Burgundy Travel Guide
Castles rising from vineyards and medieval churches mark the landscape of Burgundy, the land of the good life for those who savor fine cuisine and wine in historic surroundings. Burgundy was once an independent province; its Valois dukes spread their might across Europe from 1363 to 1477. In preserving its independence, Burgundy weathered many struggles, notably under Charles the Bold, always in conflict with Louis XI. When Charles died in 1477, Louis annexed the duchy. Burgundy later suffered more upheaval, including much damage to the city during the Franco-Spanish wars that began in 1636. Peace did not finally come to the region until 1678.
At the time of the Revolution, Burgundy had disappeared as a political entity and was divided into the départements of Yonne, Saône-et-Loire, and Côte-d'Or. The ducs de Bourgogne are but a memory, but they left a legacy of vintage red and white wines to please and excite the palate. The major wine-growing regions of Burgundy are Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Chalon, Mâconnais, and Nivernais.
Regional Cuisine
The cuisine of Burgundy has long been appreciated for the freshness and variety of its ingredients and the skill and finesse of its chefs. Many historians, as well as Charles VI, Escoffier, and Brillat-Savarin (born in the Burgundian town of Bugey), have praised its food and wine. Something about the mild climate, rainfall, and nutrient-rich soil produces some of the best beef (especially of the Charolais breed), mushrooms, grapes, fish, game, snails, fruit, and vegetables in Europe. The cuisine seems to have been invented for healthy appetites, and a typical Bourguignonne has been defined as both a gourmet and a gourmand.
In Burgundy, any sauce with a dose of wine added is called une meurette, and you'll see it listed a lot on menus. Meurettes, whether bound with butter and flour or spiced with quantities of herbs and (occasionally) the blood of the slaughtered animal, are flavorful and seem to make whatever wine you are drinking taste even better. Meat prepared à la bourguignonne is usually braised and served with a sauce of wine (usually red), onions, mushrooms, and (except with fish) lardons.
One specialty is a succulent species of snail, cooked in the shell and flavored with garlic and butter. Other recipes handed down for generations are coq au vin (chicken with red wine, brandy, chicken livers, and blood) and chicken or ham cooked en sauce (traditionally made with white wine and cream) or au sang (with blood sauce, lard, and baby onions).
The region also produces fine cheese. Most visible is the goat cheese crottin de chavignol, made in Sancerre, along with superb white Sancerre wine. The cheese and wine accompany each other splendidly. Blue-veined Gex has a flavor similar to Roquefort. All of the Epoisses cheeses are made in the Yonne valley.
Burgundy is also the home of the "king of French condiments," Dijon mustard. Any menu item followed by the word dijonnaise will have a sauce containing it. It's estimated that Dijon produces three-quarters of the mustard consumed in France.
And then there are Burgundy's wines. Only 2% of the wines produced in France, they include vintages sought the world over. The best are from the Côte d'Or, a strip of gravel-studded soil, usually divided into small family-owned plots, between Dijon and Santenay. In the Côte d'Or, the two major categories are the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. Other wines are Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Nuits-St-Georges, Beaune, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, and Pommard.
Exploring the Region by Car
Burgundy is perhaps the finest region in France to tour by car. Here's a suggested way to link the area's best destinations.
Day l Begin at Burgundy's northwestern edge, in Chablis. Vineyards surround Chablis, the capital of Basse Bourgogne (Lower Burgundy). The town is more famous for its wine than for its monuments, but it has two interesting churches: the 12th-century Eglise St-Martin and the Eglise St-Pierre. Chablis is not worth an overnight stop, though 15km (9 miles) to the west along D965, in the hamlet of Tonnerre, is one of the best restaurants in the province: Saint-Père, 2 av. G. Pompidou (tel. 03-86-55-12-84). Fixed-price menus at lunch and dinner cost 14€ to 40€ ($16-$46). From March to October it serves lunch Tuesday to Sunday, dinner Tuesday to Saturday. In the off season it's open daily for lunch, Friday and Saturday for dinner. After a meal, backtrack about 24km (15 miles) west on D965 (passing through Chablis) to Auxerre.
Scene of many pivotal moments in French history, Auxerre is the site of one of France's most impressive churches, the Gothic Cathédrale St-Etienne. If you're looking for fine dining, drive north 27km (17 miles) to A la Côte St-Jacques, in Joigny. Return to Auxerre for the night or stay in Joigny.
