Burgundy Wine Trail
France Hiking + Walking Tours
Walk the Unesco listed vineyards of Burgundy, France
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€1181 Rates
Overview
Discover the past and the present as you walk self-guided the French wine trails to two world-renowned Burgundy regions: Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune.
Since the 3rd century B.C., these regions, and the vineyards that dot the landscape, have provided noble wines and still continue to do so with acclaim today. As you hike a trail of vineyards, chapels, châteaux, and old, glazed-roof villages, you will discover for yourself the incredible varieties and the quality of the grapes grown in this region, whether you prefer white wine or red.
The extraordinarily beautiful man-made landscape of stone-walled vineyards is your backdrop, and the legacy of generations of small-scale winemakers the story that unfolds.
Highlights
- History and charm of Dijon
- Full-bodied white and powerful and delicate red wines of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits wine region
- Chapels, châteaux, vineyards, and villages
- Tour of the 12th-century wine cellar and press of Château de Clos Vougeot
- Historic wine trails through valleys, vineyards, and wine towns
- French cuisine and culture
- Visits to wine cellars and learning how French wines are made
- Beaune, vineyards’ grape capital
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Itinerary
Day 1: Dijon
Day 2: Marsannay - Gevrey-Chambertin, 6 mi. (9 km)
Day 3: Gevrey-Chambertin - Nuit Saint Georges, 9 mi. (14 km)
Day 4: Nuit Saint Georges/Chaux - Beaune, 12 mi. (19 km)
Day 5: Beaune (free day)
Day 6: Beaune - Meursault, 6 mi. (10 km)
Day 7: Meursault, 12 mi. (20 km)
Day 8: MeursaultAll distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.
Day 1: Dijon
Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is the start of your walking tour. Not only is the town steeped in a rich and varied history dating back to the 3rd century BC, but it is abundantly graced with old architecture and historic buildings. Explore the renowned Musée des Beaux-Arts, housed in the grand Palais des Ducs (Palace of the Dukes), with its rich collection of paintings, sculptures, crafts, and antiquities. A tour briefing will be offered later in the day with the delivery of the road book, map, and tourist information.
Sample accommodation: Hotel des Ducs
Day 2: Marsannay - Gevrey-Chambertin, 6 mi. (9 km)
You are requested to have your luggage at the hotel reception by 10 am. At your leisure, you can check out and continue to explore Dijon on foot. Visit the Sacred Art Museum in Sainte Anne’s Chapel, the cathedral of Notre Dame, or the Archeological Museum, amongst others. After lunch, a taxi will transfer you to Marsannay-la-Côte. From Marsannay, where rosé wines are made and unique in the Burgundy region, you will start your walk towards Fixey. Here, a lovely 10th Century church, one of the oldest in the region, can be found. You will end your walking at Gevrey-Chambertin, a wine town still guarded by an ancient fortified castle.Sample accommodation: Hotel Arts et Terroirs
Options:
Wine tasting (approx. €27 pp). If you prefer, you may choose to do this on Day 3.
Cold wine tasting lunch (approx. €75 pp) in a winery in Gevrey Chambertin.
Day 3: Gevrey-Chambertin - Nuit Saint Georges, 9 mi. (14 km)
Today, your walking tour will cut through the Grand Cur vineyards towards Morey Saint-Denis. You will pass the wine village of Chambolle Musigny, then walk your way to the impressive Château de Clos Vougeot. This historic castle, a symbol of Burgundy's wine-growing and gastronomic heritage, contains a 12th-century wine cellar and an original gigantic wine press. Your walking trail continues across the Echezeaux and Grand Echezeaux vineyards and then lands you in the heart of some world-renowned vineyards: La Romanée, Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, La Tâche.
Sample accommodation: Hostellerie St. Vincent
Day 4: Nuit Saint Georges/Chaux - Beaune, 12 mi. (19 km)
Start the day with an uphill walk, past vineyard-covered slopes, to the Hautes-Cotes de Nuits region - reputed for its delicious red wines. Rolling valleys, panoramic views, and beautiful wine country will keep you motivated. Pass through the charming village of Villers-la-Faye, with its 11th-century church perched on top of Mont Saint-Victor. Descend into Côtes de Beaune, where Pernant-Vergelesses wine is produced, and onto one of the most picturesque little villages in the area, Aloxe-Corton, famous for white wines like Corton-Charlemagne, one of the best in Burgundy. You reach Beaune, a magical Burgundian city of medieval charm, famous for its hospices and ramparts.Sample accommodation: Hostellerie Bretonnière
Options: Wine tasting lunch with 6 wines (approx. €130 pp) at a winery in Aloxe Corton.
Day 5: Beaune (free day)
It’s a free day in Beaune today. Get lost in time as you explore the narrow cobbled streets lined with beautiful houses, some dating back to the Renaissance period. The “Capital of wine” is also a fantastic place to taste some Burgundy wines, coupled with some delicious local cuisine.Sample accommodation: Hostellerie Bretonnière
Day 6: Beaune - Meursault, 6 mi. (10 km)
The wine trail today will lead you all the way to the scenic French village of Meursault. You will leave Beaune and start walking through the Premiers Crus vineyards, toward Pommard. The wines of this quaint village are the very essence of Burgundy’s reds - flavorful, rich and of outstanding quality. Admire the square bell tower at the centrally located church. After walking over the last vineyard-covered hill, you will set your eyes upon Meursault, reputed for its white wines, made from Chardonnay grapes.Sample accommodation: Hotel les Hauts de Meursault
Day 7: Meursault, 12 mi. (20 km)
Today, walk a circular route around Meursault. You will walk through vineyards, past Blagny and Gamay hamlets, and through the forests of the Côte de Beaune heights. On arrival at La Rochepot, take time to admire the 15th-century Château de La Rochepot. This medieval fortress offers marvelous views over the rolling Burgundy countryside, as you tour the grounds. Descend to the village of Saint Aubin with its 10th-century church, before crossing through the Grands Crus of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. Pass through the village of Puligny-Montrachet, stopping at one of the wine bars, before walking back to Meursault, through Les Grands Crus at Les Perriéres.Sample accommodation: Hotel les Hauts de Meursault
Day 8: Meursault
Your walking tour comes to an end today at around 10 am. Enjoy a delicious breakfast before taking a taxi to Beaune railway station.If walking the Winelands isn't your flavor, check out our full list of walking tours or view all our featured bicycle tours, specials, and news.
