Best of Burgundy
France Bike Tours
Cycling, food & wine in the Burgundy region of France
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€1194 Rates
Overview
It is said the best wine can be found in Burgundy. It is said that the best cycling can be experienced here as well. Why not combine the two? Burgundy can be compared to Provence, but without the crowds.The landscape is slightly hilly and very picturesque, dotted with medieval villages.
You will start your tour in Dijon, capital of the Ducs of Burgundy, continue through Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, and from there you will venture more to the South.
Wine tastings are available along the way and vary depending on the estate that is booked. Many other excursions are possible as well such as Chateau du Clos de Vougeot (museum), Hospices de Beaune, Mustard factory, cheese factory, etc.
Highlights
- Burgundy cuisine (Escargots à la Bourgogne, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Coq au Vin are just three of the famous regional dishes)
- Burgundy wines
- Beaune, Burgundy Wine Capital, surrounded by Côte d'Or vineyard
- Côte de Beaune area and the winemaking villages such as Pommard, Meursault, and Puligny-Montrachet
- Rails to trails cycling on some days on the Voi Verte
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Dijon
Day 2: Dijon - Nuits-St-Georges, 14 mi. (22 km)
Day 3: Nuits-St-Georges - Beaune, 15 mi. (23 km)
Day 4: Beaune - Chassey le Camp, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 5: Chassey le Camp - Dracy Le Fort, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 6: Dracy Le Fort - Cluny, 28 mi. (44 km)
Day 7: Cluny - Macon, 17 mi. (28 km)
Day 8: Departure after breakfastAll distances are approximate. Due to circumstances beyond control, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way, you may find temporary deviations/detours necessary due to roadwork or other unforeseen circumstances that will not be reflected on your maps or route descriptions. In this case, please follow the directions posted locally
Day 1: Arrival in Dijon
Check-in begins at 3 pm. After check-in at your hotel, you are free to relax or explore. At 6 pm, there is a tour briefing scheduled with bike handouts, delivery of road books, and maps.Sample accomodation: Hotel des Ducs
Day 2: Dijon - Nuits-St-Georges, 14 mi. (22 km) | Elevation: +176 m / -185 m
Today you will follow the Route de Grands Crus to Vougeot, passing through Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey Saint Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, all famous wine-making villages of the area of Côte de Nuits. This winegrowing region is a paradise for Pinot Noir, which is used for the majority of the Bourgogne winegrowing region’s Grands Crus.Wine tasting: A visit to Domaine Phillipe Leclerc in Gevrey Chambertin is possible with a tasting of 7 wines (€15 p.p.) You will pass this winery as you cycle.
Sample accommodation: Hostellerie St Vincent
Day 3: Nuits-St-Georges - Beaune, 15 mi. (23 km) | Elevation: +170 m / -192 m
Leaving Nuits Saint Georges, you will head for Beaune, known as the Burgundy Wine Capital, surrounded by Côte d'Or vineyard. Worth a visit, is the Hospices de Beaune, founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor. The original hospital building, the Hôtel-Dieu, one of the finest examples of French fifteenth-century architecture, is now a museum, featuring a multi-paneled painting of The Last Judgement by Rogier van der Weyden. You must also discover the wine cellars filled with fantastic crus and stroll on the narrow streets which will take you back into the past.Wine tasting: Caves Moillard in Nuit Saint Georges with a tasting of 4 wines (€15 p.p.). You will find this winery just a short detour (1 km) from your cycling route.
Sample accommodation: Hostellerie de Bretonnière
Day 4: Beaune - Chassey le Camp, 16 mi. (25 km) | Elevation: +340 m / -246 m
You will cross the Côte de Beaune area going through the best-known winemaking villages such as Pommard, Meursault, and Puligny-Montrachet. The Montrachet vineyard is the jewel in the crown of Burgundy's white wines, located in a cluster around the Mont-Rachet hill above Puligny-Montrachet. These vineyards produce some of the most expensive and rare wines in the world, often regarded as the ultimate expression of the Chardonnay grape variety. Overnight stay will be near Chagny.Wine tastings:
- Chateau de Pommard in Pommard with a vist to the cellars and tasting of 4 wines (€35 p.p.). You will find this winery just a short detour (2 km) from your route
- Chateau de Chassagne Montrachet, informative and personalized visit of the cellars and winery from the 11th and 14th century, followed by a commented tasting of 5 wines (€20 p.p.). The winery is located directly on the route.
