Travel Log | Burgundy, France: Dijon, Côte d'Or & Medieval Villages

Before we even arrived in Burgundy, the day had gotten off to a rough start, having concussed our Uber driver and barely making the train. You can read the sorry details in European Christmas Market Vacation.

After a relaxing journey of less than two hours by fast train from Paris, we felt revitalised and ready to take on what Burgundy had in store for us. Or so we thought.

Wine Before Sleep

We based ourselves in Dijon, and while we were staying for three nights, we only had a few hours to kill before taking another quick train trip to Vougeot for a wine tasting and cellar tour.

Burgundy is home to some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine growing regions of France. Côte de Nuits in particular, is renowned for producing the greatest red wines of Burgundy. Together with Côte de Beaune, the two areas combined are referred to as Côte d’Or, which means Golden Slope, and both are within easy reach of Dijon.

We had plans to collect a car and drive around the area later, so for today we chose a winery that offered a cellar tour and tasting, and was close enough to do in under two hours. We stashed our bags and had a quick bite. She paid the bill and I checked the phone.

I had received a message on WhatsApp. It was unusual in the sense that the sender claimed to be the agent for our accommodation, but we had not previously communicated that way. I was suspicious, and spent several minutes digesting the message and verifying its authenticity.

This is an extract (translated) from that message:
"A major power outage from my energy provider has cut off all electricity to the property, which also means there is no heating. Unfortunately, as it is Sunday and the emergency services are not working…."

Not happy.

The agency had offered us a few alternatives, but to be honest, I wasn't inclined to rebook with them under the circumstances. We also had specific requirements that needed to be met.

Suffice to say that we didn't enjoy the wine tasting as much as we should have, as we were distracted with needing to find a place to sleep. That said, the tour was very informative and the wines delicious. Like going shopping when you're hungry, being at a winery when you're stressed can result in unexpected purchases.

Dijon

With our accommodation woes behind us, which we resolved on the platform while waiting for the return train, we began to embrace the Christmas cheer in Dijon.

Dijon itself is a beautiful city, with a generous helping of Christmas markets, predominantly in these locations:

Around Burgundy
After a day of exploring Dijon itself, we set off to explore some of the beautiful medieval towns and villages that Burgundy had to offer. Time permitting, we had planned to take in

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain
Listed as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France" and was the set for the film Chocolat with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche.

Semur-en-Auxois
A charming town with cobbled streets and half-timbered houses, and possibly the largest of our tour. There's no doubt it had more secrets to share than the time we allowed would permit.

Noyers-sur-Serein
A tiny but gorgeous village with a plethora of medieval buildings, narrow streets and welcoming squares.

Vézelay
Thousands make the pilgrimage to this spiritual village annually, up the "Eternal Hill" along cobbled streets, to reach the Basilica Sainte-Marie-Madeleine at the summit.

Châteauneuf-en-Auxois
The village and its namesake chateau are built on a rocky outcrop, that can be seen from miles away. It has a rich and dark history, dating back to the 12th century.

When it came time to leave Dijon, it was self evident that we had not allowed enough time for the city, or the countryside of Burgundy which envelops it. It's an area steeped in history and beauty that is as much an explorers paradise, as it is a place to relax and imbibe.

Alsace Bound