Château du Clos de Vougeot in the Côte-d'OrWhether cream, mustard or egg yolk, Dijon’s architecture sets the tone: this is a city with a rich heritage and a culture to die for! Just look at the glazed tiles on the roofs, stroll through the Halles and admire the half-timbered houses and you’ll be convinced. So strap on your rucksack, lace up your hiking boots and let your sweet tooth guide you through the city.
Tour Philippe Le Bon Dijon View
Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy in Dijon
Tour Philippe Le Bon DijonDo the Dukes of Burgundy have an inferiority complex? That’s the question you’ll be asking yourself this morning as you climb the 316 steps of the Tour Philippe le Bon in the heart of Dijon. Get ready, the figures will make you dizzy! Built in 1450, this 46-metre-high monument offers a 360° panoramic view of the city’s rooftops, pierced by the spire of Saint-Bénigne Cathedral. Our favourite sin? A visit to the Tower in autumn, when it’s open, to see the lights of the city still shining…
Dijon Museum of Fine Arts
Dijon Museum of Fine ArtsA welcome quote from Bernard Loiseau (“The table is the ultimate place for relaxation and conviviality”), deep red walls that open your eyes and your appetite, a 100% home-made menu and a brasserie atmosphere: there’s no doubt about it, you’re in the Pré aux Clercs restaurant. We might as well warn you, this benchmark of Dijon gastronomy leaves no stone unturned! Classic but chic, the eggs en meurette, poultry supremes and Charolais beef tartare are sure to delight your taste buds. And just when you thought it was over, the dessert menu arrives.
La Cave Vauban in Dijon
La Cave Vauban in Dijon
La Cave Vauban in DijonAtown house is looking for a special experience! Just the thing, this afternoon the Tourist Office is offering a guided tour of the city’s most beautiful private mansions. Chambelland, Legouz de Gerland and Aubriot are just some of the historic addresses whose facades bear witness to Dijon’s architectural past. All subtly enhanced by your guide’s lively anecdotes. The Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne has taste.
International Baroque Opera FestivalCulture on the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne in the Côte-d’Or can also be experienced on stage! Grab your diary, we’re sharing our favourite summer dates with you:
- Festival Belen (Beaune) – June
- Music and Wine at Clos Vougeot– June
- Festival de Bach à Bacchus (Meursault) – July
- Baroque Opera Festival (Beaune) – July
- Music at the Chambertin (Gevrey-Chambertin) – September
- Golden Coast Festival (Dijon Métropole) – September
Dijon’s Antiquaires district is no stranger to timeless nuggets. The proof is in the restaurant La Maison des Cariatides, with its history-laden frontage that catches the eye from the street. But don’t be fooled by the classicism of its façade: in the kitchen, modernity takes pride of place. With its Burgundian heritage and hexagonal escapades, enjoy bold, incisive and singular gastronomy, just like the duo of chefs behind the stoves.
Bed and breakfast La Cour Berbisey, DijonSome nights are unforgettable. With its superbly renovated 17th-century guest house, stables transformed into a swimming pool and exquisitely tasteful rooms, La Cour Berbisey promises to be one of them. Put down your suitcases in the heart of old Dijon, leave your worries outside the bright red entrance door and enjoy an enchanted upscale interlude.
Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in DijonIt’s not just the coffee that’s long this morning: head to 1204, thearchitecture and heritage interpretation centre at the heart of Dijon’s Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin (we warned you). Here, the city is laid bare through a series of themed exhibitions. Landscapes, materials, history, artists’ views: there are so many fun, interactive capsules to explore the different facets of the Cité des Ducs.
Don’t leave without trying the Cave de la Cité, known as the wine bar with the widest choice of wines by the glass in the world. 3 levels, 600 m2 and over 40 emblematic houses await you in a setting worthy of a Wes Anderson film.
You won’t have far to go for lunch! Meurette & Persillé, the Cité’s 100% Burgundian restaurant, invites you to its table. There’s no mystery here, as Chef Colombo serves up the very best of the region, from coq au vin to braised beef and the all-important oeufs en meurette. A cuisine that is generous and wholehearted, authentic and sincere, reminiscent of the words of Paul Bocuse: “Classic or modern, there is only one cuisine… the good one”.
Have you ever dreamt of visiting the vineyards of Châteaux? On the outskirts of Dijon, the Domaine du Château de Marsannay makes your wish come true with a guided tour. Enlightened by an expert from the estate, you’ll discover the specific features of the Climats you’ll be treading as well as the very particular profile of the local terroir. Take a compulsory diversions to the cellar and its stars, before concluding with a tasting of great Burgundy wines between the vines, with a breathtaking view of the Clos du Jeu plot.
Château de MarsannayCrypts are chic! Not least that of the Dame d’Aquitaine, which welcomes you to its underground room for an unusual dinner this evening. The first special feature is the white colour, which decorates the room from the floor to the keystones, including the light fittings and the imposing grand piano. Second surprise: no set menu, but an invitation to let yourself go according to the chef’s inspirations. All you have to do is choose your service (3, 5 or 6 times) and let the magic happen.
