Hello everyone-
I am planning a trip to France for October 15-23. Flying into Paris in the morning of October 15; taking a train to Dijon next morning. I will not have a car but will take trains. I am thinking of staying in Dijon 1 night, then going to Beaune for 1 night, Lyon for 1 night, Avignon for 4 nights (day trips to Arles, Pont du Gard+/- Nimes), and will fly out of Marseille.
My question is whether I should not stay in Beaune overnight but instead stop there from Dijon on the way to Lyon for a quick look around and add a day to Lyon or Dijon instead? I am not into wine tasting and bike riding, just wanted to see the town. If so, are there facilities at the train station in Beaune to leave my bag?
Thank you very much and will look forward to your suggestions.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Beaune is too small a station to have a left luggage facility.
Mr Steve's makes a big deal of Beaune. Lunch and a couple of hours is plenty. Skipping it is not a sin.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
3984 posts
There is no left luggage at the train station in Beaune. However, about a month or so someone else had the same question on this forum and reported back that a hotel near the station will hold luggage for a fee. I think it is the Hotel de France, but maybe someone who knows for sure will see your post and reply. It may be moot anyway because you should consider adding your Beaune night to Lyon. Lyon is a marvelous city. You also, of course, add both the Dijon and Beaune nights to your time in Lyon and visit both Dijon and Beaune in one day as a long day trip. I am a person who likes to minimize packing and unpacking during a trip so I would do three nights in Lyon, but others may have different preferences. Dijon is only about 35 minutes north of Beaune and if all you want to do is see Beaune then you could do that quite quickly on the way back to Lyon from Dijon. I could be biased but I find Beaune quite skippable, especially if you do not want to do a wine tasting.
Posted by
Denver, CO
796 posts
You may already know about this, but check out the "Owl Trail" in Dijon. It's on my list of things to do when we go!
Posted by
Eugene, Oregon...Formerly Ventura, CA
2262 posts
I have received confirmation from Hotel de France in Beaune that luggage can be left at reception for 3 euro per bag. Note that reception closes from noon to 3:30 and plan your trains, etc accordingly. And it is right across from the train station.
Posted by
Green Bay
21145 posts
And the Hotel de France is also a great place to spend the night and have a nice lunch or dinner.
Posted by
OP
Boston, MA
138 posts
Thanks everyone, it was very helpful!
I will add 1-2 nights to Lyon and plan to do day trips to Beaune ( if I have time).
Irene.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33820 posts
and Beaune is one of the few places that Ed and I pretty much disagree on. I actually like it quite a lot. I just like wandering about, seeing the hospital, looking at the neatly tiled and decorated roofs, sitting quietly at a cafe, preferably on a triangle, wandering the ramparts, and when we had a car, getting out into the nearby towns and villages. We are not drinkers so actual wine means nothing to us but looking at the vineyards and caves is fun. Lots of people without cars hire bicycles and ride them into the vineyards.
Yes, you could zoom through Beaune in a coupla hours, or relax and enjoy it for a couple of days.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I liked my day in Beaune, but for me I didn't need to spend more time (the Hospice was quite interesting, however). Lyon, however, is a large city with lots to see, as well as being my favorite city in France after Paris; a few days there are well spent. Rick's France book covers Lyon very well, so see if his suggested sights interest you. But in addition to the sights, I just enjoyed hanging out there (the parc de la Tête d'Or was nice on a sunny day).