Tour de Burgundy Vineyards

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Arrival

   You will transfer from the TGV station in Mâcon to your hotel in nearby Ige. After introductions and setting up the bikes, there will be a short trip into Mâcon itself. Mâcon was on the border between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire from the 9th to the 17th centuries and much of its wealth derived from customs charges. The promenade along the River Saône is lined with delightful cafés and restaurants with vistas of the 16th century St-Laurence bridge. A short walk around the old town takes in the magnificent church of St-Pierre and Cathedrale St-Vincent amongst the old market halls and timbered houses. You will return to the hotel for the first of many sumptuous dinners to fortify you for the road ahead.
   

   • Hotel in Ige
   • Dinner
2. Day 2Exploring the Mâconnais

   Today you will head north through the undulating landscape of the Mâconnais. You will be riding through the vines that produce the grapes to make the celebrated Pouilly-Fuissé white wine. Every village here has its own wine, and you will stop for a tasting visit. Refreshed and inspired you can take a dedicated cycle track to reach the abbey of Cluny. Cluny was founded in 910 AD and was the most important monastic order of Europe; at its height, the Abbey sent out 10,000 monks across all of Europe to do God’s work. The vaults of the Abbey Church are the highest in Romanesque architecture at 30m (100ft) high. You will then wind your way around the wooded Mâconnais hills through picturesque villages, each with its ancient church, before arriving back at the River Sâone in the medieval city of Tournus. The charming town has a magnificent Abbey Church, and a preserved 17th century hospital. Your hotel has been converted from a guardhouse built in the city ramparts, and here you will eat a superb dinner as a reward for the efforts of the day.
   

   • 36 miles
   • Hotel in Tournus
   • Breakfast and Dinner
3. Day 3Discovering the Challonnaise

   Today you will leave the Mâconnais region and enter the Challonnaise wine region. You will recross the foothills of the Montagnes Mâconnais and descend to visit the 12th century Château de Searcy in its beautiful lakeside setting. You will then rejoin the Voie Verte cycle path which takes you to the village of Buxy, home to the wines of Montagny. A tasting at a local winery is followed by lunch; depending on the weather, either a picnic or at a café in the village. You will now enter the  heartland of prestigious Burgundy wines; the next few villages rejoice in names to set a wine enthusiast’s heart beating a little faster — Givry, Rully and Mercurey are signposts that you are in the land of Pinot Noir, and you will take advantage to stop and taste one or two of these fabulous reds. You will join a canalside track and a few more kilometers bring you to Rully, where your hotel awaits. The town has its own prestigious appellation and at this evening's meal, you will have a dedicated sommelier present wines to you that are perfectly paired with each course. Another splendid supper!
   

   • 32.3 miles
   • Hotel in Rully
   • Breakfast and Dinner
4. Day 4Heading South

   A few bigger hills today as you head south to visit the village of Couches and the beautiful Château de Marguerite de Bourgogne. Marguerite was the daughter of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy, who married Louis X of France at the age of 15. Accused of adultery, the official history of the time has it that she was assassinated at the age of 25. However, historical documents have shown that she was secretly sent to the château that bears her name, where she died in secret under house arrest eighteen years later. You will then visit the nearby Mont de Sène, also known as the Mount of the 3 Crosses, where a short sharp climb brings you to one of the best panoramas in Burgundy, with views east to the Alps and north along the famous vineyards of the Côte. It is also a sublime picnic spot! The road then descends through Santenay and Puligny-Montrachet, where you will stop to sample the prestigious white wines, before heading onward to your hotel in the heart of Beaune. You are staying for two nights in Beaune so you can take your time to visit the Hotel-Dieu ancient hospital, a marvel of Burgundian-Flemish art that houses another Flemish masterpiece: Roger van der Weyden’s polyptych of the Last Judgement. The glazed polychrome tiles that adorn the roof of the Hotel-Dieu are nothing short of spectacular. Tonight you will dine at a restaurant close to the Hotel-Dieu.
   

   • 30.4 miles
   • Hotel in Beaune
   • Breakfast and Dinner
5. Day 5Santenay or Pommard

   Depending on the time of year, the afternoon offers a shorter ride to Santenay for a tasting and a fascinating visit to the cellars at the Chateau de Santenay or a ride to Pommard to the Chateau de Pommard. Either option offers a wonderful tour and tasting experience. Tonight you will go out on the town to a local restaurant. After dinner a stroll through the streets to admire Beaune's "Trail of Light"  – buildings lit up with stories of their history.
   

   • 24.2 miles
   • Hotel in Beaune
   • Breakfast and Dinner
6. Day 6Vineyards and Chateaux

   Your last day of cycling leaves plenty of time to visit the renowned vineyards of the Côtes-de-Nuits. Setting off you will head north through the vineyards of Aloxe-Corton, where you can stop for a tasting of its red wine — Voltaire’s favorite. You will then drop into  Nuits-St-Georges, the chief village of the famous wine-producing region which bears its name. It is a huddle of medieval buildings and narrow back streets and makes a great place to stop for lunch. In the afternoon you will visit the Château Clos de Vougeot. This château is a temple to Burgundian wine, literally, for it is here in the 12th-century cellars that the Order of the Tastevin Knights hold their ceremonies dedicated to upholding the traditions of food and wine Bourguignonne. A short ride brings you to your hotel, the Château de Saulon. Here, you can unwind by the pool before your final celebration meal of superb Burgundian cuisine.
   

   • 26.7 miles
   • Château de Saulon
   • Breakfast and Dinner

   • 

     Chateau de Saulon

     Enjoy a relaxing stay at this wonderful chateau hotel, set in delightful grounds with comfortable rooms

   • 

     Chateau de Saulon

     Enjoy a relaxing stay at this wonderful chateau hotel, set in delightful grounds with comfortable rooms

   • 

     Chateau de Saulon

     Enjoy a relaxing stay at this wonderful chateau hotel, set in delightful grounds with comfortable rooms

7. Day 7Departure

   After breakfast, you will transfer to Dijon for your onward journey, with memories of a wonderful week of cycling and new friends made. You may like to book an additional night in Dijon to see its many sights and museums — and sample its gastronomic delights.
   

   • Breakfast