; April-June and Sept-early Nov Thu-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue-Wed; closed late Nov-March (+33 3 86 45 66 66, www.guedelon.fr).
Tours: There’s a good English handout, some posted information, and English-speaking workers on site. Expertly guided tours in English are available most days in July and August for an additional €3/person; check online for times. Guided private tours can be arranged at other times of year and are well worth the investment (1.5-hour tour-€160, contact sarah.preston@guedelon.fr).
Services: There’s a picnic area and good-value lunch café with many options inside.
The project is the dream of two individuals who wanted to build a medieval castle (this one is based on plans drafted in 1228). Started in 1997, it will ultimately include four towers surrounding a central courtyard with a bridge and a moat (images of the finished castle are on postcards and in books in the gift shop). The goal of this exciting project is to give visitors a better appreciation of medieval construction, and for the builders to learn about medieval techniques while they work. The castle won’t be complete for another 12 years or so, so you still have time to watch the process.
Enter the project to the sound of chisels chipping rock and the sight of people dressed as if it were 800 years ago. Human-powered hamster wheels carefully hoist up to 1,000 pounds of stone up tower walls (the largest tower will reach six stories when completed). Carpenters whack away at massive beams, creating supports for stone arches, while weavers demonstrate how clothing was made (a sheep’s pen provides raw materials). Thirteen workstations help visitors learn about castle construction, from medieval rope-making to blacksmithing. Ask the workers questions—some speak English. If it’s been raining, be prepared for mud—you are, after all, on a construction site.
You can also visit the working reconstruction of a medieval flour mill, a quarter-mile walk from the construction site along a woodland path—wear good walking shoes.
Kids can’t get enough of Guédelon. It’s a favorite for local school field trips, so expect lots of children. And if you can’t get enough, there’s a program for those wanting to help with the work (must speak French, check their website for details).
Guédelon is remote. To sleep nearby, try $ Hôtel Les Grands Chênes,*** where British Rachael and French Alain have restored a pretty manor home with a nice pool among trees, lakes, and waves of grass (family rooms, on D-18 between St-Fargeau and St-Amand-en-Puisaye, +33 3 86 74 04 05, www.hotellesgrandschenes.com, contact@hotellesgrandschenes.com).
Nestled between rolling vineyards and thick forests in the geographical center of France, unpretentious Bourges (pronounced “boorzh”) is among France’s most overlooked and authentic cities. Here you’ll uncover a wonderful collection of medieval houses, a Gothic cathedral to rival any you’ve seen, and a down-to-earth, Midwest-like friendliness. Situated three hours due south of Paris, two hours west of Beaune, and 1.5 hours east of Amboise, Bourges is a handy stopover on the drive through the French heartland between Burgundy and the Loire.
Little-known Bourges has a big story to tell, thanks largely to its strategic location between two once-powerful regions, Burgundy and the Loire. It began as a Celtic city, became one of the first Christian towns in Gaul, and later served as the northern boundary of the sophisticated Kingdom of Aquitaine. Bourges reached its peak in the Middle Ages, when its great cathedral was built. It was home to future King Charles VII (r. 1422-1461), the man who, at Joan of Arc’s insistence, rallied the French and drove out the English. During that Hundred Years’ War, Bourges was a provisional capital of France, which explains its impressive legacy of medieval architecture.
If the cathedral had a transept, the TI would lie outside the south portal (generally Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00; Sun 10:00-18:00 except Oct-March 14:00-17:00; 21 Rue Victor Hugo, +33 2 48 23 02 60, www.bourges-tourisme.com). Pick up a town map. Wine lovers should ask for the Route des Vignobles map, and historians the Route Jacques Cœur map.
By Train: From the station, it’s about a half-mile walk south to the town center and cathedral. Head straight out onto Avenue Henri Laudier and turn left onto Rue du Commerce to find the TI.
By Car: Parking Mairie-Cathédrale is on the south side of the cathedral (small fee, free on Sun). The stairs up to the street land you in front of the TI. Parking Séraucourt/Centre Historique on Rue de Séraucourt, several blocks south of the cathedral, is free.
Street Markets: Bourges is known for its good morning markets (all close by 13:00). The biggest is held on Saturdays on Place de la Nation. A smaller Thursday market takes place near the cathedral on Place des Maronniers, and Place St-Bonnet has a good market on Sundays.
