Discover Burgundy: A Road Trip Guide

The wine-soaked region of Burgundy in eastern France has been a classic drive from the French capital ever since the giddy 1920s when fashionable Parisian motorists tootled through the region, tracking the course of the scenic Seine and Yonne rivers, on their way to the sun-blessed Med and beyond into Italy.

The road they followed, the now-mythical Route Nationale 6 or RN6, was known as ‘la route des vacances’ (the holiday route) – for good reason. Having a car makes it easy to get around Burgundy and road-tripping is a restorative journey through insanely picturesque landscapes peppered with vines, mustard fields, and forests thick with truffles.

Some of Burgundy’s best places to visit – think family-run wineries, bijou châteaux, hilltop villages, and ancient abbeys – provide ample excuse for long and lazy pit stops, invariably spiced with fine food, wine, and a year-round vacation vibe.

Medieval Burgundy

Best trip for history and culture buffs

Start – Cluny; End – Vézelay; Distance – approx. 400km (250 miles)

Ecclesiastical architecture blossomed in Burgundy between the Middle Ages and the 15th century, littering the region with a bounty of monasteries and basilicas. The trail appropriately begins in Cluny, amid the peaceful ruins of Christendom’s greatest abbey that once held sway over 1100 monasteries stretching from Poland to Portugal. Going north towards abbey-clad Tournus, restaurant Le St-Martin in Chapaize, with an alfresco terrace eyeballing the bijou 11th-century village church, is a sensational lunch stop for modern French cuisine.

Cultural heavyweights Dijon and Beaune brim with majestic architecture, monuments, and museums, while Autun is all about poking around Roman relics. Further north, urban treasures give way to vineyards, verdant hiking trails, and enchanting B&BS around ancient hilltop village Semur-en-Auxois. End on a cultural high with Abbaye de Fontenay and Basilique Ste-Madeleine in Vézelay – Unesco World Heritage treasures that steal the show.

Route du Crémant

Best trip for bubbles

Start – Châtillon-sur-Seine; End – Châtillon-sur-Seine; Distance – 120 km (75 miles)

Relaxing at sundown over the Burgundian version of a kir royale – local AOC Crémant du Bourgogne mixed with a deep-violet dash of velvety blackcurrant crème de cassis – is a sparkling evening ritual on this indulgent weekend road trip in northern Burgundy.

Brown road signs featuring the grape-themed logo of Coteaux du Châtillonais’s wine union guide motorists through 23 hamlets and villages framed by vineyards planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, where sparkling white and rosé Crémant du Bourgogne is produced. The circular route begins in Châtillon-sur-Seine and heads west along the Châtillonais vineyards, north up the Laignes valley, east across the Seine and Ource valleys, before looping back to Châtillon-sur-Seine.

Wine tasting and gentle hiking opportunities abound, and Châtillon-sur-Seine celebrates Burgundy’s bubbly with the Fête du Crémant et du Tape Chaudron on the third weekend in March.

Route des Grands Crus

Best trip for wine tasting

Start – Dijon; End – Santenay, near Beaune; Distance – 60km (37 miles)

Wine-tasting is one of Burgundy’s most famous experiences, and this is the ideal way to savor it. Known as the ‘Champs-Élysées du vin’ or ‘Champs-Élysées of Wine’, this legendary route lives up to its Parisian-chic moniker. Romping past central Burgundy’s most acclaimed vineyards, châteaux, and wine-growing villages, this itinerary is best split across two days to indulge in memorable wine pairings with dinner.

The southbound driving tour pootles off the starting blocks in Dijon, winding gracefully through the Côte d’Or and Côte de Beaune wine regions. Highlights include epicurean Gevrey-Chambertin where nine of Burgundy’s 32 grands crus wines hail, several iconic châteaux, and museums dedicated to winemaking.

Route 71

Best trip for beautiful landscapes

Start – Chalon-sur-Saône; End – Mâcon; Distance – approx. 75 miles (120km)

Numbered after the Saône-et-Loire département, Route 71 raises the curtain on laidback motoring in southern Burgundy. Handsome stone villages, romantic Romanesque churches, and curious rock formations adorn the scenic route. Allow two days to take in major sights and linger in artisan potteries, boutique wineries, and market-sourced village bistros.

Cheese, Chickens, and Mustard

Best trip for epicureans

Start – Dijon; End – Bourg-en-Bresse; Distance – approx. 230km (143 miles)

Burgundy offers France’s smelliest cheese, tastiest chicken, and world-famous mustard. When it comes to food, epicurean Burgundy doesn’t mess about – and cooks up so much more than classic boeuf Bourguignon.

With its fabulous 19th-century covered market and appealing wine bars serving local wines and dishes, Dijon is an excellent starting point. The best spot to taste Dijon mustards is in Beaune, at the last-remaining mustard factory.

Throughout your journey, sample sensational craft beer paired with zero-kilometer local cuisine. Delight in the region’s star culinary offerings in the Bourg-en-Bresse area, pairing with local white Chardonnay or red Pinot Noir for an epicurean experience.

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. It is advisable to check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling.