Anything between Lyon & Paris?

No wall-to-wall grapes in November, but Burgundy can be lovely even in the off season.

It is quite rural, however.

Read up on the sights—in 2 days, Beaune might be your best base—and weigh them against 2 days in Paris.

If you haven't already "done" Paris at some time in your life, and you only have 2 days, I'd go straight there on the TGV from Lyon. There is so much to see and do!

Naturally, as others have commented, there are plenty of towns and places of interest between Lyon and Paris, but IMO they lend themselves to a more leisurely paced trip, more so if you had a rental car -- which I don't think is worth the trouble for only 2 days.

I vote for Beaune and/or Dijon.

Grape harvesting is in full swing.

Or she . . .

Beaujolais is not in Burgundy.

Incorrect; it certainly is. Beaujolais wines are legally considered Burgundy wines, and I believe they can say "Red Burgundy Wine" (or "Vin de Bourgogne") on the label.

Hello from Wisconsin,
Avallon is a nice place to stay as it is much less touristed than Vezelay and yet it is in the same neighborhood. It is almost half way between Lyon to Paris so you can tour on your way to Avallon. Visit Vezelay as the sun sets and the light is magical and the tourists have already gone home.

Let me pump Avallon a bit more. It is a real French town. I guess there is a tourist office, but it is hidden way into town near the castle wall gate. The 'high street', Grande Rue Aristide Briand, is used by real stores (where you necessities) and shops (where you look at things you might want). They have a weekly market in the car park in the center of town.

La Tour is a small restaurant where locals eat. The duck is quite nice (have them go light on the sauce as the duck is done just right and you don't want to hide that flavor. Their pizza can be ordered with a pile of red onions in the center.

wayne iNWI

Thanks for all the help! We opted for Beaune!

We have twice stayed at a little inn on a stream in the Morvan Forest very near Avalon and convenient to Vezelay. Moulin des Ruats --- lovely place and you can go for a hike in the forest from there and they have an excellent restaurant which draws from the surrounding area and is very popular. They keep fresh trout in the millrace.

Another spot we have stopped driving from the south to Paris is Semur en Auxois -- a stunningly beautiful little medieval town with many gorgeous towers. We were so impressed after an overnight on the road that we later spent a week in a cottage at the base of the walls by the little river and used it as a base for exploring Burgundy for a week. Heavenly.

We have also used Auxerre as a nighttime stop from the south to Paris. Last time we did this we stayed at a hotel just below the Cathedral which was lovely and walkable to the center of the charming small city. We found a very good Middle Eastern restaurant on a side street while exploring the town to have dinner in a picturesque little courtyard. This hotel also had a very secure garage so we were able to leave the car packed with our luggage which was a plus since at the time I had an arm in a cast having just had surgery on it in Menton after an unfortunate clash with a medieval ruin. Hotel Le Maxime.

Burgundy is between Lyon and Paris. It's one of the most beautiful areas in Europe. I visited in May and it was still cold. Most restaurants were closed but I felt like I had the area to myself.

The cities of Beaune and Dijon will still be relatively lively. I prefer Dijon's center to Beaune by a ton. I didn't think much of Beaune but it does have some good sights to visit. I still think a drive through Burgundy is worthwhile any time of year. The area is beautiful, rolling hills, woodland, farm animals, surprisingly few vineyards (they strictly limit how much land can be used for vines). Most of the small towns are medieval and made of stone - each one prettier than the last. You could drop a car in Auxerre and train to Paris from there.

I wish I could plan extra days for you, 2 more in Burgundy and at least a few in Paris.

There are two interesting ancient history sights in Burgundy (if you're into history). One is Bibracte, a giant museum and Celtic settlement. The other is the Battle of Alesia, where Julius Ceasar gained victory over the Celts. Most people visit for the wine and miss the history.