What are the right ingredients for a successful weekend away with friends (child-free)?
The right group of people, a great destination, action-packed days to make the most of your time, and of course more relaxing moments to just spend some quality time together.
Nice restaurants, wine bars, sports events, festivals, bike rides, hiking, surprising places to visit, unusual accommodation: Burgundy has it all. Check out our recommendations and plan a weekend away that suits you.
Wine bars and 'caves à manger', the places to be for epicureans
A glass of Burgundy wine
TOP wine bars
With fantastic wine lists and a range of dishes, Burgundy's wine bars and 'caves à manger' can offer a great atmosphere and quality products, for a great evening guaranteed. Up at the bar or around a table, you can taste, nibble, and chat to the owners who love to talk to their customers. These places are all about embracing the moment with a glass of good wine in your hand!
If you are in Dijon, we absolutely recommend stopping by La Fine Heure, a winery in the city centre. You won't regret it!
Option no.1: take a seat at a table and discover the very best of local cuisine (snails, eggs meurette, beef bourguignon, Gaston Gérard chicken), of course accompanied by the region's vintage wines.
Option no.2: venture into the vaulted cellars of La Fine Heure for an atypical tasting on barrels of 100% organic wines.
In Burgundy, the locals certainly know how to get together! But contrary to popular belief, in Burgundy getting together is not only about the wine as major sporting events also fall into this category. You will however be running through the vineyards and nowhere else!
How about taking advantage of a festival to plan a weekend away in Burgundy? Circus, jazz, street performances, rock, dance, even festive tastings, anything is possible!
Mâcon Wine Not, in May. Concerts and big pop-up wine bar
Printemps de Monthélie, in April. Tastings and musical entertainment
De Cep en Verre,in August. Craft village, children's workshops and tastings
How about going on a bike ride?
Côte-d'Or Tourisme - Rozenn Krebel
The 'Voie des Vignes'
Pedal past the Grands Crus
The 'Voie des Vignes' is a 72 km cycle route from Dijon to Santenay, or in other words, through the world's most prestigious vineyards since you'll be lucky enough to be crossing through the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune.
Of course, nothing is stopping you from doing just a section of this route or just going on a short bike ride to a winegrowing estate for a tour or tasting.
The 'Voie Verte' is the perfect loop trail to explore the charm of southern Burgundy at your own pace.
Châteaus, medieval towns, abbeys, chapels, vines: this 144-kilometre marked-out route promises some amazing sights and the good news for your calf muscles is that it's fairly flat the whole way.
GR des Grands Crus: Walking through Burgundy's world of winegrowing
Get your backpacks and hiking shoes ready, the 'GR® de Pays des Grands Crus de Bourgogne' hiking trail is waiting for you! From the vineyards to renowned winegrowing villages, you'll be exploring the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits at your own pace. This long-distance hiking trail is of course fully marked-out and can just as easily be covered in shorter sections over a day or several days (you'll need to plan for 4 steps).
Top 5 atypical, outdoor activities in the vineyard
Maybe hiking just isn't your thing and you're not really a fan of cycling either? That's ok, we won't hold it against you!
If you are a fan of more unusual experiences, you'll love our special selection of outdoor activities in the vineyards. A ride on a vintage moped through the rows of vines, floating up over the most prestigious appellations in a hot-air balloon, pedalling as you taste the wines on a winebike, a trip in a 2CV, canoeing with a view of the Pouilly-sur-Loire vineyard. Your escapade in Burgundy will certainly leave a lasting impression!
Aboard a boat or in a manor house that is not usually open to visitors, on a theatre stage, at the top of a tower or in a venue kept secret right up until the last minute. Often, just the venue of these original tasting sessions is worth the detour.
Floating Aperitif in Chalon-sur-Saône. Hop aboard a boat for an aperitif cruise with friends
The Côte Chalonnaise mysterious aperitifs at an unknown venue! The Cave des Vignerons de Buxy organises tasting sessions in secret venues... that are guaranteed to amaze you!
Campsites and unusual accommodation at the heart of the vineyard
Manu Reyboz
From Meursault to Chatillon-sur-Seine, via Santenay, Azé, Tonnerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, how do you fancy pitching your tent or parking up your caravan in a campsite near the vines?
