Burgundy Grands Crus & Auxois
Self-drive through Dijon, the ancient villages of Auxois, and the wine villages of the Côte d'Or, balancing wine country and abbeys.
Explore Dijon's Old Town on the first day, detour to Fontenay Abbey and ancient villages in Auxois on the second day, and stay in Beaune for the last two nights to explore the Côte de Nuits Grands Crus and Côte de Beaune respectively. Half winery and half culture, it is suitable for self-drive travelers who don't want their entire trip to be just about wine tasting. Chablis and Vézelay are omitted and would require at least one extra day.
Wineries are hard to book during the harvest season; accommodation is tight during the Beaune Wine Auction on the third weekend of November.
Day by day
Day 1 · Dijon Old Town and Palace of the Dukes
Dijon & Beaune（Les Halles de Dijon、Owl's Trail、Church of Notre-Dame of Dijon、Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy、Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon）
Take the high-speed train from Paris to Dijon (approx. 1h 40m). Walk within the Old Town; it takes about 15 minutes from the station to the Palace of the Dukes.
Stay: Dijon Old Town
Day 2 · Auxois Abbey and Ancient Villages
Dijon & Beaune（Abbey of Fontenay、Flavigny-sur-Ozerain、Châteauneuf-en-Auxois）
Drive from Dijon to Fontenay (approx. 1h), then to Flavigny (approx. 20m), Châteauneuf (approx. 35m), and reach Beaune in the evening.
Fontenay Abbey closes at midday in winter; visit the abbey first if your schedule is tight.
Stay: Beaune Old Town
Day 3 · Route des Grands Crus in Côte de Nuits
Dijon & Beaune（Route des Grands Crus、Gevrey-Chambertin、Château du Clos de Vougeot、Romanée-Conti、Nuits-Saint-Georges）
Drive north from Beaune to Gevrey-Chambertin (approx. 35m), then return south along the Route des Grands Crus, totaling about 70 km for the day.
Many famous estates require reservations or only allow outside viewing; contact the wineries in advance.
Stay: Beaune Old Town
Day 4 · Beaune Old Town and Côte de Beaune
Dijon & Beaune（Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu)、Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, Beaune、Château de Pommard、Château de Meursault、Château de La Rochepot）
Walk around Beaune's Old Town in the morning, and drive through Pommard and Meursault to La Rochepot in the afternoon, returning to Beaune after about 30 km.
The Hospices de Beaune closes at midday from mid-November to March; you can visit in the morning first.