Biking in Burgundy - discover Burgundy’s famous Côte d’Or
Take 2 days to explore the famous Côte de Beaune villages and Côte de Nuits villages, their vineyards and wines
Loving exploring Burgundy’s Côte d’Or by bike!
Discover the famous Burgundy Côte d’Or by bike
To immerse yourself in a 100% Burgundy vineyard experience, there’s no better way than to ditch the car and get on your bike!
Not only is it better for you (and the environment!) but you get to see and experience so much more than you would sitting in a car. The bike routes take you directly through the vineyards, off the main roads, passing through famous wine villages where you can stop for a break, a wander round, maybe some wine tasting and a snack or lunch. Base yourself in the very centre of the Côte d’Or wine district, in the lovely town of Beaune and you have easy access to both the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.
This is exactly what we did, taking 2 days to follow the bike routes south and north of Beaune - then we spent some time discovering Beaune - see what we discovered here!
Why the Côte d’Or?
The most important wine district in France’s Burgundy wine region is the Côte d’Or - or ‘golden coast’. This 80km stretch of vineyards, from Dijon in the north to Santenay in the south, is Burgundy's heartland and the ancestral home of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
The Côte d’Or comprises the vineyards of Côte de Nuits, home of Burgundy’s greatest red wines and Côte de Beaune, home of Burgundy’s most revered white wines. The upper slopes of the Côte d’Or are called the Hautes-Côtes, rising to over 400m.
The famous Côte de Beaune villages include Santenay, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay, Pommard, Savigny-Lès-Beaune and Aloxe Corton.
Equally famous, Côte de Nuits villages include Nuits-St-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-St-Denis, Gevry-Chambertin and Marsannay.
If you want to experience the best of Burgundy, this is where to come. Exploring by bike offers an amazing holiday and wine experience!
The best way to explore the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits vineyards - Photo: Wine Keller
The Voie des Vignes bike route
The Voie des Vignes bike route covers approximately 60km in total, taking you on well-signed ‘véloroutes’ through the prestigious Bourgogne vineyards from Nolay to Dijon, via Santenay, Volnay, Beaune, Nuits-St-Georges and Gevrey-Chambertin.
The southern half of the route, from Beaune to Santenay is more developed and arguably more well-known and popular than the northern section, but both are definitely worth doing. We did both routes with friends, Sam and Gill.
Day 1 Beaune - Santenay
Our first day’s return cycle route saw us following the southern section of the Voie-des-Vignes route, taking us from our base in Beaune, heading south to the village of Santenay.
The route follows 22km of minor roads and pathways through the vineyards, so we covered about 45km in total during the day. We had lots of breaks along the way for photos, drinks and snacks and of course the odd bit of wine tasting!
We took our time getting to Santenay, where we had a good break, before powering our way back to Beaune late afternoon. Overall, the standard is fairly easy, especially on an e-bike! It is hilly in places as you cycle across the vine-covered hillsides, but nothing too taxing!
This route is known as the most impressive for Burgundy wine lovers, encompassing some stunning scenery and the world-famous Côte de Beaune villages & vineyards.
The beautiful Côte de Beaune vineyards outside Santenay
Pommard
After leaving Beaune, the first village we encountered, after just 3km, was Pommard - an iconic Burgundy village, famous for its Burgundy red wines. Pommard is a Côte de Beaune exception - in a region known for its top white wines, Pommard wines are made exclusively from the red Pinot noir grape.
There are over 320 hectares of vineyards in the Pommard appellation, featuring 28 Premier Crus. For wines and wine tasting, perhaps most famous is the beautiful Château de Pommard - the largest monopoly vineyard in Burgundy - a great place to stop and do some wine tasting! We just had a brief stop here, enjoying some fresh water from the obelisk fountain in the main square!
Volnay
Volnay lies 3km on from Pommard and is also known for its red Pinot noir wines, often considered the most ‘feminine’ of Burgundy reds. Also similar to Pommard, there are about 30 Premier Crus here.
Volnay is a small but beautiful wine village, with a lovely church at its centre, right next to restaurant ‘Le cellier Volnaysien’ - a great place to have lunch and wander round the wine cellar and shop!
Leaving Volnay and heading into Meursault - Photo: Wine Keller
Meursault
We were most excited to cycle into Meursault as we are big fans of Meursault wines, but what we didn’t expect was to arrive into the village square and see a full marching band and what seemed like all of the locals out celebrating their local fire service! So we spent a most enjoyable hour sitting on the grass, eating our picnic, soaking up the amazing atmosphere - and beautiful weather!
Fully rested, we progressed on to see the lovely famous gothic church of Meursault, with its beautiful spire, which is a real stand-out landmark across the Côte de Beaune vineyards. Then onto some wine tasting!
Château de Meursault
A visit to the iconic Burgundy estate, Château de Meursault, is a must for all wine and history lovers. With more than 100 plots across all of the famous Côte de Beaune vineyards, covering some 65 hectares, including many Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards, you have the opportunity to sample a large range of wines, not just Meursault.
You can book a tour of this famous estate, with over 1000 years of history and see the incredible cellars, which date back in part to the 12th century as well as discover the beautiful Château and parkland, set in 10 hectares. There are various tours and tastings available - but you need to book in advance.
We were lucky enough to be able to taste 4 amazing wines, 2 white and 2 red, including a Meursault Premier Cru and were given an excellent introduction to Burgundy wines and the history of Château Meursault.
I admit it was hard to get back on the saddle again, but we had more miles to cover - onwards to the ‘Golden Triangle’!
Burgundy’s famous ‘Golden Triangle’
At Meursault you enter into fabled territory - that of the ‘Golden triangle’ - or - ‘La Côte des Blancs'‘. The vineyards at the heart of the golden triangle lie between Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet and produce Burgundy's world-famous Grand Cru white wines. The Grand Cru vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune on the hillside produce the best of the world’s most famous Chardonnay wines - fresh, fruity wines that are full of charm and elegance.
Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet
Puligny-Montrachet, along with Chassagne, are said to be the most perfect expression of the Chardonnay grape. These 2 very famous wine villages are located just 4 and 6km from Meursault and both are very much worth a stop on your bike tour!
On the southerly Côte de Beaune slopes, the ‘Montrachet’ - a rocky hill with red-brown soils - is shared by the 2 villages. Its stony terroir is revered in the wine industry and helps produce incredibly distinctive and special wines. There are 4 Grand Crus - Bâtard-Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet.
Puligny-Montrachet
Puligny-Montrachet is my favourite village on this Côte de Beaune bike ride. We would recommend the following:
Wander round the beautiful little streets and the main square - this really is a pretty village
Sample some wines in the ‘Caveau de Puligny-Montrachet’ - situated on the small roundabout in the centre of the village
Enjoy a light lunch or snack in L’Estaminet des Meix in the main square. We enjoyed some lovely traditional rustic Burgundy food there
Also in the main square, enjoy a glass of chardonnay in the ‘Chardonnay wine bar’ of the hotel, ‘Le Montrachet’
Visit the institution that is Maison Olivier Leflaive
Wine tourism - book a vineyard tour, a cellar tour, a tasting or a wine bike experience!
Enjoy a meal in the bistro or more formal Klima restaurant (maybe for dinner?)
Or you can book to stay in one of the 17 lovely hotel rooms!
Chassagne-Montrachet
Cycling through the famous Chassagne-Montrachet vineyards, especially the Grands Crus, was an incredible experience. To see all of these wonderful, famous, historic vineyards all laid out before you and either side of you as you cycle along is just amazing.
If you fancy a wine tasting here, visit the Château de Chassagne-Montrachet and Famille Picard, who manage 140 hectares of vineyards across 4 estates in Burgundy. This beautiful family estate in Chassagne-Montrachet offers lots of wine tourism opportunities!
If you fancy something to eat here, there are 2 well-known eateries, managed by the same people. For a gourmet dining experience, visit Ed.Em and for a more informal experience, visit La Cabane - or ‘the hut’ (the latter is probably more appropriate after 17km on a bike!!) We didn’t eat here, but it looks divine! It’s gone on the list for next time!
Santenay
Our final stop before turning round and heading back to Beaune, in ‘turbo’ mode on the e-bikes, with the wind full in our faces, we stopped for some sustenance! There is a lovely large village square in Santenay, surrounded by beautiful plane trees (so typical of a French village square), with lots of choices for meals, snacks or drinks.
We enjoyed some delicious ‘jambon persillé’, some incredible apple ‘tarte tatin’, ice cream and strong coffee! A great pit stop before our return journey.
What a fabulous day, full of amazing vineyard scenery, chocolate-box villages, lovely people and delicious food and wine! All I can say is we ate well that evening and slept even better!
Day 2 Beaune - Nuits St George
Our second day in the saddle saw us set off from Beaune and rejoin the Voie des Vignes bike route, but this time we headed north in the direction of Dijon. We decided to cycle the same sort of distance as the day before, which would take us to the famous wine town of Nuits-St-George, taking us out of the Côte de Beaune vineyards and into the Côte de Nuits, the home of Burgundy’s greatest red wines.
We were advised the terrain was quite different to the Beaune-Santenay cycle route, with a few hills to start with, passing through fewer small wine villages and with longer stretches of flat cycle paths, heading up to Nuits-St-George.
Savigny-lès-Beaune
Leaving Beaune behind we headed into the hills and towards the first wine village of Savigny-lès-Beaune - and what a discovery!
Nestled in a small valley around the River Rhoin, this is one of the larger wine villages and appellations in the Côte d’Or.
The wines from Savigny-lès-Beaune are still Côte de Beaune, mainly red (Pinot noir) and just 10% white (mainly Chardonnay with some Pinot blanc). They also produce a fine sparkling Crèmant de Bourgogne. With its ancient vineyards and 22 Premier Crus, the wines often offer excellent value compared to other Côte de Beaune appellations.
We didn’t do any wine tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune, because it was a Monday when a lot of places tend to be closed in France (beware!). We were intending to visit Domaine Chandon de Briailles or Domaine Philippe Girard. Next time!
Dominating the village is the Château de Savigny, a stunning 14th century castle, with fabulous gardens and museums featuring impressive race car, aircraft and motorbike displays. It is also part of a wine estate so you can visit the cellars and do some wine tasting!
Whilst in Savigny, we cycled around the old streets and made sure we saw the impressive Church of St Cassien with its listed Romanesque bell tower, before heading onwards and (upwards!) through some stunning scenery, to the next wine village - Pernand-Vergelesses.
Looking back over Savigny-lès-Beaune
Savigny-lès-Beaune vineyards
Pernand-Vergelesses
The wine route doesn’t actually go through the small village of Pernand-Vergelesses, but we decided to make a small detour, as it looked like a lovely village and its vineyards are gaining a great reputation for producing excellent value Burgundy wines.
Located at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune vineyards, it produces both red and white wines – Pinot noir and Chardonnay - with the whites being the most highly regarded. Similar to several other Côte d'Or villages, Pernand added the name of its top vineyard site to that of the village to form "Pernand-Vergelesses".
Pernand-Vergelesses is a beautiful little village tucked away between the ‘Corton’ Hill, where its best Chardonnay sites are located and the eastern slopes of the Côte d’Or. We didn’t stop here, simply enjoyed the challenge of cycling up and down its very steep streets and stopping briefly to admire the view from the lovely church and square at the top!
Cycling from Pernand-Vergelesses towards Aloxe Corton - Photo: Wine Keller
Aloxe-Corton
Cycling around the Corton Hill and through some stunning vineyard scenery, we were soon in the small village of Aloxe-Corton, still at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune. For wine enthusiasts, the ‘Corton’ part of the name is the most significant, referring to ‘Corton Hill’ - a geological feature which ensures a superb terroir for Burgundy whites and reds.
Aloxe-Corton has 2 Grand Crus: ‘Corton’ - the Côte de Beaune's only Grand Cru red appellation and ‘Corton-Charlemagne’ - producing superb quality Chardonnay wines. In addition to the Grand Crus about one third of the vineyards are classified as ‘Premier Cru’.
In the centre of the village we found the perfect place for a rest and picnic stop! We stopped at the beautiful Château de Corton-André, known for its spectacular tiled roof and spent a lovely hour eating our picnic in the garden and tasting some of their fabulous wines!
Wine tasting is free here and it provided a lovely stop on our bike route, ahead of the long stretch on to Nuits-St-Georges.
We have also heard positive reviews about Domaine Comte Senard if you’re looking for another wine tasting option in Aloxe-Corton.
Nuits-St-Georges
This last section before arriving in the lively wine town of Nuits-St-Georges was quite hard I must admit. It all depends on the wind, but I was grateful to have an e-bike!