Sound-and-Light Show: Bourges’ Nuits Lumière starts at sundown every night in July and August, and every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in May, June, and September. The town’s facades, courtyards, and monuments are colorfully illuminated, accompanied by medieval and Renaissance music.
Music Festival: Every April, Bourges hosts Printemps de Bourges, a huge music festival.
Laundry: Try Laverie Excelclean (1 Rue Wittelsheim, daily 7:00-21:00, mobile +33 6 80 24 64 41) or ask at the TI.
The city’s medieval lanes, lined with half-timbered buildings, are best appreciated on foot. The only sights in Bourges that charge admission are the Palais Jacques Cœur and the cathedral tower/crypt (both worth paying for). The handful of municipal museums are all free.
One of Europe’s great Gothic churches, Bourges’ Cathedral of St. Etienne is known for its simple but harmonious design, flying buttresses, stained glass, and mammoth size. A Christian church has stood on this spot since the third century, including a Romanesque cathedral where Eleanor of Aquitaine received her crown in 1137. The present church was started in 1195, and finished just 55 years later—an astonishingly short amount of time for such a large structure. The design was inspired by Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral, and it was built at the same time as the cathedral in Chartres. Bourges is one of the best-preserved Gothic cathedrals in France, having been spared the ravages of the French Revolution and both world wars.
Cost and Hours: Church interior—free, open daily 8:30-19:15, Oct-March 9:00-17:45; tower and crypt—€8 for both, €6 for tower only, €12 combo-ticket with Palais Jacques Cœur, open Mon-Sat 9:45-11:30 & 14:00-17:30, Sun 14:00-17:30; +33 2 48 65 49 44, www.bourges-cathedrale.fr.
Visiting the Cathedral: The magnificent west facade is exceptionally wide (135 feet), dominated by five elaborately carved portals. The five doors reflect the church’s unique interior—a central nave, flanked on each side by two aisles. The frightening Last Judgment over the central doorway shows a seated Christ presiding over Judgment Day and deserves your attention.
The church’s mismatched towers were a problem from the start. In an age of build-’em-high-and-fast, Bourges competed with Chartres to erect the ultimate Gothic cathedral. Bourges won the race, but at a cost. The hastily built south tower had to be shored up several times—hence the squat tower that sits alongside it. Since the south tower was never strong enough to house any bells, locals call it “The Deaf Tower.” The north tower collapsed altogether on New Year’s Eve 1506 and had to be rebuilt, financed by donors who were granted an indulgence to eat butter during Lent—hence its nickname, the “Tour de Beurre.”
The elegant flying buttresses form two rows, supporting both the lower and upper walls. The buttresses slope upward, enfolding the church in a pyramid shape as it rises to the peaked roofline.
Head inside. The view down the nave is overwhelming—at 300 feet, this is one of the longest naves in France. It seems even longer because the church has no transept to interrupt the tunnel effect. Notice elements of the “High” Gothic style of the 1200s: The church is tall, filled with light from many windows, and built with slender columns and thin walls (thanks to efficient flying buttresses). It rises up like a three-tiered step-pyramid—the outermost aisles are 30 feet high, the inner aisles are 70 feet, and the central nave is a soaring 120 feet from floor to rib-arched ceiling.
The best stained glass (c. 1215) is at the far end of the church, in the apse. Also, the Jacques Cœur Chapel (on the north side near the ambulatory) has a colorful Annunciation in stained glass.
The towering astronomical clock, on the south side of the nave, celebrates the most famous wedding the cathedral witnessed: that of hometown boy (and future king) Charles VII and Marie d’Anjou. The old clock, from 1424, still works.
Climbing the Tower: The 396 steps up the north tower yield terrific views and justify the exhaustion.
Crypt: To see the crypt, you need to join a tour in French...but you don’t have to pay attention. Once inside, find the tomb statue of Duke Jean de Berry (1340-1416), the great collector of illuminated manuscripts and patron of this church. He lies on his back atop a black marble slab, dressed in ermine. At his feet sleeps a muzzled bear, representing the duke’s quiet ferocity. Nearby, the colorfully painted Holy Sepulchre statues (c. 1530) tell the story of Christ’s body being prepared for burial. See how realistic the marble looks as the mourners tug the ends of Christ’s shroud—remarkably supple.
Nearby: The Archbishop’s Garden (Jardin de l’Archevêché), just behind the cathedral, has a fine classical design and point-blank views of the flying buttresses. On Sundays when the weather agrees, old-school guinguette balls (picture a Renoir scene) are held here.
