Why Honeymoon in Burgundy
Burgundy rewards curiosity. The region's vineyard system of named plots, the climats, is on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Walking between them you start to taste why one slope sells for ten times its neighbor.
It is also beautiful in a quiet way. Villages such as Vosne-Romanée, Pommard and Puligny-Montrachet are small clusters of stone houses with church spires above the vines. Beaune's old center has the Hospices de Beaune, a 15th-century charity hospital with a patterned tiled roof.
Beyond wine there is plenty for the partner who wants variety: the Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay, the hilltop basilica at Vézelay, canal boating, cycling and Dijon's museums and covered market.
When to Go
May and June are green and mild, with long light for cycling between villages. July and August are warm and busy but many small family domaines close for holidays in August, so book tastings in advance.
September and early October are prime. The harvest usually runs in September, giving the villages a buzz, then the leaves turn yellow and red through October.
In November Beaune hosts the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction, a festive weekend with tastings in the streets, though hotels fill early. Winter is cold, gray and quiet. Some restaurants close, but cellar visits continue and the fireside dinners have their own appeal.
Where to Stay
Beaune is the obvious base: you can walk to dinner, then bike or drive to the Côte de Beaune villages. Hotels inside the old ramparts are compact and charming.
For a country house feel, Hostellerie de Levernois sits in a park a few minutes outside Beaune. Further south in Chagny, Maison Lameloise is a long-established restaurant with rooms, a good choice for a celebration dinner followed by a short walk upstairs.
Couples who prefer red wine may like staying near Nuits-Saint-Georges or Gevrey-Chambertin on the Côte de Nuits. Dijon suits city lovers and has the fastest trains. Many vineyard villages also have small guesthouses run by winemaking families, which can open doors to tastings.
Romantic Things to Do
Rent e-bikes in Beaune and follow the signed cycle route through the vines to Pommard, Volnay and Meursault, stopping for tastings and a long lunch.
Book a hot-air balloon flight over the Côte at sunrise. Operators fly from near Beaune in the warmer months, weather permitting.
Take a day on the Canal de Bourgogne or Canal du Nivernais. Some companies run hotel barges with a chef aboard for a few nights, while self-drive boats need no license for short trips.
Hire a private guide for a day of tastings. The famous estates rarely open to walk-ins and a guide can secure appointments. Finish with a picnic on the slope above Clos de Vougeot, the walled vineyard created by Cistercian monks.
Getting There and Around
Fly nonstop to Paris CDG, then take a TGV to Dijon, either directly from the airport station or from Paris Gare de Lyon in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Regional trains link Dijon and Beaune in about 25 minutes. Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) is a good alternative if you connect through a European hub, about two hours from Beaune by car.
In Beaune you can manage on foot and by bike, since the main wine villages lie only a few miles apart. A car helps for Fontenay, Vézelay or Chablis.
If you plan to taste seriously, use a guide or driver. France's drink-drive limit is lower than in most US states and checkpoints are common near wine villages.
Food and Drink
Burgundy's cooking is built on its wine. Boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin are native dishes, along with escargots in garlic butter and oeufs en meurette, eggs poached in red wine sauce.
Gougères, cheese puffs, are served with almost every glass. Look for Époisses, a pungent washed-rind cheese. Try pain d'épices from Dijon. Charolais beef comes from the south of the region.
For wine, red Burgundy is Pinot Noir and white is Chardonnay, with Aligoté as the everyday white mixed with blackcurrant liqueur to make a kir. Crémant de Bourgogne is the local sparkling wine. Chablis to the north and the Mâconnais to the south offer more affordable bottles.
Honeymoon Tips
Book tastings ahead, ideally a couple of weeks before you go. Mention your honeymoon: small family domaines are often generous with people who show real interest.
You do not have to buy at every cellar, but buying a bottle or two after a free tasting at a small estate is polite. Shipping wine to the US is possible through some shops in Beaune.
Spit when tasting several wines in a day. It is normal here and nobody will judge you.
Reserve dinner every night, especially on weekends, since the best places are small. Smart casual dress works everywhere. A light sweater helps on cool cellar visits, which stay chilly year-round.
