Beaune

Day 1: Beaune’s heart and historic cellars

Beaune’s medieval core sets the tone: cobbles, ramparts, and centuries of wine lore beneath your feet. Today orients you to the town’s story, from charity and terroir to the grand merchant houses that still shape the region.

• Morning: Start at the Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu). Book the first slot to enjoy the architecture and the van der Weyden altarpiece in relative quiet; the visit explains how donated vineyards still fund care today and frames everything you’ll taste later.
• Midday: Simple lunch by the Halles market or a classic bistro, then a relaxed stroll past the town walls to note the geology displays and vineyard maps; they’ll help you decode labels by village and climat this week.
• Afternoon: Pre-book a tour of a négociant cellar such as Bouchard Père & Fils (in the old château) or Patriarche (vast, atmospheric tunnels). Cellars are cool year-round—bring a light jumper—and use the crachoir if you’re tasting several wines.
• Evening: Aperitif at Maison du Colombier for an excellent by-the-glass list (often biodynamic), then dinner at Caves Madeleine if you can secure a table. If you’re here the third weekend of November, the streets hum with pre-auction tastings and pop-up bars; book everything early.

Day 2: Among the vines and meeting vignerons

Get into the landscape that defines Burgundy. The Voie des Vignes cycle path threads south from Beaune through Pommard, Volnay, and Meursault, where a few metres of slope or soil make all the difference.

• Morning: Pick up bikes and roll the Voie des Vignes to Pommard and Volnay, stopping to read climat signs and compare exposures. In September during the vendanges, expect tractors and picking teams; ride single-file and don’t enter rows without permission.
• Midday: Continue to Meursault for a terrace lunch; keep it light if you have a domaine visit later. On hot days, aim for shade—harvests are earlier now and midday heat can be intense by late summer.
• Afternoon: Visit a small domaine by prior appointment in Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet or Savigny-lès-Beaune. Arrive punctually, open with a Bonjour, and feel free to spit during the line-up—though if a special bottle appears at the end, it’s polite to drink the glass offered; a 6–12 bottle purchase is a classic thank-you.
• Evening: Back in Beaune, unwind at Le Bout du Monde for an adventurous list beyond Burgundy, or a hearty wine-country supper. If you plan more tastings tomorrow, consider a driver—drink-driving limits are strict.

Day 3: Skills, discoveries, and celebration

Deepen your understanding before you head home: taste with intent, ask sharper questions, and track down bottles you’ll actually drink. Today blends structured learning with insider shopping and one last atmospheric cellar.

• Morning: Take a class at the École des Vins de Bourgogne (from 90-minute primers to day courses) to sharpen your sense of terroir, vintage, and classification. Winter sessions are ideal for serious tasters—vignerons have more time and cellars are quieter.
• Midday: Graze and buy like a local: La P’tite Cave for small-producer gems and Le Comptoir des Tontons for a glass and a chat. Ask about value appellations such as Saint-Aubin, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Monthélie, and the Hautes-Côtes; many shops can ship.
• Afternoon: Explore another historic cellar—Maison Joseph Drouhin’s warren under town is a time capsule—or, if you have a car/driver, make a short hop to the hill of Corton to compare cooler exposures now in vogue. If you’re here in late January, the Saint-Vincent Tournante rotates through a host village with open cellars and processions.
• Evening: Final dinner back in Beaune; order a mature village wine rather than chasing Grand Cru prices—restaurants often have older vintages at fairer value. In mid-November, the Fête des Grands Vins and the Hospices Auction electrify the town on Sunday night; outside that weekend, a quiet stroll along the ramparts is the perfect digestif.

By Air

• Lyon–Saint Exupéry (LYS): ~160 km. About 1h40–1h50 by car. By public transport: Rhônexpress to Lyon Part-Dieu (~30 min) then TER to Beaune (typically 1h40–2h with 0–1 change).
• Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG): ~320 km. Around 3h30–4h by car. By train: TGV CDG–Dijon (~1h35–1h50) then TER to Beaune (20–25 min); 2h45–3h15 total. Some itineraries route via Paris Gare de Lyon.
• Paris Orly (ORY): ~310 km. About 3h15–3h45 by car. By train via Paris (Orlyval/RER to Gare de Lyon), then TGV to Dijon and TER to Beaune; roughly 3h–3h30.
• Geneva (GVA): ~225 km. About 2h10–2h30 by car. By train typically 3h–4h with 1–2 changes (often via Lyon Part-Dieu and/or Dijon).
• Dole–Jura (DLE): ~55 km. About 45–50 min by car. Limited/seasonal flights. By train via Dole/Dijon to Beaune in ~45–60 min.

By Train

• Beaune has an SNCF TER station (centre of town). High-speed TGVs do not stop here.
• Usual hub for connections: Dijon-Ville (frequent TERs to Beaune, 18–25 min). Chalon-sur-Saône is another nearby connection (TER ~15–20 min).
• From Paris: TGV Paris Gare de Lyon–Dijon (~1h35), connect to TER to Beaune (20–25 min). Typical total ~2h15.
• From CDG: Direct TGVs to Dijon on some services, then TER to Beaune (2h45–3h15 total).
• From Lyon Part-Dieu: Direct TERs or 1-change services; typically 1h45–2h10.
• From Geneva: 1–2 changes (often via Lyon and/or Dijon); 3h–4h typical.
• Nearest TGV stations if arriving by high-speed train then driving: Dijon-Ville (~45 km) and Le Creusot–Montceau–Montchanin TGV (~45 km; ~40–50 min by car).
• Tickets: use SNCF Connect; TGVs are reservation-only.

By Car

• Motorways: A6 (Autoroute du Soleil) runs by Beaune; junctions Beaune Saint-Nicolas (24) and Beaune Centre (24.1). A31/A36 connect from Dijon and the east.
• Approximate drive times: Paris 3h15–3h45 (A6); Lyon 1h45 (A6); Dijon 35–45 min (A31); Geneva 2h10–2h30 (A40/A6); Basel 2h30–2h50 (A36/A31).
• Toll roads are common; pay by card or télépéage. Hire cars available at major airports and in Dijon/Lyon; limited options in Beaune (book ahead).