Burgundy: village by village along the Côte d'Or

The lie of the land

The Côte d'Or is a narrow escarpment running south from Dijon. The northern half, the Côte de Nuits, is mainly red: Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges. The southern half, the Côte de Beaune, is famous for both reds and great whites: Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet. Further afield you will find Chablis to the north-west, and the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais to the south.

These vineyard plots, or climats, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Climats, terroirs of Burgundy.

Where to base yourself

Beaune is the obvious base. It has a walled old town, the famous Hospices with their tiled roof, wine shops, restaurants and a railway station. Dijon is a bigger city with fast trains from Paris. You could also stay in a village such as Meursault or Nuits-Saint-Georges for a quieter, vineyard-view stay.

How cellar visits work

Many of the most famous domaines are small and do not take visitors at all. Others welcome them by appointment only, often in French, and appreciate genuine interest. Beaune's larger négociant houses run scheduled cellar tours that are easy to book. For a mix of both, a local guide who already has relationships with growers is worth it.

A good day here

Cycle the "Voie des Vignes" path between villages in the morning, before tasting. Have lunch in a village bistro. Visit a cellar in the afternoon, then return by taxi or with your guide.