- Chateau de Santenay, in Santenay, a guided visit is available of the exteriors of the castle, the winery, cellars of aging (9th century) including the tasting of 5 wines. Visit at 10:30 am, 2 pm, or 4 pm. (€16 p.p.) Location: 1 km detour from your route
- Domaine Lejeune in Pommard, except on Sundays and subject to availability on booking. Tasting of 5 wines. (€20 p.p.). Location: 500 m from your route
Sample accommodation: Auberge du Camp Romai
Day 5: Chassey le Camp - Dracy Le Fort, 16 mi. (25 km) | Elevation: +126 m / -242 m
You will leave Chagny following the Voie Verte alongside the Canal du Centre in the direction of Chalon sur Saone from where you can admire the vineyards of the Côte Chalonnaise. Highly recommended is a visit to the Château de Germolles (3 km from your hotel), a well-preserved residence of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century. This exceptional site evokes court life in France on the eve of the Renaissance.Sample accommodation: Hotel le Dracy
Day 6: Dracy Le Fort - Cluny, 28 mi. (44 km) | Elevation: +229 m / -188 m
From Dracy, you follow a cycling path designed for leisure activities and built on an ancient railway. From Givry, you will follow it until Cluny, enjoying a varied landscape of forests and traditional rural stone huts or cabottes. With a rich heritage and an artistic dimension, Saint Gengoux Le National is known as a medieval town. On your way to Cluny, you will go through Cormatin, a village well-known for its château. Here the landscape will change and will become hillier. Overnight this evening is in Cluny, the spiritual center of Europe during the Middle Ages, which had a considerable influence on religion, education, and art.Wine tasting:
- Available on this Day or on Day 5. You can ride an extra loop of 12 km to visit Chateau de Chamirey in Mercurey, except on Sundays. 3 wines can be tasted. (€20 p.p.)
Sample accommodation: Hotel de Bourgogne or Hostellerie d’Héloïse
Day 7: Cluny - Macon, 17 mi. (28 km) | Elevation: +244 m / -305 m
Today you will follow the easy and flat route on Voie Verte, winding for about 23 km through the Val Lamartinien. The landscape is dominated by the rocky outcrop of Solutre Vergisson in the middle of a vineyard, classified as one of the most beautiful natural sites in France.Sample accommodation: Ibis Macon Centre
Day 8: Departure after breakfast
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Map
Hotels & Bikes
You will be accommodated in 3-star hotels. On each day’s details, you will find the name of the preferred hotel. All hotels are chosen for their quality and location. For example, in Dijon, the preferred hotel is Hotel Duc, located in the heart of Dijon, 100 meters from the Palace of the Dukes and the Museum of Fine Arts. In Cluny, where you will be accommodated on the sixth night, you stay in Hotel de Bourgogne, in the heart of Cluny and its Abbey. If the hotel listed is not available, an equivalent standard of accommodation will be offered. An upgrade to 4- or 5-star hotels is possible (based on availability) at an extra cost. Please request a quote.