Map
Accommodation
You will be accommodated in 3 and 4-star hotels but if you prefer you can upgrade to 4 and 5-star hotels based on availability.
Please see each day’s detailed itinerary for the preferred accommodation that is used. Of course in the event of lack of availability, a comparable alternative will be offered.Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights
- Breakfast
- Two dinners (on day 2 and 3)
- Welcome meeting on day 1
- Walking notes
- Tourist information with route maps
- Luggage transfer (delivery by 4 pm to your accommodations)
- Transfers as per itinerary (day 2, day 4, and day 8 from Meursault to Beaune train station)
- Local contact
- GPS tracks on mobile app
What’s Not Included
- Transport to and from start/end of trails
- Train tickets
- Lunches
- Dinners not mentioned
- Beverages with dinners
- Suggested tour activities and visits
- Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Daily departures from the beginning of May to the end of October. We do recommend that you avoid (if you can) high summer.
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 $ 1954 £ 1009 $ 1,815 € 1181 Ft 483645 kr 180136 ₪ 4956 ¥ 196581 Mex$ 25412 NZ$ 2158 kr 14086 zł 5170 S$ 1720 kr 13679 CHF 1130 $ 1,318 Single supplement $ 837 £ 432 $ 778 € 506 Ft 207218 kr 77179 ₪ 2123 ¥ 84225 Mex$ 10888 NZ$ 925 kr 6035 zł 2215 S$ 737 kr 5861 CHF 484 $ 565 Extra Options
Meals/Wine tasting
Dinners included (5 dinners) $ 417 £ 215 $ 387 € 252 Ft 103199 kr 38437 ₪ 1057 ¥ 41946 Mex$ 5422 NZ$ 460 kr 3006 zł 1103 S$ 367 kr 2919 CHF 241 $ 281 Wine tasting options (price per tasting) $ 45 £ 23 $ 42 € 27 Ft 11057 kr 4118 ₪ 113 ¥ 4494 Mex$ 581 NZ$ 49 kr 322 zł 118 S$ 39 kr 313 CHF 26 $ 30 Extra nights
Dijon Twin/double $ 122 £ 63 $ 114 € 74 Ft 30305 kr 11287 ₪ 311 ¥ 12318 Mex$ 1592 NZ$ 135 kr 883 zł 324 S$ 108 kr 857 CHF 71 $ 83 Beaune Twin/double $ 129 £ 67 $ 120 € 78 Ft 31943 kr 11897 ₪ 327 ¥ 12983 Mex$ 1678 NZ$ 143 kr 930 zł 341 S$ 114 kr 903 CHF 75 $ 87 Meursault Twin/double $ 108 £ 56 $ 100 € 65 Ft 26619 kr 9914 ₪ 273 ¥ 10819 Mex$ 1399 NZ$ 119 kr 775 zł 285 S$ 95 kr 753 CHF 62 $ 73 Single prices on request.
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy–Moderate
This walking tour is graded as easy to moderate, traversing a combination of asphalt and dirt paths through vineyards, rolling valleys, and villages.
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 Airport, known as Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS)
Local Travel
Depending on your time of arrival and available time of departure from CDG, you could take a direct TGV train from the airport to Dijon. However, departures are limited. There are other departures from the airport that include regional trains and transfers. Travel by TGV from Paris is approximately a 1 1/2 hour journey time. If you are using regional trains, travel time is 5 hours.
The first hotel is located at about 10 minutes walking distance from the train station or you can take a taxi or a city bus, called Divia, line n° 5. You will get off at the stop ‘Wilson’ or Tramway line T1, get off at the stop ‘République’. The easiest way to get from tour end in Meursault back to Paris or Lyon is by trainClimate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. The region’s weather is fairly consistent, especially since any area that produces grapes needs a relatively moderate, cooler climate. In the warmest month, July, the average daily low is 58° F and the average high 78° F. Burgundy can be breezy, but these winds come from the south, off the warm Mediterranean waters, so they can feel quite pleasant. The climate is classified as continental, and it’s more inclined to be dry than humid.
Recommended
A good pair of walking shoes. A daypack for water, snacks, camera, sunscreen, rain gear, etc is recommended. A good sunblock and sunscreen is essential.
Remarks
Take something to drink and to eat for the day.
Shops are closed between 12 am and 2 pm and on Mondays.
Evening meals (those that are included and those that can be purchased for a supplement) are served from 7 pm. Menu options are suggested but sometimes you have the choice between different dishes.
Breakfast is served between 7:30-9:30 am.Important to know
Documents
Before you travel, please check the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure proper documentation.
*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.
Extra Stay
This tour is flexible. You can usually book extra nights in any of the towns (subject to availability and on request).
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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