Bourges’ old city (Vieille Ville) is lassoed within Rues Bourbonnoux, Mirebeau, Coursarlon, Edouard Branly, and des Arènes. Richly decorated Renaissance mansions—many of which house small museums worth entering—mix with France’s greatest concentration of half-timbered homes (more than 500), most of them connected below street level by a labyrinth of underground passages. Look for Hôtel Lallemant (home to the Musée des Arts Decoratifs), Hôtel des Echevins (Musée Estève, with contemporary paintings by Maurice Estève), and Hôtel Cujas (Musée du Berry, with Roman tombstones and the famously expressive mourner statues from the Duke of Berry’s elaborate tomb). For a historic stroll by the Gallo-Roman walls, take the steps up on the narrow lane between #44 and #50 on Rue Bourbonnoux and immediately turn left. Joan of Arc stayed in one of these fourth-century towers.
Bourges matters to travelers because of Jacques Cœur (c. 1395-1456), financier and minister to King Charles VII, who was born in Bourges. Monsieur Cœur helped establish Bourges as a capital for luxury goods and arms manufacturing. He also bankrolled Joan of Arc’s call to save France from the English. His extravagant home is an impressive example of a Gothic civil palace, combining all the best elements of a château in an urban mansion. To visit the palace, join a French-only tour or pick up the English handout and go on your own.
Cost and Hours: €8, €12 combo-ticket with cathedral crypt and tower, daily 10:00-12:15 & 14:00-17:15, April-Sept until 18:00, audioguide-€3, 10 bis Rue Jacques-Cœur, +33 2 48 24 79 42, www.palais-jacques-coeur.fr.
Hotels and restaurants are a good value here. Ground zero for dining in Bourges is Place Gordaine and the nearby streets, where you’ll find easygoing cafés and bistros.
Sleeping: $$ Best Western Hôtel d’Angleterre Bourges**** is a fine place and as central as it gets (includes buffet breakfast, air-con, lounge bar, 1 Place des Quatre-Piliers, +33 2 48 24 68 51, www.bestwestern-angleterre-bourges.com, hotel@bestwestern-angleterre-bourges.com).
$ Hôtel le Christina*** is a good hotel 10 blocks from the cathedral (air-con, 5 Rue de la Halle, +33 2 48 70 56 50, www.le-christina.com, info@le-christina.com).
Eating: $ La Crêperie des Remparts offers a great range of inexpensive crêpes and salads (closed Sun-Mon, 59 Rue Bourbonnoux, +33 2 48 24 55 44).
$$ Au Sénat is a local favorite for good-value traditional cuisine (closed Wed year-round and Thu in winter, on Place Gordaine at 8 Rue de la Poissonnerie, +33 2 48 24 02 56).
$$$ La Suite in the old city is a fine, stylish place to do it up right (courtyard tables are best, closed Sun-Mon, 50 Rue Bourbonnoux, +33 2 48 65 96 26).
$$ Le Bourbonnoux offers good menus, fair prices, and copious servings (closed Sun eve and all day Fri, 44 Rue Bourbonnoux, +33 2 48 24 14 76).
$ Cake Thé is run by friendly Aude, who makes everything in this grand 14th-century vaulted cellar—her lemon meringue tart is a delight. Peaceful seating inside and out (Tue-Sun until 19:00, closed Mon, 74 bis Rue Bourbonnoux, parallel to the street by the ramparts, +33 2 48 24 94 60).
From Bourges by Train to: Paris (15/day, 2-3 hours, most with 1 change), Amboise (roughly hourly—though fewer midday, 2-3 hours, 1 change), Beaune (2/day, 3 hours, transfer in Nevers or Moulins-sur-Allier), Sarlat-la-Canéda (6/day, 7 hours, 2 changes).
Drivers traveling south from Beaune should think about detouring into the lovely, unspoiled Mâconnais countryside. Brancion, Chapaize, Cluny, and Taizé are short drives from one another, about 30 minutes west of the autoroute between Mâcon and Tournus (see map on here). Drivers day-tripping to this area from Beaune should take the autoroute south to Tournus (then D-14 to Brancion), and take D-981 back to Beaune (described next). Route D-14 from Brancion meets D-981 at Cormatin.
