Burgundy

Burgundy (French, Bourgogne) is an inland region of east-central France, located to the south-east of the French capital city Paris. Noted for its rich history, Burgundy is probably most famous for the wines of the same name, as well as several other important varieties.

Burgundy has a rich architectural inheritance of remarkable buildings, castles, and Roman churches. Its vineyards are some of the most prestigious in the world, and its cuisine is also famous.

Burgundy also offers natural beauty, with lakes and forests, and plenty of opportunities for fishing, walking or riding. The Nievre department holds a vast area of wild countryside ideal both for sport and cultural activities. The visitor will find lands with different tastes to discover, and gentle landscapes with the river Loire and hillsides covered with vineyards.

Wine is unmistakably the most well known product in Burgundy. From north to south, the most famous and recognizable wines of the region grow on carefully exposed soils: Chablis, Côteaux de l’Auxerrois, Côte-de-Nuits, Côte-de-Beaune, Hautes-Côtes, Côtes Chalonnaise et Mâconnais, and of course Pouilly-sur-Loire.

Regions

Départements:

• Yonne

• Côte-d'Or

• Nièvre

• Saône-et-Loire

Cities

• Autun

• Auxerre

• Avallon

• Beaune

• Dijon - capital of the region

• Macon

• Nevers

• Paray-le-Monial

• Vezelay

Other destinations

• Semur-en-Auxois - a Medieval town in the heart of the Cote d'Or, situated on the banks of the river Armancon.

Things to do

• Le Beaujolais Est Arrivé! - Every 3rd Thursday of November, the new Beaujolais Nouveau wine arrives at bars and restaurants across France and select places around the world. This wine, from the historical Beaujolais province and wine producing region which is located north of Lyon, and covers parts of the northern part of the Rhône département (Rhône-Alpes) and parts of the southern part of the Saône-et-Loire département, is a young wine meant to be drunk as soon as possible as it does not age very well.

Talk

As with the rest of France, the language widely spoken is French. Refer to the French phrasebook for key French phrases. As far as English is concerned, it is quite likely that tourists will be able to find English speakers in tourist areas, namely just the city of Dijon. As soon as you venture into less populated areas, knowledge of French will become essential.