BURGUNDY - THE AREA
Burgundy
Burgundy Chateaux
Norman abbeys, châteaux with their glazed rooftops, ducal towns and charming villages make Burgundy a historic region with a glorious heritage. It is a land of rolling hills, waterways and of course, vineyards.
Viticultural Burgundy spans out over a large area of eastern France, comprising of Chablis, the Côte d’Or, the Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconnais. The top wines of Burgundy come from the Côte d’Or which is subdivided into some 25 different villages or communes. The Côte de Nuits is formed of those comprising the northerly sector from Marsannay to Corgoloin and is based around the town of Nuits- St- Georges. The Côte de Beaune is based around the larger town of Beaune, and comprises of southern villages, from Ladoix-Serrigny to Santenay.
Burgundy Gastronomy
Renowned for centuries, not just for its wine, but for the quality of its cuisine, Burgundy has much to delight the visitor and the image of the vines crammed onto every square foot of land around the villages on the Côte de Nuits will stay with you for years to come.
Burgundy - Dijon
Dijon is the historical capital of Burgundy, which began as a Roman settlement. It was home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early eleventh Century until the late 1400s and was a place of great wealth and power during this time.
The city’s patron saint, Saint Benignus is said to have introduced Christianity to the area, and you will find many impressive places of worship such as Notre Dame de Dijon and Dijon Cathedral. The city centre is one of the best preserved in France and half of the buildings are over 200 years old. Dijon’s architecture is epitomised by the Burgundian roofs, which are glazed with geometric terracotta, green, yellow and black patterns. As one of the former great European centres of art, learning and science, the city boasts numerous fascinating museums such as the Musée des Beaux Arts and the Musée Magnin. In addition to the excellent restaurants and shops, don’t miss the intriguing crypt underneath the Cathedral and the impressive ducal palace.