For a romp through vineyards and unspoiled villages, connect Cluny and Beaune along D-981 (via Cormatin, Buxy, and Givry). Notice how many villages have signs to their Eglise Romaine (Romanesque churches are a dime a dozen here). Be on the lookout for bikers and a surprising château on the west side of the road in cute little Sercy (just south of Buxy).
Nondrivers can reach Cluny and Taizé by bus (see info under each listing for details).
An hour south of Beaune by car (12 miles west of Tournus on D-14) are two tiny villages, each with “daughters of Cluny”—churches that owe their existence and architectural design to the nearby and once-powerful Cluny Abbey.
This is a classic feudal village. Back when there were no nations in Europe, control of land was delegated from lord to vassal. The Duke of Burgundy ruled here through his vassal, the Lord of Brancion. His vast domain—much of south Burgundy—was administered from this tiny fortified town. Within the town’s walls, the feudal lord had a castle, a church, and all the necessary administrative buildings to deliver justice, collect taxes, and so on. Strategically perched on a hill between two river valleys, he enjoyed a complete view of his domain. Brancion’s population peaked centuries ago at 60. Today, it’s home to a handful of full-time residents.
The castle, part of a network of 17 castles in the region, was destroyed in 1576 by Protestant Huguenots. After the French Revolution, it was sold as a quarry and spent most of the 19th century being picked apart. Though the flier gives a brief tour and the audioguide a longer one, the small castle is most enjoyable for its evocative angles and the lush views from the top of its keep (€6, daily 10:00-12:30 & 13:00-18:30, until 17:00 Oct-mid-Nov, closed mid-Nov-March, audioguide-€2).
Wandering from the castle to the church, you’ll pass L’Auberge du Vieux Brancion, a 15th-century market hall that was used by farmers from the surrounding countryside until 1900, a handful of other buildings from that period and a few cafés.
The 12th-century warm-stone church is the town’s highlight. Circumnavigate the small building—this is Romanesque at its pure, unadulterated, fortress-of-God best (thick walls, small windows, once colorfully painted interior, no-frills exterior). Notice the stone roof (made using a flat flagstone called lauze) and the orange-tinted stone of the church walls. Inside, you’ll see faint paintings surviving from 1330, some moved to canvas in the early 1900s and displayed today (find English explanations). From its front door, enjoy a lord’s view over one glorious Burgundian estate.
Sleeping and Eating in Brancion: ¢ L’Auberge du Vieux Brancion serves traditional Burgundian fare and offers a perfectly tranquil place to overnight, despite the simple and frumpy rooms (family rooms, cheaper rooms with shared bath, +33 3 85 51 03 83, mobile +33 6 83 50 92 91, www.brancion.fr, contact@brancion.fr).
Nearby: A bit west of Brancion (toward Chapaize), you’ll pass a Stonehenge-era menhir (standing stone) with a cross added on top at a later point—evidence that this was sacred ground long before Christianity. From Brancion, it’s on the right just after passing the bulky Château de Nobles.
This hamlet, a few miles west of Brancion on D-14, grew up around its Benedictine monastery—only its 11th-century church survives. It’s a pristine place (cars park in a lot at the edge of town) peppered with flowers, three appealing cafés, and rustic decay. The classic Romanesque church gets all the attention. Enter through its cemetery and notice the stone roof. The WWI monument near the entry, with so many names from such a tiny hamlet, is a reminder of the 5.6 million young French men who were wounded or died in the war that didn’t end all wars. Inside the church, study the fine stonework by Lombard masons and appreciate how it contrasts with the church in Brancion (different rock, higher nave, funky pillars). The leaning structure seems determined to challenge the faith of parishioners (the nave collapsed once already—900 years ago). Wander around the back for a view of the belfry, and then ponder Chapaize across the street while sipping a café au lait.
People come from great distances to admire Cluny’s great abbey that is no more. This mother of all abbeys once vied with the Vatican as the most important power center in Christendom (Cluny’s abbot often served as mediator between Europe’s kings and the pope). The building was destroyed during the French Revolution, and, frankly, there’s not a lot to see today. Still, the abbey makes a worthwhile visit for history buffs and pilgrims looking to get some idea of the scale of this vast complex.
The pleasant little town that grew up around the abbey maintains its medieval street plan, with plenty of original buildings and even the same population it had in its 12th-century heyday (4,500). That’s stability. As you wander the town, which claims to be the finest surviving Romanesque town in France, enjoy the architectural details on everyday buildings. Many of the town’s fortified walls, gates, and towers survive.