However, coming into Nuits-St-Georges the landscape changes as you enter the start of the famous Côte de Nuits vineyards. As we entered the town and the main street, the first objective was to sit down, rest and enjoy a drink! There are lots of cafés to choose from and small shops to browse.
Côte de Nuits vineyards
Arriving in Nuits-St-Georges
We stopped there for an hour or so and enjoyed a glass of wine and a snack, before heading back to Beaune. However we have visited Nuits-St-George before and enjoyed a lovely rustic Burgundy dinner at Le Grill de Nuits, which we can highly recommend.
Nuits-St-Georges may not have the same wow factor as Beaune in terms of historical monuments and the old historic centre, but it has a lovely relaxed charm. Market day is Friday morning, which you could also plan your bike route around.
Nuits-St-Georges has a centuries-old history of winemaking and it gives its name to the Côte de Nuits in the northern Côte d’Or. This is powerful, excellent red wine territory - there are few whites - and there are over 40 Premier Crus in the Nuits-St-Georges appellation, so if you like red wines, take the opportunity to taste a few!
A typical Burgundy meal in Nuits-St-Georges
Nuits-St-Georges by night
Romanée-Conti and Clos de Vougeot
We restricted our bike tour to reaching Nuits-St-Georges, mainly because we had to return the rental bikes by 6pm! However if you get the opportunity and you’re a real wine enthusiast, then we would recommend considering continuing on to the wine village of Vougeot, passing through Vosne-Romanée.
Wine experts agree that Romanée-Conti wines are the jewel in the Côte de Nuits and indeed the whole of Burgundy and the prestigious Grand Cru Romanée-Conti vineyard lies in the village of Vosne-Romanée.
Clos de Vougeot is again another Grand Cru Côte de Nuits vineyard and one of the most famous of Burgundy’s vineyards. Visit the iconic Château du Clos de Vougeot, dating back to the 12th century and founded by the monks of the abbey of Cîteaux, who defined the first Burgundy winegrowing terroirs. Truly a monument to the history of Burgundy. This is definitely on our list for our next Burgundy visit!
Château du Clos de Vougeot
Biking in Burgundy - tips and useful information
For general information about cycling in Burgundy visit Burgundy by Bike, where you will find lots of useful information supporting specific itineraries, including:
Another great bike route is the ‘Green Way’ or ‘Voie Verte’ from Santenay to Chagny, following the route of the Canal du Centre.
You can also follow the Voie Verte for 13km from Santenay to Nolay, cycling on the path of an old railway line, offering lovely vineyard and Burgundy countryside views.
Bike rental Beaune
We both had our own e-bikes with us, but our friends hired their bikes from Bourgogne Randonnées in Beaune, where they received expert advice and support from Cédric and Olivier. They were provided with good information about the bike routes, maps as well as very useful advice about wind direction and how to use the e-bike batteries most effectively on each route!
Where to base yourself
Relax in the beautiful, historic wine town of Beaune - Photo: Wine Keller
Beaune is the best place to base yourself if you want to explore both the Côte de Beaune vineyards and Côte de Nuits vineyards. It’s easy to get to by car and it’s a lovely town to explore and relax - as well of course as being the centre of Burgundy’s wine trade!
See here for information about Beaune with ideas on where to stay, where to eat and what to see and do in Beaune!
However, there are lots of alternatives to choosing Beaune as your base, with accommodation available in most of the lovely wine villages throughout the Côte d’Or. See suggestions from Beaune Tourism for accommodation both in and around Beaune.
We have mentioned a few examples of hotels on the cycle route already, e.g. ‘Le Montrachet’ and Maison Olivier Leflaive in Chassagne-Montrachet. We would also recommend a beautiful ‘hôtel de charme’ in Aloxe-Corton, called Hôtel Villa Louise.
For something different - camping in the beautiful outdoors in the middle of the Meursault vineyards, consider ‘Huttopia’. The location is truly wonderful and instead of bringing your own caravan or campervan, you can choose to stay in a wooden chalet, which looks amazing!
Conclusion
We spent a magical 2 days exploring Burgundy’s Côte d’Or by bike - you just get such a deeper experience of the vineyards, the villages and the people than you do exploring by car. It’s great fun, the bike routes are excellent and it’s good exercise too! Why don’t you try it ??
