Did you know that the Grand Cru Route starts at Dijon? This great wine itinerary takes visitors all the way to Beaune and Santenay, via the most prestigious of Burgundy’s wines.
What does a Burgundy wine tour involve?
A wine tour is a turnkey solution concocted by agencies who specialise in wine tourism. The key elements of guided wine tours in Burgundy are a wine estate visit in the company of the winegrower, a guided tour of the vineyard itself, a wine tasting session and an introduction to oenology.
In Dijon, you’ll find several tour operators who specialise in accompanying small groups on day trips or longer excursions, including Authentica Tours, Wine & Voyages, Bourgogne Gold Tour and Active Tours.
Vineyard excursions by minibus, by car, and even by bike, are available all year round! Or you can enjoy a bespoke wine tour with a private chauffeur to discover the Burgundy vineyard with your partner.
The Grand Cru Route
This prestigious tourism itinerary, through the cradle of Burgundy’s grand cru wines, stretches for 60 kms and crosses around thirty towns and villages. Here, Pinot Noir is the king of grape varieties and the vines grow on a narrow hillside strip that never exceeds a few hundred metres in width!
Côte de Nuits
Just out of Dijon, the prestigious parcels of Côte de Nuits vines accompany you for approximately 20 kilometres. Nicknamed the “Champs-Elysées of Burgundy”, this area includes the celebrated appellations of Marsannay, Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Côte de Beaune
Further south, the Grand Cru Route reaches the rolling landscape of the Côte de Beaune area. Like the Côte de Nuits, these vineyards are planted mainly in Pinot Noir, with a few Chardonnay vines on the famous Corton hillside. The Côte de Beaune appellations include the famous Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault and Puligny-Montrache.
The Burgundy vineyard by bike
There’s no nicer way to explore the vineyard than by bicycle. Active Tours and Vélovitamine organise half-day and full-day cycling tours departing from Dijon.
Bike rides and wine tasting with a guide
In the company of a local guide, you’ll ride along the cycle paths that wind through the vineyard, enjoying a perfect blend of physical exercise and wine tasting. The agencies that specialise in vineyard cycling tours will propose the right equipment for your level of fitness, either a hybrid bike or an electrically-assisted version.
Turnkey cycle tours without a guide
Or you can opt for a wine tour by bike without the services of a guide, for a weekend or a few days and with accommodation included. Armed with a logbook and detailed route maps, you’ll enjoy the freedom of an organised programme and the availability of technical assistance if needed along the way.
