14 Bucket List Things to Do in Burgundy, France
Burgundy is one of my favorite places in France… and I say that as someone who has traveled this country extensively. It is truly a bucket list destination in every sense of the word. The wine, the food, the culture, the centuries of tradition, and above all the people. I left with memories I will carry for a long time and a very long list of reasons to go back. Whether you are a wine lover, a food lover, a history lover, or simply someone who appreciates luxury – Burgundy has something for you. This list covers the experiences I would put at the top of any Burgundy itinerary.
1. Check into a Luxury Hotel in the Vineyards
One of the most extraordinary (and unique) things about Burgundy is that some of the best hotels in the region are not just near the vineyards… they are inside them. Waking up surrounded by vines, with the Route des Grands Crus literally outside your door, is a completely different experience from staying in the city. Château de la Commaraine in Pommard is one of my top recommendations for an experience like this, but for more luxury hotels in Burgundy read my guide to the best luxury hotels in Burgundy.
2. Learn About Burgundian Wine at the Cité des Climats
Before you do a single wine tasting in Burgundy, I highly recommend starting at Cité des Climats in Beaune. The Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne is an immersive museum dedicated entirely to the UNESCO-listed Climats of Burgundy and explains why this region is so distinct and why Burgundy is one of the most complex and extraordinary wine regions in the world. Spend an hour or two here and every tasting you do for the rest of your trip will make so much more sense. You will leave understanding why a Meursault tastes different from a Puligny-Montrachet, why the Côte de Nuits produces primarily reds while the Côte de Beaune is famous for whites, and why the concept of terroir matters more in Burgundy than almost anywhere else on earth.
3. Learn How to Taste Wine at Sensation Vin
Before you visit your first winery, I also suggest stopping by Sensation Vin to learn the art of tasting wine. Sensation Vin is a wine tasting school in the heart of Beaune that has been teaching people how to taste wine since 2006. The approach is to learn about wine by sight, smell, and taste and is accessible for all levels and led by passionate experts.
4. Tour the Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune
Located in Beaune, the Hôtel-Dieu is the most iconic building in all of Burgundy and is at times referred to as Beaune’s “Eiffel Tower”. It’s a 15th-century hospital built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin and it operated as a working hospital up until 1971 before it was turned into a msueum.
But the Hôtel-Dieu is not just a museum. It is also the home of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune, one of the most celebrated wine estates in Burgundy, led since 2015 by female winemaker Ludivine Griveau. Every November the estate holds the Hospices de Beaune wine auction – one of the most prestigious charity wine auctions in the world – where the proceeds go directly to funding the local hospital. Last year the auction raised enough to purchase a robot for the hospital. It is history, art, wine, and philanthropy all in one building. Allow at least an hour inside and book your tickets in advance.
5. Rent a Car and Drive the Route des Grands Crus
There are two ways to experience Burgundy and in my opinion… the car wins every time. The Route des Grands Crus runs south from Dijon through some of the most celebrated vineyard land in the world, passing through villages whose names read like a wine list at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant – Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet… the list goes on! What makes this drive so special is the freedom to go at your own pace. Pull over when something catches your eye. Turn down a village road because the name on the sign is one you recognize. Stop at a viewpoint above Meursault because the view is too good to drive past. I’ve driven this route and it genuinely changed how I experienced the region. Rent your car through Discover Cars and read my complete guide to renting a car in Burgundy for everything you need to know before you go.
6. Explore Beaune on Foot
Beaune is one of those great cities that rewards walking. The entire old town sits within a ring of medieval ramparts and almost everything worth seeing is within easy reach on foot. Start at the Hôtel-Dieu and work your way outward from there. The streets around the Notre-Dame Basilica are beautiful and the Saturday market in the town center is one of the best in Burgundy. Before you leave make sure to stop into Maison Billy for wine – one of the best wine shops in Beaune with an excellent selection of bottles from across the region – and Fromagerie Alain Hess for cheese. Beaune is small enough to cover in a day but worth staying for longer.
Visitng Beaune? Don’t miss…
7. Spend a Day in Dijon
Dijon is the capital of Burgundy and one of the most underrated cities in all of France… and it deserves more than a quick stop. The old town is extraordinarily well preserved, the food scene is excellent, and the whole city has an attractive energy to it. Start at the Ducal Palace on Place de la Libération – the former seat of the Dukes of Burgundy and one of the most impressive civic buildings in France. The covered market Les Halles is worth a stop for local produce, cheese, and charcuterie. And before you leave, make sure to grab some dijon mustard! Dijon is an easy trip from Paris via train and completely worth a full day.
8. Have a Picnic in the Vineyards
Of everything I’ve done in Burgundy… having a picnic in the vineyards is one of the most memorable and fun things that I did. There is something extraordinary about sitting among vines that produce some of the most celebrated and sought-after wines in the world, with good food, a good bottle, and nothing to do except enjoy where you are. My French Tour offers a picnic experience in the vineyards (amongst other experiences) that I did personally and that I would recommend to absolutely anyone visiting the region. You are driven out to the vines in a vintage 2CV or Estafette van, set up with food and wine in the middle of the Route des Grands Crus, and left to enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes in France at your own pace. If you want help arranging a customized version of this experience, I would love to help.
