Trek Notes - France

Burgundy


General Information
A great trip for food and wine buffs, with walking that is gentle to moderate. Burgundy's natural riches and its complex history bear testimony to its fine heritage. It is a beautiful and fertile land where farmers, foresters, and above all wine growers skills have nurtured the landscape for more than a thousand years. The reputation of Burgundy's cuisine has travelled the world and the very word Burgundy is synonymous with the finest wines. Burgundy is a multifaceted landscape just waiting to be explored, and, as elsewhere in France, the best way to savour it, is to explore on foot its peaceful lanes and byways. Travellers will discover a fabled land of mediaeval chateaux, ancient monasteries and fragrant breezes where the art of living is pursued to near perfection at a gentle unhurried pace.

Travel Information
Duration: 7 nights/8 days
Season: April to late October; March is also possible but cold wet weather is more likely.
Arrival: Between 5pm and 7pm on Day 1.

First hotel: At Curtil-Vergy, 8 Km from railway station at Nuits-Saint-Georges (cost approx. 16 Euros per taxi). There is a convenient daily TGV train service from Paris Gare de Lyon to Dijon with a connecting local service from Dijon to Nuits-Saint-Georges. Check times before travelling. For TGV trains it is compulsory to book seat reservations before your journey. You will receive up-to-date train times for your date of travel, or alternatively you can visit Rail Europe's website at www.sncf.com.

End of Tour: The tour ends on the morning of day 8 in Savigny-les-Beaune. Taxi transfer (included in tour price) to Beaune train station. Then from Beaune by train to Paris, generally changing at Dijon onto the TGV.

Level of Difficulty
Fitness: This walk should present no difficulties for anyone in reasonable condition and accustomed to walking.

Day stages: 13km to 20km per day with average altitude gains of 350m. 4 to 6 hours walking per day. There are a few optional walks for those seeking more activity, including a 26km alternative route on Day 6, but this itinerary is planned to allow time to visit historic sites and vineyards along the route.

Waymarks: The trail is fairly well waymarked and easy to follow. Much of the trail follows the GR7 and GR76 long-distance trails, which are, marked with the customary white/red/white 'GR' waymarks.


Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation on six nights is on a half board basis (breakfast and evening meal). On one night bed and breakfast only is included; on this night the evening meal can be obtained close by. One night is in Chambres d'Hotes (the French equivalent of B&Bs or small guest houses) and six nights in country inns (2*& 3*). Picnic lunches are not included in the tour cost but are available from hotels at a cost of 8-10 Euros. Alternatively picnic materials can be obtained cheaply from local shops. We indicate in our route notes where there are suitable restaurants or cafes for lunch stops, or recommend you carry food if there are none convenient.

Nights 1 & 2: A small but very well appointed hotel (marble bathrooms, television direct dial telephone, minibar etc) that is part of a vineyard in a peaceful village of only 80 inhabitants. You can sample wine in the hotels' very own tasting room or visit its wine museum. Dinners are taken at restaurants about 2 and 5 kms from the hotel (transfers included in tour price).

Night 3: A typical French provincial hotel, Logis de France approved, at the centre of the attractive wine town of Meursault. Dinner is taken at a nearby restaurant.

Nights 4 & 5: At a country auberge that wins high praise from all who stay there for the ambience, great food, and warm welcome. That's why we stay here for two nights. It also has a swimming pool, which is very welcome after a day in the hills.

Night 6: At a Chambre d'Hote in one or other of two adjacent villages, one being again the home of a wine grower. Dinner (not included in tour price) can be taken in a restaurant in Nolay (7km, 25 euros for transfers to and from the restaurant).

Night 7: Another typical provincial hotel, Logis de France, at the heart of a substantial village.

Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Curtil-Vergy.

Day 2: Curtil-Vergy to Magny-les-Villers 15 km/9 miles. Take a gentle stroll to the ruins of the abbey of St Vincent before setting off through vineyards and along forest trails to Magny a quiet village amongst the vineyards. This is a gentle warm up day. A transfer (included in tour price) will take you back to the hotel at Curtil-Vergy.

Day 3: Magny to Meursault 26 km/15 miles. Transfer (included in tour price) to take you back to Magny. Today’s walk reads a little like a wine list. You will walk high above the famous vineyards of Aloxe Corton, once owned by Charlemagne himself, to Savigny les Beaune an attractive village that you will be staying at later in the tour. There is a castle and motor museum there. From here you pass beneath the autoroute de Soleil and climb over Mont Desiree to another famous wine producing village, Pommard. You can sample the wine here before heading off to a good lunch in Volnay. The afternoon walk brings you to yet another famous wine centre, Meursault, a pretty market town set beneath a castle.

Day 4: Meursault to Chassy-le-Camp 17 km/11 miles. The morning only should be sufficient to complete this easy walk through undulating countryside to Chassy. Our hotel here is amongst the most popular we use in France. You can relax by the swimming pool after lunch.

Day 5: Today you can be lazy and take a short 2-hour circular walk from Chassy through attractive villages and gently undulating countryside. Or you can take a seven hour walk rewarded by an excellent lunch in Mercurey and a visit to the attractive town of Rully where you can visit the chateau and watch the world go by in the pretty square beneath it.

Day 6: Today you also have a choice of itineraries. A 16 km/10 mile walk or a 26 km/16 mile walk via the spa town of Santenay and the Montagne des Trois Croix from where you can enjoy panoramic views over the Saone valley and even as far as the Jura and the Alps. Lunch can be taken in the market town of Nolay and you can explore its ancient covered market. Alternatively you can visit the impressive chateau at La Rochepot.

Day 7: The last day’s walk follows the GR7 long distance footpath to St Romain an important archaeological site with a museum of prehistory. Then onward to Savigny-les-Beaune. 20km/12 miles.

Day 8: A taxi (included in tour price) will take you from Savigny into Beaune the chief town of this great wine region. Make sure you leave enough time before your onward journey to explore this fascinating town.

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