Paris, Beaune & Reims

DAY 2 Beaune/Dijon

Meet your driver at 9 AM at your hotel and transfer to Dijon for a walking tour
With a strategic position between northern Europe and the southern countries, the Burgundian capital was home to one of the brightest courts of Europe of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries: that of the dukes of Burgundy. Exceptional complex and testimony of a sumptuous past, the architectural heritage of the city of art and history of Dijon consists of impressive monuments and picturesque and old half-timbered houses. It was also enriched in the Renaissance, as well as in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, by elegant buildings. The route de la Chouette, a pedestrian circuit in 22 stages to follow at your own pace, will make you discover the unmissable historical center. Take time to stroll through its pedestrian streets and beautiful squares, then take advantage of the beautiful shops and delicacies you will encounter along the way. Located in the palace of the dukes and the states of Burgundy which also houses the Dijon town hall, the Museum of Fine Arts houses notable collections ranging from antiquity to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance up to the 21st century. In the ancient and large parade hall you can admire the sumptuous tombs of the dukes Filippo the Bold and Giovanni Senza Paura. Dating back to the fifteenth century, the tower of Philip the Good, which overlooks the 46-meter high building, will offer you a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. Many churches, which embrace all ages from the Middle Ages to the present day, gave Dijon the name of a city with a hundred bell towers. The oldest, the church of Notre Dame, is a Gothic masterpiece, with its beautiful facade decorated with gargoyles. The unusual sculpted owl, which is on a building buttress, is considered a lucky charm to caress with the left hand expressing a wish! Inside the church you can admire the ancient statue of Our Lady of Good Hope, an 11th century wooden Virgin, near the south apse.
In the end, we will have lunch at “Chez Stéphane Derbord” 10 Place du Président Wilson 21000 Dijon.

After lunch, continue to Beaune for an afternoon guided visit of Beaune.
City of art and history, capital of the wines of Burgundy, the city of Beaune, located about forty kilometers south of Dijon, has an exceptional heritage. Surrounded by ancient ramparts, it is considered the center of the Burgundy wine trade. The Hôtel-Dieu, jewel of medieval Burgundian architecture, built in the fifteenth century at the request of the Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy Nicolas Rolin, to help the most destitute patients. Classified as a Historic Monument, this magnificent complex with its famous painted tile roofs has become a museum of medical history. During the visit, you can admire the fantastic courtyard, the imposing Pôvres hall, the Gothic chapel, the kitchen and the pharmacy, as well as a 15th-century Flemish painting masterpiece: the polyptych of the Last Judgment, attributed to the artist Rogier van der Weyden. This is where the largest wine auction in the world takes place in November, with part of the proceeds earmarked for the maintenance of the Hôtel-Dieu. Not far away, in rue Paradis, there is the palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. Classified as a Historical Monument, this ancient fourteenth-century ducal palace houses the Burgundy Wine Museum, where the history of vineyards and winemaking is reviewed through ethnographic and artistic collections, tapestries and everyday objects of winemaking knowledge. Another unmissable monument is the Cluniac-inspired collegiate church of Notre-Dame. This stupendous 13th-century building, one of the last great Romanesque churches in Burgundy, has a Gothic portal and apse, in addition to the Renaissance bell tower. The cultural life of Beaune is intense and lively all year round. In July, one of the most prestigious baroque music festivals in Europe takes place. Another unmissable monument is the Cluniac-inspired collegiate church of Notre-Dame. This stupendous 13th-century building, one of the last great Romanesque churches in Burgundy, has a Gothic portal and apse, in addition to the Renaissance bell tower. The cultural life of Beaune is intense and lively all year round. In July, one of the most prestigious baroque music festivals in Europe takes place.
At 6 PM, return to Beaune
At 8 PM Welcome Dinner at Le Caveau des Arches 10 Boulevard Perpreuil, 21200 Beaune. Overnight in Beaune.

DAY 3 Route des Grands Crus

Late morning departure from Beaune to discover the mythical Route des Grands Crus is a 60 km stretch of the Côte d’Or from Dijon to Santenay that takes you through the grandest wine appellations from Burgundy.
This route encompasses some of the prettiest villages in France for the winegrowers not only take great pride in their vineyards, but they also tend their villages too – clusters of stone houses, adorned with geraniums, narrow cobbled streets, all add to the charm.
Try and catch the honey-colored glow that descends on the villages and hillsides on a sunny day an hour before dusk – this is one of the things which makes Burgundy so memorable.
We will stop in Gevrey-Chambertin for an independent tour around the medieval castle.
At 1 PM we will have a wine tasting in the old cellar.
La Table d’Eole 9 Place Jolyot de Crébillon 21220 Brochon
After lunch, continue the tour. There’s the beautiful, sturdy château, the house of the Burgundian writer Gaston Roupnel (1872-1946) and the townhouse of the wine merchant Claude Jobert. In Vougeot, we will see the Château du Clos Vougeot, the headquarters of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.
Then will pass along Vosne-Romanée and Nuits St. Georges, whose name is famous for unparalleled.
Late afternoon, return to Beaune. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Beaune.