Highlights:

  • Discover some of the most beautiful villages in France, including the location where the movie Chocolat was filmed.
  • Take tea on the terrace at a private mansion.
  • Enjoy wine tasting in the cellars of world famous chateaux.
  • Explore the ruins of the great Benedictine abbey at Cluny.
  • Visit the magnificent Chateau of Commarin and be greeted by the current owner, a descendant of the Duke of Burgundy.

Discover many of Burgundys remarkable historic sights, its abbeys, medieval castles and lovely villages in a region which has been at the heart of French history since the Middle Ages. Explore the Auxois with its lively medieval towns, the Burgundy canal and chateaux. Get to know Beaune, the "capital" of the greatest Burgundy wines, and then move on to Romanesque southern Burgundy where the essence and colors of southern France become stronger. Find out why Burgundy is known as the home of gastronomic delights and explore some of the cellars where the delicious and world-renowned wines mature to perfection.

Although rich in history and heritage, this is also a wild, rich and surprising land of forests, lakes and valleys; home of the Charolais cattle and where the granite Morven hills dictate the flow of water through France to the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean.

Sunday Overnight: Chateau Sainte Sabine

Rendezvous outside the Dijon TGV station and transfer to our hotel. It is a castle! Join us for a wonderful Welcome Dinner tonight.

Monday Overnight: Chateau Sainte Sabine

Take a short drive to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, the location for the movie ˜Chocolat', then hike to the stately castle of Bussy-Rabutin, with its entertaining and storied past. After lunch at a traditional Burgundy auberge, a lakeside walk brings us to the striking fortified town of Semur-en-Auxois.

Tuesday Overnight: Hotel de la Poste

Walk near the Burgundy canal and in the hills to Chteauneuf-en-Auxois, with its famous medieval castle. After lunch, we follow the fringe of the plateau with magnificent views of the valley, then drop down to reach the Chteau de Commarin. We are welcomed by the owner himself, descendant of an aristocratic family with 500 years of history. Transfer to Beaune and our hotel in the historic center.

Wednesday Overnight: Hotel de la Poste

Visit the traditional market and the famous Hospices de Beaune, founded as a charitable alms house nearly 600 years ago. Then lunch at Chteau d'Entre-deux-Monts, a charming castle in the woods dating from the time of Louis XIII. Next, we're off to the Cte de Nuits vineyards and the Chteau de Clos-Vougeot, the headquarters of the brotherhood of the Chevaliers du Tastevin, where we see the chateau, the Cistercian cellars and wine presses.

Thursday Overnight: Hotel de Greuze

Walk above the vineyards of Volnay, following a trail in the back-hills to reach Saint-Romain, an ancient stone-built village. After lunch, we hike to the wine-growing village of Chassagne-Montrachet and a wine tasting session in the Chteau de Chassagne cellars. We drive to Tournus, one of the most important monastic centers of Burgundy.

Friday Overnight: Hotel de Greuze

Start the day with a transfer to Brancion for coffee and croissants at the foot of its medieval castle. Our walk takes us southwards on the old monks' path to Cluny, the medieval capital of the Roman Catholic Church. We'll visit the abbey ruins before a transfer back to our hotel. Farewell Dinner is at the Michelin-starred Restaurant de Greuze.

Saturday

Depart from the Dijon TGV station or the Tournus train station.
Moderate
"The Wayfarers are very, very good value for money."
Terrain: Undulating paths and tracks through forests, fields and vineyards, towards medieval villages, abbeys and castles. Some rocky paths. Occasional, moderate ups and downs. Average 10 miles walking per day.

TRIP DETAILS

6 nights from
$4,995.00
per person, double occupancy
(Single Supplement $765.00)
Our Wayfarers friends' Price is $4,745.00

Dates

From Sep 16 to Sep 22 (more dates)
Request booking
Arrival: Dijon
Departure: Dijon or Montchanin TGV
Burgundy September 2018 Map

Hotels - Where we stay

Chateau Sainte Sabine

Chateau Sainte Sabine

With its origins in the early 17th century, the Chateau Sainte Sabine is a beautiful building on the site of an ancient monastery, tastefully renovated and converted into a peaceful and welcoming refuge. Facing the medieval village of Chateauneuf en Auxois, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, the Chateau enjoys truly magnificent panoramic views. All the bedrooms have satellite television, free high-speed Wi-Fi access, telephone, mini-bar and strongbox. The bathrooms have either a bath or a shower, a hairdryer, and complimentary toiletries. In the light and airy restaurant, Chef Philippe Auge lets market produce take pride of place, on an inventive menu, using the best of local ingredients.

Hotel de la Poste

Hotel de la Poste

The Hotel de la Poste is located in the heart of Beaune. Built at the end of the 19th century on the site of an old post office, this elegant hotel is a 3-minute walk from the Hospices de Beaune (medieval hospital museum) and 5 minutes from the Muse du Vin de Bourgogne (wine museum). Air conditioned rooms come with en suite bathrooms, cable/satellite flat-screen TVs and free WiFi. Amenities include a garden, a cozy bar and a billiard room. Services available are massage, laundry and room service.

Hotel de Greuze

Hotel de Greuze

With a view of the magnificent Benedictine Abbey of Tournus, this refined hotel provides elegance, charm, comfort and a warm welcome. The bedrooms are decorated in varying antique styles and each has an ensuite bathroom, minibar, safe, satellite TV and WiFi. Breakfast is served in the salon and drinks can be enjoyed in the bar lounge or on the terrace. The Michelin Star restaurant is located near the hotel and offers the best in Burgundy cuisine.

Start planning your trip

What Is Included in the Price of My Vacation

  • Full-time services of two staff - a Walk Leader and Walk Manager
  • A backup vehicle for resting walkers and moving luggage
  • Comprehensive Travel Information Package and Reading List
  • Diverse itineraries with an emphasis on history, geography, culture, peoples, flora and fauna
  • Demonstrations, wine tasting, admissions to museums and historic sites
  • All ground transfers (ferries, cable cars, trains, etc.)
  • Maps and unique souvenirs to commemorate your trip
  • First-class accommodations with cultural and historical interest
  • All meals - with choices - (Special dietary requirements? No problem!)
  • Wine with dinner
  • On-trail snacks and refreshments
  • All gratuities at hotels and restaurants