Getting There: Drivers park at designated lots (the best free lot is Parking le Rochefort). Bus #701 makes several trips to Cluny from Mâcon and Chalon-sur-Saône on the same line (6/day, 30 minutes from Mâcon, 1.5 hours from Chalon-sur-Saône; +33 3 80 11 29 29, http://viamobigo.fr). There is no train station in Cluny.
Everything of interest is within a few minutes’ walk of the TI, 100 yards to the right as you face the abbey entrance (daily April-Sept 9:30-18:30 except closed for lunch in April; Oct-March Mon-Sat 9:30-12:30 & 14:30-17:00, closed Sun except in Oct; 6 Rue Mercière, +33 3 85 59 05 34, www.cluny-tourisme.com).
The TI is at the base of the Tour des Fromages—“Cheese Tower”—so named because it was used to age cheese (or perhaps for the way tourists smell after climbing to the top). The tower offers a city view but through wire screens (€2, €4 with 3-D tablet that shows how the town looked in the Middle Ages, same hours as TI).
Farmers Market: Each Saturday morning, a farmers market animates the old town.
Local Guide: To get the most out of this historic site, consider hiring Agnès Loubeyre, a terrific teacher who can breathe life into these ruins (€150/2 hours, mobile +33 6 99 61 47 90, agnes.loubeyre@gmail.com).
It’s free to view the site of the former abbey. The best point from which to appreciate the abbey’s awesome dimensions is from just below the Museum of Art and Archaeology (called Palais Jean de Bourbon, 100 yards up from the Hôtel de Bourgogne). A quick visit here gives a good introduction to the abbey.
Find the marble table that shows the original floor plan (vous êtes ici means “you are here”). Look out to the remaining tower (there used to be three). You’re standing above the front of the central nave, the largest of five naves that stretched all the way to those towers.
Some of today’s old town stands on the site of what was the largest church in Christendom. It was almost two football fields long (555 feet) and crowned with five soaring towers. The whole complex (church plus monastery) covered 25 acres. Revolutionaries destroyed it in 1790, and today the National Stud Farm and a big school obliterate much of the floor plan of the abbey. Only one tower and part of the transept still stand (5 percent of its original size). The visitor’s challenge: Visualize it. Get a sense of its grandeur, more easily done by entering the museum’s lobby to see a model of how Cluny looked 800 years ago (free to see model, museum included with abbey ticket, see description later).
Walk downhill past the replica nubs that recall the once-massive columns, work your way down the nave and around the right at the bottom, and climb a stairway to find today’s abbey entry.
Once inside the one-time abbey complex (now a mishmash of bits of the original church and other, more recent buildings), follow Suite de la Visite signs. Information displays (in English) designed to introduce the abbey and provide historical context help put the pieces of the ruined building back together. You’ll see a 12-minute 3-D film giving a virtual tour of the 1,100-year-old church that helps you grasp the tragedy of its destruction (use headset for translation and pick up your 3-D glasses). Consult the English flier to tour what little of the abbey still stands. You’ll gaze up to the tallest Romanesque vault in the world (100 feet tall) in the lone remaining bell tower (awesome) and see parts of an adjacent transept. Your visit ends at the flour mill (Le Farinier); make sure to go upstairs to see the intricate wood roof supports. (A left turn out of the abbey exit leads quickly to the old town and TI.)
Cost and Hours: €10.50, covers abbey interior and Museum of Art and Archaeology; both sights open daily 9:30-18:00, July-Aug until 19:00, Oct-March until 17:00; audioguide-€4.50 for abbey only, +33 3 85 59 15 93, www.cluny-abbaye.fr. Historians should invest in The Abbey of Cluny guidebook (€7), sold at the abbey, or take a free 1.5-hour tour (in English) when available.
The small abbey museum fills the Palace of the Abbot, 100 yards straight out from the entrance to the abbey interior. The modest collection features some fine artifacts from the medieval town of Cluny and provides context for your visit to the abbey site. There’s a terrific model of the village and abbey complex during the Middle Ages. You’ll also see a beautifully carved stone frieze from a mansion in Cluny (first floor up, some English explanations) and fragments of the main entry (Grand Portail) to the abbey church set within a model of the doorway. There’s also a short film in French that helps even non-French speakers imagine the original abbey (near the ticket counter).
Cost and Hours: Same ticket and hours as the abbey interior.
