Overview
The beautiful region of Burgundy is renowned worldwide for its wines and gastronomy. Discover the best of Burgundy on foot on this walking holiday from Dijon to Meursault, through UNESCO World Heritage vineyards and tranquil forests on the Chemin des Grands Crus – a trail through the Côte d’Or (Golden Coast) wine country passing the famous Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune vineyards. Chapels, châteaux and old, glazed-roof villages spot the vineyards one after another. Stop along the way for wine tastings and spend the nights in charming hotels and guesthouses.
- Chemin des Grand Crus
- Medieval towns of Dijon and Beaune
- The castles of Burgundy
- The Hospices de Beaune
- The world-famous wines from Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Dijon
Arrive in Dijon, the capital of Burgundy. Explore the old town, the neighbourhood of the Palais de Justice, and the beautiful Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne (Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy), which houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts).
- Overnight in Dijon (standard hotel: Le Petit Tertre B&B or similar // upgraded hotel: Hotel Wilson or similar)
Day 2: Gevrey-Chambertin to Nuits-Saints-Georges | 13km
A short transfer (~30min) in the morning takes you to the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, where you start walking through the heart of the Burgundy vineyards on quiet farming tracks and paths. Visit the charming towns of Chambolle-Musigny and Morey Saint-Denis before arriving at the prestigious 16th-century Chateau Clos de Vougeot. You can visit the chateau and also book a wine-tasting lunch (should be prebooked). Your next stop is Vosne Romanée, producing the region’s most celebrated wines, all made entirely from the Pinot noir grape. Overnight in Nuits-Saint-Georges.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 3-4h ↑240m ↓280m
- Overnight in Nuits-Saint-Georges (standard hotel: La Gentilhommiere or similar // upgraded hotel: Hostellerie Saint Vincent or similar)
- Optional: Visit to Chateau Clos de Vougeot with wine-tasting and lunch. Available Tuesday-Sunday from April to October and Thursday-Sunday from November to March.
Day 3: Nuits-Saints-Georges Circular Walk | 15km
There is an option of a moderate walk leaving the Côte de Nuits and its vineyards to explore the wooded hills west of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Pass through forests and meadows overlooking the valley of the river Le Meuzin. Alternatively, spend the day leisurely, visit Le Cassisium to learn more about blackcurrant, the primary ingredient for Crème de Cassis, an alcohol liqueur produced in the region or simply relax by the pool.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4h ↑600m ↓600m
- Overnight in Nuits-Saint-Georges (standard hotel: La Gentilhommiere or similar // upgraded hotel: Hostellerie Saint Vincent or similar)
- Optional: Nuits-Saints-Georges wine tour available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (but not on bank holidays)
Day 4: Fussey to Beaune | 13.5km
A transfer in the morning (~15min, to avoid busy roads) takes you to Fussey to start your hike to Beaune. Walk through oak forests on peaceful paths leading to the authentic winegrowing village of Savigny-les-Beaune, a rarity in the Côte de Beaune, as this village produces Crémant de Bourgogne, a festive wine. Worth visiting are the church of Saint-Cassien and its splendid Romanesque bell tower and the formal garden of the Chandon de Briailles Manor House. Continue to Beaune, the capital of Burgundy’s wine industry.
- Walking for the day: 13.5km, 3-4h ↑135m ↓383m
- Overnight in Beaune (standard hotel: La Bretonniere or similar // upgraded hotel: Belle Epoque or similar)
Day 5: Beaune Circular Walk | 10km
There are several possibilities to spend the day. Head into the countryside to explore the Montagne de Baune, a hill west of Beaune partly occupied by beautiful houses overlooking the Cotes de Beaune. Or stroll on the Saturday morning market, the best place to taste local produce like Cîteaux cheese produced by the monks, Delice de Pommard or a creamy Brillat Savarin, marbled ham or gingerbread flavoured with honey. You can visit the imposing mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy, the Basilica of Notre Dame and the most famous site in Beaune, the steep-pitched patterned roofs of the Hôtel-Dieu, a former hospital for the poor, now – a fine arts museum.
- Walking for the day: 10km, 2h ↑200m ↓200m
- Overnight in Beaune (standard hotel: La Bretonniere or similar // upgraded hotel: Belle Epoque or similar)
Day 6: Beaune to Meursault | 13.5km
Outside Beaune, above the plains of the Saône, are the Clos de Beaune Premier Crus vineyards. Stroll through the parcels of vines, separated by ancient stone walls and sprinkled with cabiottes (winemakers’ cabins), before reaching the village of Pommard. The wines are a deep red in colour, with the flavours of ripe berries, which you can taste at Domaine Le Jeune. Next is the town of Volnay, on the slopes of the hills, offering fine reds. Through boxwood and pine forests at the top of the slopes, you reach the village of Mothélie with its Romanesque church, chateau, old homes, and great cellars before arriving in Meursault. You can visit the renowned Château de Meursault with its 14th- and 16th-century cellars guarding prestigious bottles of wine.
- Walking for the day: 13.5km, 3-4h ↑350m ↓320m
- Overnight in Meursault (standard hotel: Les Hauts de Meursault or similar // upgraded hotel: Le Globe or similar)
Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, a transfer (~20min) takes you to Beaune, from where you can take a train to Paris or other places in France.
What to Expect
Accommodation
The standard accommodation is in B&B and 2- and 3-star hotels in private en-suite double/twin rooms. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. Optional hotel upgrade is possible to 3-star hotels.
Click to view standard hotels
- Le Petit Tertre B&B (Dijon)
- La Gentilhommiere (Nuits-Saint-Georges)
- La Bretonniere (Beaune)
- Les Hauts de Meursault (Meursault)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Hotel Wilson (Dijon)
- Hostellerie Saint Vincent (Nuits-Saint-Georges)
- Belle Epoque (Beaune)
- Le Globe (Meursault)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for moderately experienced walkers (no high mountain experience required, no steep ascents or descents, only a few undulating stretches) and requires a basic fitness level. The terrain combines forest trails, grassy vineyard paths, paved country lanes and quiet country roads. The walks have a relaxed pace with time to take in the views and surroundings and occasionally stop for a wine tasting (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. You can call our local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This tour runs from the beginning of March until the end of November. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date in the season – so please indicate the desired beginning date when booking.
From April to October, it is generally warm in Burgundy, although it becomes quite hot in July and August. Relative humidity is often low (except during unstable thundery weather). The daytime temperatures for the region will rise from an average of 17C in mid-April to 19C in May, 22C in June and 25 in mid-summer. September is similar to June, whilst temperatures drop during the second half of October with more rainy days.
For more information, please see our blog on the Best time to go to France.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Paris-Orly Airport (ORY), Lyon (LYS) or Basel (BSL).
By train or bus
Arrival: Take a train or bus from Paris airports to the city centre and from the centre (Gare de Lyon), take a direct TGV train to Dijon (1.5h). Train timetables can be found at www.sncf.com. Dijon can be reached by train from Lyon and Basel. It is about 5 hours from London using the Eurostar and then TGV via Paris.
Departure: There are regular trains from Beaune to Paris (~2h).
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights double occupancy with private facilities, in hotels and guesthouses
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers on walking days (one piece per person up to 20kg)
- Transfers on Days 2, 4 and 7 as per itinerary
- Digital travel kit with roadbook and integrated maps
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Local transport
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax, transport and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Personal expenses, visits to the chateaux
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
- Upgraded hotels with a supplement
- Optional visits for wine-tasting
- We can arrange a shorter version of this tour – 5 days/4 nights/3 walking days
