Paris to Beaune

I just checked AutoEurope online and they have a rental agency at the railstation in Beaune. AutoEurope is a car broker and arranges for rentals with Hertz, Avis or Europcar, to name a few. Unless you want to see sites on the way to Beaune, I would say that taking the train to Beaune and renting a car there for a few days sounds great. Several years ago we stayed in the area around Beaune and enjoyed the late September harvest and the quaint towns in the area. So much fun. Have a great trip.

I think it depends on whether you want to do any sightseeing along the way. The Abbeye de Fontenay, Semur-en-Auxios (which I've probably spelled wrong) and even Vezelay are more easily accessed by car and worth side trips (hit one on the way and one on the way back) IMO. If you just want to get to Beaune, you can take the train.

On balance, I think I would rent in Beaune. It's a faster trip to Burgundy by rail than by car, courtesy of the National Society of the Iron Horse. Once there you can easily spend the first day seeing the sites in Beaune and getting the lay of the land. There are some good tasting opportunities in Beaune. So you can offset the train ticket, partly, with a day's less rental (and avoided tolls and gas). Of course if there are a lot of you, a car might be cheaper.

We did exactly what Adam suggested in 2008. We took the train from Paris to Beaune and spent the first day walking and exploring Beaune. Next day we picked up our rental car which we arranged through AutoEurope and spent the next two days doing the two scenic drives RS recommends which included the towns Dina mentioned. There are so many amazingly charming towns and we had a great time.

There is so much to see north of Beaune that I would get my car at Orly and drive down. we are photographers and spend a lot of time in the small villages of France . We love Noyers, Montreal, Chateauneuf-en-Auxois..... which is above the lovely Burgundy canal, , Flavigny, Semur en Auxois, Vezalay, etc. If you are interested in a place to spend a couple of nights send me a PM.

Thank you all for the information!