Bicycles
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights in 3 star hotels with breakfast
- 27-speed touring bike (SCOTT Sub Cross 40) with higher handlebars & more upright riding position
- Equipment includes, one helmet, one rear pannier & one handlebar bag with map cover, one repair kit, pump, lock, & odometer per two bikes
- Tour briefing
- Luggage transfers (luggage should weight no more than 20 kg total)
- GPS tracks on mobile app
- Route descriptions & maps as well as tourist information
- Hotel taxes
- Emergency assistance in case of problems
What’s Not Included
- Lunches & dinners
- Visits our activities suggested in tour description
- Bike Protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Daily departures between April 1 to October 31, 2024
Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
2024
Twin/double $ 2004 £ 1029 $ 1,842 € 1194 Ft 480544 kr 185517 ₪ 5126 ¥ 192399 Mex$ 25907 NZ$ 2188 kr 14361 zł 5206 S$ 1756 kr 13796 CHF 1146 $ 1,355 Single supplement $ 822 £ 422 $ 756 € 490 Ft 197208 kr 76133 ₪ 2104 ¥ 78958 Mex$ 10632 NZ$ 898 kr 5893 zł 2136 S$ 720 kr 5662 CHF 470 $ 556 Extra Options
Extra nights
Dijon $ 124 £ 64 $ 114 € 74 Ft 29782 kr 11498 ₪ 318 ¥ 11924 Mex$ 1606 NZ$ 136 kr 890 zł 323 S$ 109 kr 855 CHF 71 $ 84 Beaune $ 131 £ 67 $ 120 € 78 Ft 31392 kr 12119 ₪ 335 ¥ 12569 Mex$ 1692 NZ$ 143 kr 938 zł 340 S$ 115 kr 901 CHF 75 $ 89 Macon $ 119 £ 61 $ 110 € 71 Ft 28575 kr 11032 ₪ 305 ¥ 11441 Mex$ 1541 NZ$ 130 kr 854 zł 310 S$ 104 kr 820 CHF 68 $ 81 Options
Dinners included $ 581 £ 298 $ 534 € 346 Ft 139253 kr 53760 ₪ 1485 ¥ 55754 Mex$ 7507 NZ$ 634 kr 4162 zł 1508 S$ 509 kr 3998 CHF 332 $ 393 Bikes and accessories
Electric bike $ 247 £ 127 $ 227 € 147 Ft 59162 kr 22840 ₪ 631 ¥ 23687 Mex$ 3190 NZ$ 269 kr 1768 zł 641 S$ 216 kr 1699 CHF 141 $ 167 SPD pedal rental $ 34 £ 17 $ 31 € 20 Ft 8049 kr 3107 ₪ 86 ¥ 3223 Mex$ 434 NZ$ 37 kr 241 zł 87 S$ 29 kr 231 CHF 19 $ 23 Installation of SPD $ 18 £ 9 $ 17 € 11 Ft 4427 kr 1709 ₪ 47 ¥ 1773 Mex$ 239 NZ$ 20 kr 132 zł 48 S$ 16 kr 127 CHF 11 $ 12 Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy–Moderate
This tour is rated easy to moderate. Burgundy has lovely cycling and you will encounter hills but your daily distances are very manageable allowing you plenty of time to slow down and enjoy this beautiful tour.
Airport Info
There are two options for your arrival airport. One option is to fly to Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG). Another option is to fly to Lyon (LYS).
Local Travel
You can take a train from Paris or Lyon to Dijon. There is a TGV train station in Dijon. It takes about 1 h 30 min to get to Dijon from Paris by a fast train. The first hotel is located at about 10 minutes walking distance from the station. You can take a short taxi ride or a city bus, Divia, line n° 5 or Tramway line T1 to your first hotel. More details will be provided to you in your final travel information.
Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. Dijon and the surroundings has a mild humid temperate climate with warm summers and no real dry season. During the month of June, July, August and September you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20 degrees Celsius (68°F) and 25 degrees Celsius (77°F).
Remarks
You can book an extra night in Beaune, Dijon, or Macon or customize the tour, and shorten it to 5 or 6 days.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.Wine Tastings
If you are interested in any of the wine tastings indicated in the day to day itinerary, please let us know which day(s) and winery you would like to book and we can provide more details in regards to estimated time of arrival and availability. Most of the time it will be late morning (about 11 am) or afternoon ( 3 pm, 4 pm or 5 pm) depending on the availability of the winery and location within your cycling itinerary. Don't be surprised by early tastings that may be possible! In France, 11 am is considered to be one of the best moments in the day to have your taste buds awake and ready to have a quality tasting. Wine tastings are subject to price increase throughout the year at the vineyards' discretion.
Note about Ride with GPS
The app “Ride with GPS” is used to share the proprietary GPS route information. To access this, you will only need to download the free Ride With GPS app on your personal device, and create an account.
Because the GPS program uses satellite data rather than cellular, you will not incur data charges if you preload the trip maps prior to leaving a wifi zone. If you do not wish to roam or use local data, you simply need to load your day’s route while using the wifi of your accommodation.
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Active Tours.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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