Napoleon (who needed beaucoup de horses for his army of 600,000) established this farm in 1806. Today, 50 thoroughbred stallions kill time in their stables. If the stalls are empty, they’re out doing their current studly duty...creating strapping racehorses. Since 2010, the complex has been home to the National School of Equestrian Activities. French-only tours are offered from the entry gate next to Hôtel de Bourgogne (€7, 1.25 hours, usually at 11:00 and 15:30, more in summer, no tours in winter, verify times in advance, +33 3 85 59 85 19).
If you’re spending the night, bed down at the homey, traditional, and spotless $ Hôtel de Bourgogne,*** built into the wall of the abbey’s right transept and central for enjoying the town. All rooms are comfortable, some have views of the abbey tower, and there’s a peaceful interior courtyard (pay parking garage, Place de l’Abbaye, +33 3 85 59 00 58, www.hotel-cluny.com, contact@hotel-cluny.com).
$ Brasserie du Nord owns the best abbey view from its outdoor tables (skip the mod interior) and serves standard café fare at fair prices (daily, +33 3 85 59 09 96, 1 Place du Marché).
Nearby: $ More Travel Guesthouse offers good rooms and a personal touch 20 minutes south of Cluny.
To experience the latest in European monasticism, drop by the booming Christian community of Taizé (teh-zay), a few miles north of Cluny on the road to Brancion. The normal, uncultlike ambience of this place—with thousands of mostly young, European pilgrims asking each other, “How’s your soul today?”—is remarkable. Even if this sounds a little airy, you might find the 30 minutes it takes to stroll from one end of the compound to the other a worthwhile detour. Notice how everyone of any age seems to be in a good mood. A visit to Taizé can be a thought-provoking experience, particularly after a visit to Cluny. A thousand years ago, Cluny had a similar power to draw the faithful in search of direction and meaning in life.
Getting There: Drivers follow La Communauté signs in Taizé and park in a dirt lot. Bus # 701 (free with rail pass) serves Taizé from Chalon-sur-Saône to the north (4/day, 1 hour) and from Mâcon to the south (6/day, 1 hour; +33 3 80 11 29 29, http://viamobigo.fr) or Taxi Veronique (mobile +33 6 71 11 60 81).
Tourist Information: At the southern (Cluny) end, the Welcome Office provides an orientation and daily schedule, and makes a good first stop (daily 9:30-12:20 & 14:30-20:20). Ask to see the short film about Taizé.
Visiting Taizé: Taizé is an ecumenical movement—prayer, silence, simplicity—welcoming Protestant as well as Catholic Christians. Though it feels Catholic, it isn’t. (But, as some of the brothers are actually Catholic priests, Catholics may take the Eucharist here.) The Taizé style of worship is well known among American Christians for its hauntingly beautiful chants—songbooks and CDs are the most popular souvenirs here. The Exposition (next to the church) is the thriving community shop, with books, CDs, handicrafts, and other souvenirs.
The community welcomes visitors who’d like to spend a few days getting close to God through meditation, singing, and simple living. Although designed primarily for youthful pilgrims in meditative retreat (there are about 5,000 here in a typical week), people of any age are welcome to pop in for a meal or church service. Time your visit for one of the services (Mon-Sat at 8:15, 12:20, and 20:30; Sun at 10:00 and 20:30; Catholic and Protestant communion available daily).
During services, the bells ring and worshippers file into the long, low, simple, and modern Church of Reconciliation. It’s dim—candlelit with glowing icons—as the white-robed brothers enter. The service features responsive singing of chants (from well-worn songbooks that list lyrics in 19 languages), reading of biblical passages, and silence, as worshippers on crude kneelers stare into icons. The aim: “Entering together into the mystery of God’s presence.” (Secondary aim: Helping Lutherans get over their fear of icons.)
Sleeping and Eating in Taizé: Those on retreat fill their days with worship services; workshops; simple, relaxed meals; and hanging out in an international festival of people searching for meaning in their lives. Visitors are welcome for free. The cost for a real stay is about €25-40 per day (based on a sliding scale; those under 18 stay for less) for monastic-style room and board. Adults (over age 30) are accommodated in a more comfortable zone, but count on ¢ simple dorms. Call or email first if you plan to stay overnight (reception open Mon-Fri 10:00-12:00 & 18:00-19:00, +33 3 85 50 30 02). The Taizé community website explains everything—in 29 languages (www.taize.fr).
The $$ Oyak (near the parking lot) is where those in a less monastic mood can get a beer or burger.