9. Take a Morgan Car to Your Wine Tasting
Another great way to experience Burgundy is by Morgan Car. Bourgogne Aventure offers tours of the region in a vintage Morgan two-seater convertible, accompanied by your guide in their own Morgan, across the country roads, vineyard routes, and villages of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Tours range from half-day excursions to multi-day itineraries and can be completely customized depending on which producers you want to visit and how much time you have. If you want help building a Morgan tour into your Burgundy itinerary, get in touch – this is exactly the kind of experience I love helping people arrange.
10. Wine Taste Through the Côte de Beaune
The Côte de Beaune is one of the most celebrated stretches of vineyard in the world. The villages of Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet each produce wines with their own distinct character, and the difference between a Meursault and a Puligny-Montrachet from vineyards that are literally a few hundred meters apart is one of those things that makes you understand why Burgundy has the reputation it does. There are several ways to do this – book visits directly with individual domaines, join a guided wine tour, or rent a car and drive the route yourself stopping wherever looks interesting.
My personal recommendations for specific domaines to visit are…
- Château de Meursault
- Château de la Crée
- Domaine Albert Morot
- Olivier Leflaive
For a fully guided private tasting experience through the Côte de Beaune, this is the tour that I recommend.
11. Dine at Le Clos du Cèdre
Burgundy is one of the great food regions of France and dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant here is well worth it. Le Clos du Cèdre at Hostellerie Cèdre & Spa in Beaune is my personal recommendation for a Michelin-starred dinner in Burgundy. The restaurant occupies a beautifully restored space within a centuries-old building, the cooking is seasonal with a focus on Burgundian tradition, and the cheese course – served from an enormous trolley – is worth the visit on its own. Make sure to reserve your table in advance as it fills up fast.
12. Learn About Burgundian Cheeses With Hanna
Burgundy is as much a cheese region as it is a wine region (which most people miss.) Hanna Shaps is a French-American cheese specialist based in the region who trained at Fromagerie Alain Hess in Beaune and spent several years managing her family’s wine estate in Meursault, where she developed a cheese and wine pairing program that welcomed guests from around the world. She founded The Burgundy Cheese Experience and it is one of the most unique and memorable things you can do in the region. The experiences range from a morning visiting Fromagerie Alain Hess, the Saturday market, and Maison Billy to pair wines and cheeses together (which is what I did and absolutely loved) to farm visits where you meet the cheesemakers directly, private tastings in a vaulted 200-year-old cellar in Meursault, group experiences, and in-home tastings. Whether you know nothing about French cheese or consider yourself something of an expert, this experience will change how you think about both cheese and wine in Burgundy.
13. Buy Dijon Mustard Where it Was Created
Maille has been making mustard in Dijon since 1747 and their flagship boutique on Place de la Libération is the real thing. The shelves are lined with dozens of varieties – classic Dijon, blackcurrant, truffle, Chablis wine, honey – but the real experience is the mustard on tap. Three rotating varieties are available directly from vintage ceramic pumps at the counter, and you can fill your own Maille crock to take home (which makes for a great souvenir.) The staff will walk you through the flavors and help you choose.
14. Indulge in the Local Foods of Burgundy
When you travel to Burgundy you absolutley have to try the local specialties. Escargot… snails baked in garlic and parsley butter… boeuf bourguignon… slow-braised beef stew cooked in Burgundy wine… jambon persillé… cold pressed ham in a parsley and white wine jelly – a Burgundian charcuterie classic. Then there are gougères – warm cheese puffs made with Gruyère, pain d’épices… spiced honey bread that has been made here since the Middle Ages. And Époisses… the powerful, washed-rind cheese of the region.
Burgundy is not just a destination… it’s an experience that stays with you long after you leave. The glass of Premier Cru you tasted in a 12th-century cellar. The picnic in the vineyards. The cheese you bought at the Saturday market. The drive through Puligny-Montrachet at golden hour. These are the kinds of memories that make you understand why people come back to this region again and again. If you are ready to start planning your own Burgundy trip, read my 4 Days in Beaune guide for everything you need to know — and if you want help putting together a custom itinerary, I would love to help.
For more bucket list experiences in France, don’t miss…
- Bucket List Things to Do in Champagne, France
- Bucket List Things to Do in Normandy – France’s Most Historic Region
- Bucket List Things to Do in Alsace (France’s Most Fairytale Region)
- Bucket List Things to Do in the French Riviera (The Côte d’Azur Guide)
- Bucket List Things to Do in Paris
- Best Places to Visit in France
Planning a Trip to France?
I am a licensed, Paris-based travel advisor who plans custom France itineraries for travelers who want to experience the country the way it deserves to be experienced – intentionally and free of tourist traps. From a long weekend in Paris to a multi-region road trip, I handle every detail so you don’t have to. If you’re not ready for full-planning services, I also offer 1-hour “France Audit” calls to go over your itinerary, share recommendations, and answer any questions you have!
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