Continue (and conclude) on the unusual theme with an overnight stay in the former Cordeliers Convent in Dijon, now converted into an Odalys Appart’hôtel. Within its walls, 700 years of history will watch over your sleep as night falls on the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne. Don’t hesitate to book your hammam session in advance, for an even more relaxing evening.
Start your day with a living legend: the Château du Clos de Vougeot and its nine centuries of history. A symbol of the culture and heritage of the Route des Grands Crus, it’s an early morning reminder of the glorious history of Burgundy wines. Your self-guided tour of the site will take you from the Cuverie with its four huge presses to the Petit Cellier, where the film “Jamais en Vain, Toujours en Vin”, narrated by Pierre Arditi, is shown. Finish your tour with a refreshing stroll through the vineyards surrounding the Château.
Château du Clos de Vougeot in the Côte-d'Or
Château du Clos de Vougeot in the Côte-d'Or
Château du Clos de Vougeot in the Côte-d'OrA Michelin-starred chef at the age of 24 and inspired by his grandmother’s love of gastronomy,Thomas Protot is now putting his talent to good use at La Cabotte. Forget the rusticity of a winegrower’s hut, this restaurant, ideally placed on the Burgundy Grands Crus Route, offers a modern setting and cuisine. And tasteful at that! Pistachio terrine, roast sea bass with grilled leeks or duck breast with polenta, all served in a cosy atmosphere? It’s a big yes for us.
You have to drink it to believe it. Imagine an emblematic former convent in Nuits-Saint-Georges, converted into an exceptional cellar open to the public. Imagine a building between earth and sky, topped with a green roof and laid out in the style of Burgundy glazed tiles. Imagine a guided tour where the past meets the future, to the rhythm of exceptional Grands Crus. Imagine no more, and discover without delay the Cuverie des Ursulines of the Maison Jean-Claude Boisset.
Caveau des Ursulines in Nuits-Saint-GeorgesYour dinner also promises to be a meeting of the minds, with the 1* restaurant Le Charlemagne, nestling in the rural village of Pernand-Vergelesses. A meeting of simple, organic materials in a refined setting. A meeting of flavours too, where the power of the terroir embraces the freshness and delicacy of faraway cultures. Our favourite? Crisenon trout smoked with yuzu. To die for!
Restaurant Premnord in Premeaux-Prissey
Restaurant Premnord in Premeaux-Prissey
Restaurant Premnord in Premeaux-PrisseyAnd because the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne also knows how to keep things simple, head to the motorhome park in Nuits-Saint-Georges for an evening under the stars. Don’t hesitate to take the little path that runs alongside the river Meuzin in the morning to get to the Halles in the town centre and enjoy its market.
Your roadtrip in Côte-d’Or wouldn’t be the same without the Balade en Bourgogne app! Download it now and turn your smartphone into an audio guide, as you enjoy the many walks on offer. This morning, it’s on to Beaune, the aptly-named capital of Burgundy wines. On the programme: daydreaming on the city walls (5 metres thick, 10 metres high and 12 towers – who could beat that?), a visit to the Notre-Dame basilica and a tour of the old local wine houses.
The ramparts of Beaune
Hôtel-Dieu - Hospices de Beaune
Beaune town centre
Notre Dame Church in BeauneThe motto of the Garum where you’ll be lunching this lunchtime is: “Pleasure is a must! Nothing could be simpler when you enter this chic bistro with its refined, warm decor and free, trendy cuisine. With a vast terrace on sunny days or cosy rooms for rainy days, you can sit back and munch your way through the delicious beef fat fries.
Cultivate the art of doing nothing with an afternoon at the Spa at the 4* La Cueillette hotel in Meursault. The hotel’s best-seller? Fruitithérapie®, a range of treatments unique in France, inspired by the power of red Burgundy fruit, such as the blackcurrant granité scrub. The great classics of relaxation will also be there: hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, solarium and even… an herbal tea room.
Spa Fruititherapie Château De La Cueillette in MeursaultGet out your little woolens, tonight we’re eating at 21 Boulevard! This well-known address for epicureans in Beaune is housed in an authentic 15th-century wine cellar. The charm and ambience are both timeless and elegant, and the cuisine is marked by the Chef’s generosity. All of which is enhanced by fresh, seasonal produce, complemented by a fine wine list.
Château de Pommard
Château de Pommard
Château de PommardFinish off your roadtrip along Burgundy’s Route des Grands Crus by booking an overnight stay at La Maison de Pommard. Lovers of minimalist luxury will fall under the spell of its raw materials, contemporary design and uncluttered rooms, while fans of local colour will appreciate the accommodation’s original beams and stonework. As for epicureans, you’ll find them in the garden with swimming pool, or in the sauna in the wellness area.
This tour highlights the history and architecture of the Côte-d’Or: Dijon town houses, the Philippe le Bon Tower, Château du Clos de Vougeot, basilicas and charming residences.
Absolutely! Enjoy the great Burgundy classics (oeufs en meurette, coq au vin, pistachio terrine…) in some of Burgundy’s finest restaurants and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Yes, from the white crypt of the Lady of Aquitaine to a night in a former convent, not forgetting Fruitithérapie® at the spa in Meursault: here, heritage rhymes with originality.
