Alice and a few of her friends took part in the “Burgundy wines discovery” workshop, organised from June onwards by the Tourist Office, at the top of Philip-the-Good Tower. She told us what she thought of this experience… 

“I’m far from being a wine specialist, but I enjoy tasting wines and I’m always looking to experience something new. Two good reasons to take a group of friends up the 316 steps of the Philip-the-Good Tower one day, late afternoon at the end of June. 

First of all, we come to the Tower! We certainly weren’t disappointed when we arrived at the top. You wouldn’t think so, but 46 metres is actually quite high up! When we arrived at the top, we were greeted with an incredible view of Dijonand even the surrounding area. And because Dijon is renowned for the beautiful, glazed roofs, the effort to get to the top is really worthwhile. 

The climb to the top can be quite strenuous as the steps seem to be never-ending. I started by counting the steps to check the exact number but very quickly I had to stop, to catch my breath. I just counted the floors and was pleased to see that I was capable of climbing 6 flights of stairs without a lift in sight!

But we didn’t climb to the top of this 15th-century monument only for the view. There was also a tasting session. The two combined was fantastic!

We were greeted by the sommelier from the Château de Marsannay who took us on a discovery of 3 appellations: Saint-Véran, Fixin and Volnay. We began our gourmet experience with the Aligoté grape variety.


Remember we were a group of friends, not a wine tasting club. That meant that even though everyone likes Burgundy wines, not everyone had the same interest in oenology. But the sommelier knew how to find just the right approach to keep everyone interested and not to lose anyone along the way. 

He told us about the geography, the history and working the vine, with passion and with some personal anecdotes. He helped each one of us to understand the complexity of the aromas and flavours of each wine. We learned a lot, and the explanations were kept simple and light-hearted. To put it simply, we had a real treat! We were particularly blown away by the last wine, a Volnay Premier Cru. 

Even if we had to come back down to earth eventually, what I really appreciated was having the time to enjoy each moment. It was just us, away from our daily routine, with great wine and an exceptional view. An experience worthy of the greatest wines!”  

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