Beaune in Burgundy

Dot:

There's plenty to see in Burgundy, but Beaune is small. 2 half days ought to be enough for the town itself.

To go further, rent a bike or a car.

Thanks Adam that's what I was thinking. Too old for bikes.

Any favorite food places in Beaune?

Dot, In Beaune try Le Conty for lunch and La Grilladine for dinner. Really good food at both. TC

I don't know where you're going after this but I'd do 3 nights.

Dot,

You may find this discussion with a Burgundy tour guide interesting.

http://joinusinfrance.com/burgundy-region-and-wine/

Thanks,

Matt

We used Rick's chapter on Beaune as our guide and he helped up just fine. Definitely get out into the countryside using one of his suggested tours, and it's also fun to visit the Patriarch wine cellars which stretch for miles under the city. The hospice is a must visit. The city is a good size for walking.

We ate at L'auberge Bourguignonne per his suggestion.

Note that the TGV station is actually in Dijon and if you have a rental car, the return can be tricky.

I'd suggest three nights, to give you a full day in Beaune (Wed and Sat are market days) and a full day touring nearby. Dijon is where the TGV stops but there's a fast and frequent local train to Beaune, so you don't need a car if you hire that guide for the countryside.

Actually there at least 1 direct TGV per day to Beaune from Paris, but Dick is right, it is no big deal to change in Dijon for the local.

Thanks all.

I'm back to 3 nights in Beaune.

Since I'm from the Boston area could Adam give me an idea
of what it is like to drive around the area.

Two years ago we decided to drive for a few days while in Italy and it was not a good experience. The road signs were difficult to follow and they drove like crazy people. I was thinking coming from Boston how bad could their driving be - well they are crazier than we are.

We will hire a guide for one day but that would still leave us one full day on our own.

We go to Paris before Beaune for 5 nights and to Colmar for 3 nights after so maybe a little R&R could be good.

I'm open to suggestions.

Dot

Dot,

Sorry to be a one trick pony but I have found the Join Us in France podcast to have provided a very detailed and interesting description of driving in France.

http://joinusinfrance.com/episode-16-driving-in-france/

I also live in the Boston area and after listening to this, I felt comfortable with my plans to rent a car for 3 weeks this summer (we'll see how it turns out!).

-Matt

Since I'm from the Boston area could Adam give me an idea of what it
is like to drive around the area.

Based on a week touring the region by bicycle, I would not have any qualms about driving around Beaune. Parking outside of the city walls, of course.

And I am one of those people who never ever drives into the City of Boston.

As for food, I recall a very fine lunch at Ma Cuisine, also a memorable tasting lunch in Aloxe-Corton which is just a few miles north of Beaune. (The "tasting" is of flights of wine, but they are served with traditional Burgundian dishes.)

Years ago, however, so see what guide books say about those places now.

I went to school in Boston and had much fun driving there, so I had no problem on a recent trip to Beaune or across Italy a few years ago. I thought the styles were pretty much the same, damn the torpedoes. It's like NASCAR with a little less contact.

Now if someone has experience in, say, Los Angeles or in rural areas, trying to drive anywhere in Europe could cause a burst blood vessel.

Having encountered a colossal pothole on one of the Boston highways with no warning and only by God's grace being able to swerve into the lane alongside with no one there to hit me -- admittedly many years ago -- and having been driven crazy by those New England rotaries -- I'd say you'll have no problems driving in France! ;-) At least outside Paris. There's no point driving in Paris unless you're coming in or leaving the city.

Beaune has a pedestrian center and a lot of narrow one-way streets (like the North End maybe?), but a ring road that works well once you get used to which lane takes you where, and connects by good roads to other towns. Nearby is the intersection of two autoroutes that will get you anywhere else fast. The autoroutes are the wish-fulfillment of anyone who has experienced I-95 or the Mass Pike -- fast, uncrowded, well-serviced, scenic. (Also expensive but worth it.)

Driving in France isn't difficult, especially for east coasters who don't expect everything to be fast and wide like we do out west. The RS France guide has a good chapter on signage and rules. Gas is expensive but mileage is great. A stick-shift diesel ("gazole") car is the best value if you can get it. The French aren't crazy drivers, like anywhere else there may be exceptions, and some who are in a hurry and don't understand why you're having trouble with a route they've been following for years, but as courteous as any I've encountered. GPS helps, along with a good map. Have fun!

Thanks all.

I'm back to 3 nights in Beaune giving us a day with a guide for the country side and a full day in Beaune.

The private guide or tour sounds best since we love wine and plan on tasting.

Did anyone have a great experience at any particular winery? I'm more interested in the quality of the wine.

Dot

Based on what I heard about DUI laws in France, if you're going to do any driving it's really best to have a guide. Plus then you don't have to navigate!

Rick had quite a few suggestions as there are lots and lots of wineries to choose from. Also, if you do the Patriarche wine cellars tour you will be allowed to sample something like 4 whites and 10 reds. And you'll get to keep the little silver sipping cup they give you, like a sommelier. In fact you'll have to pace yourself on the tastings so you don't get too tipsy! There are also a lot of wine bars in the pedestrian zone.

As noted, there's a ring road around Beaune so if you're looking for something and you miss it or you can't cut over in time or there's no parking, just go around and try again.