My husband and I are planning a trip next year and will be driving from Trier, Germany to an ancestral village near Gap, France in the French Alps. This is a long drive, so we want to stop in a town around half-way that has decent options for food and lodging and enough to site see in the morning before completing our journey. We are already considering Dijon and Beaune and are not interested in Lyon. Any suggestions for other locations?
Posted by
3122 posts
Beaune is a very charming little village yet offers "decent options for food & lodging & enough to sightsee" whereas Dijon also has its charms, but is definitely more of a full-fledged city. But you probably already knew that.
The RS guide to France lists many small villages around Beaune, including (to name just those listed at the beginning of the "Burgundy" chapter) Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, Semur-en-Auxois, Fontenay, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Alise Ste-Reine, Vezelay, Guedelon, Bourges, Cluny, Taize. I suggest investing in the book if you want to visit an out-of-the-way hamlet with wine tasting etc.
If it's not important to you to be able to say you've been to one of those hidden gems, I'd stick with Beaune as it is right on your route, about halfway, and well equipped with tourism infrastructure. According to the RS guide, there's a little tourist train that takes you around town April thru October (but no morning trips on Wed & Sat). There is also the Hotel Dieu museum, cathedral, wine museum (closed Mon & Tues in October), mustard museum, walk through park & into vineyards, walk the town's ramparts.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
My favorite in the area was Semur en Axois. I was there in May this year and it was pretty closed down. Pretty much only a few restaurants and the supermarket were open. Still the town was very nice and I preferred it to Beaune, primarily because it's a small medieval town while Beune is a 17th/18th century small city.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Beaune (above) is about halfway and would fit the bill. I think you want a smaller city to facilitate hitting the road the next day.
If you get an early start you could consider Cluny or some of the small towns in the Beaujolais region, but Beaune seems like what you say you are looking for.