Burgundy

A region of vineyards, abbeys and Renaissance chateaux, with a UNESCO-listed wine landscape.

Burgundy is a historical region in eastern France with Dijon as its capital, covering the departments of Côte-d'Or, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne and Nièvre. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Wikipedia names pinot noir reds and chardonnay whites, and says the Côte-d'Or produces some of the world's most expensive wines.

Wikipedia says UNESCO inscribed The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy in 2015: 13,219 ha with a 50,011 ha buffer zone and about 1,247 Climats, including the historic centre of Dijon and vineyards near Beaune.

Highlights

What to see

Hospices de Beaune

Not a chateau but a heritage hospital, founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins and consecrated on 31 December 1452. Its glazed roof tiles are in four colours, and the current tiles are replicas from 1902 to 1907. An annual wine auction has been held since 1859, on the third Sunday in November.

Château du Clos de Vougeot

The vineyard was created by Cistercian monks from Cîteaux Abbey, with its wall complete by 1336 and the chateau added in 1551. The vineyard is 50.6 ha, and the chateau has been the headquarters of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin since 1945.

Château de Bussy-Rabutin

Founded in the 12th century, rebuilt in the 14th, with Renaissance galleries from the 1520s, at Bussy-le-Grand. The state bought it in 1929, and it is known for its collection of portraits.

Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

A 16th-century Renaissance chateau in the Yonne, begun in 1544, with a design traditionally attributed to Sebastiano Serlio.

Food and wine

Wikipedia names Dijon mustard, Charolais beef, Bresse chicken, coq au vin, beef bourguignon and Époisses cheese.

When to go

Burgundy's tourism site promotes autumn as the most beautiful of the seasons, though it does not compare the others. The Hospices de Beaune wine auction falls on the third Sunday in November. Our when to go page has monthly weather for Dijon.

Good to know

A few facts

The Hospices de Beaune wine auction has run since 1859.
The Climats cover about 1,247 vineyard plots (Wikipedia).
UNESCO's pages would not load, so the UNESCO figures come from Wikipedia.

Keep planning

Other regions

Questions

Quick answers

When is the Hospices de Beaune wine auction?

On the third Sunday in November, and it has been held since 1859, according to Wikipedia.

What are the Climats of Burgundy?

A UNESCO-inscribed group of vineyard plots, listed in 2015 according to Wikipedia, covering 13,219 ha with a 50,011 ha buffer zone.

Which chateaux are worth a visit in Burgundy?

Wikipedia describes Clos de Vougeot, Bussy-Rabutin and Ancy-le-Franc, each with its own history above.

Sources

Facts on this site come from gov.uk, Atout France, regional tourism boards, UNESCO and the operators named, each listed at the foot of the page. Check dates, prices and entry rules with the provider before you book.