Day 2 Drive south from Auxerre along N151 and then east on D951 to the hamlet of Vézelay. If there's one must-see Romanesque church in France, it's here. Park at the bottom of the village and climb the cobblestone main street. At the base of the hill is L'Espérance, St-Père-sous-Vézelay (see "Vézelay," later in this chapter), one of the best restaurants in the world. It's closed Tuesday and at lunch Wednesday, so plan your itinerary accordingly.
You can spend the night in Vézelay, drive 9.5km (6 miles) east on D957 to Avallon, or continue south for 56km (35 miles) on well-signposted country roads to Château-Chinon. Wherever you spend the night, plan on an early departure the following day.
Day 3 From Château-Chinon, drive east 32km (20 miles) on D978 to visit one of the oldest towns in France, Autun. En route, you might wish to take this detour: Heading east on D978 toward Autun, turn right (south) at Arleuf, going right onto D500. At a fork, turn right toward Glux and follow the arrows to Mont Beuvray on D18. Take D274 to reach the summit. After 3km (2 miles) of climbing you'll be at Oppidum of Bibracte, home of the Eduens, a Gallic tribe. Here Vercingetorix organized the Gauls to fight Caesar's legions in A.D. 52. At this altitude (840m/2,800 ft.), you'll have a splendid view of Autun and Mont St-Vincent. Leave Mont Beuvray on D274 and continue northeast to Autun.
At Autun, you'll find a historic town with ruins left by the ancient Romans, as well as a cathedral built in 1120 to hold the remains of St. Lazarus. Spend the night here.
Day 4 Start early, prepared for tours of châteaux, fortresses, vineyards, and other historic sites. Your route will be loaded with appealing detours, so be as flexible as possible as you negotiate a labyrinth of country roads toward Beaune.
Leave Autun on D973 east. After 9.5km (6 miles), turn left onto D326 toward Sully. Here you'll find the Château de Sully, once known as the Fontainebleau of Burgundy; it's closed to the public, but a view from the outside might satisfy you. The gardens are open from Easter to September, daily from 8am to 6pm. Leave Sully, following signs to the village of Nolay. Four kilometers (3 miles) past Nolay, you'll reach the Château de La Rochepot (tel. 03-80-21-71-37), a medieval-style fortress built during the Renaissance. It's open in July and August daily from 10am to noon and 2 to 6pm; April 2 through June and September daily from 10 to 11:30am and 2 to 5:30pm; October daily from 10 to 11:30am and 2 to 4:30pm (closed Nov-Mar). Admission is 5.50€ ($6.35) for adults, 4.50€ ($5.20) for children, free for children under 13.
Now head toward Beaune on D973, passing near some well-known vineyards: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Auxey Duresses, Volnay, and Pommard. En route, you can detour to a restaurant whose setting is as interesting as its food. Chagny, 43km (27 miles) east of Autun and 18km (11 miles) southwest of Beaune, rarely attracts sightseers, but gourmands from all over stop at Lameloise, 36 place d'Armes (tel. 03-85-87-65-65). It offers choices like lamb filet in a rice crepe, Bresse pigeon, lemon soufflé, and one of the broadest selections of burgundies in France. Reservations are required. It's closed Wednesday and at lunch Thursday. Fixed-price menus cost 85€ to 120€ ($98-$138).
Continue north to Beaune on D973, which will change to N74. You'll pass villages like Aloxe-Corton (where Charlemagne owned vineyards) and Comblanchien. In Vougeot, you can visit the Château du Clos-de-Vougeot (tel. 03-80-62-86-09), surrounded by France's most celebrated vineyards. The 12th-century château maintains a cellar, open for visits April through September Monday to Friday 9am to 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm; October to March Monday to Friday 9 to 11:30am and 2 to 5:30pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Admission is 3.40€ ($3.90) for adults, 2.75€ ($3.15) for students, free for children under 8.
Continue north on N74. Branch off onto D122 at Chambolle-Musigny, then continue to Morey St-Denis and the site of your overnight stay, Gevrey-Chambertin. This marks the beginning of the Côte de Nuits district, source of some of the world's most prestigious wines. Our favorite lodgings are Arts et Terroirs (tel. 03-80-34-30-76) and Hôtel Les Grands Crus (tel. 03-80-34-34-15), both of which rent rooms for 65€ to 80€ ($75-$92). For dinner, try La Rôtisserie du Chambertin, rue Chambertin (tel. 03-80-34-33-20), for classics like coq au vin; or Les Millésimes, 25 rue de l'Eglise, at rue de Meixville (tel. 03-80-51-84-24), for a special night, especially if you're a wine lover.
Days 5 to 8 Continue north a short distance to Dijon, home to some of the region's spectacular architecture. Use Dijon as your base for several interesting excursions.
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