Self-Launched: Cycle the Wine Trails of Burgundy

Arrive into Dijon by train — direct TGV services run from Paris Gare de Lyon (from ~£25, ~1h35m) and from Lyon Part-Dieu (from ~£15, ~1h26m), both bookable via SNCF Connect (sncf-connect.com) or Trainline. If flying, Lyon Saint-Exupéry is the most convenient airport: take the Rhônexpress tram to Lyon Part-Dieu (~£14), then a direct train to Dijon. Check into your guesthouse or budget hotel in Dijon's historic centre, then spend the afternoon wandering the medieval streets, the Palais des Ducs and the covered Halles de Dijon market. In the evening, pick a bistro in the old town for your first taste of Burgundian cuisine — boeuf bourguignon or escargot with a glass of local Pinot Noir is the only correct choice.

🚌TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon (~£25–45) or from Lyon Part-Dieu (~£15–25); book in advance for best fares on sncf-connect.com

🛏Hotel Monge Dijon or similar budget hotel in Dijon city centre — from ~£55/night for a private room, or opt for a private room at a hostel such as Auberge de Jeunesse Dijon from ~£30/night

• →Arrive by TGV train — book via sncf-connect.com or Trainline
• →Check into budget hotel or guesthouse in Dijon city centre
• →Self-guided walk through Dijon's old town and Palais des Ducs
• →Browse the Halles de Dijon covered market
• →Dinner at a local bistro in the historic centre (own expense, budget ~£20-30)

Today is the headline ride: ~54km, ~350m ascent, following the legendary Route des Grands Crus south through the Côte de Nuits. The route is well-signposted and easily navigated with a free GPX track (download from Wikiloc, Komoot or the Burgundy Tourism website at bourgogne-franche-comte.com). You'll pedal through Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée — stopping at a small family domaine for a self-booked wine tasting (most estates along the route welcome drop-ins or can be pre-booked via their websites or via caveau tastings listed on vins-bourgogne.fr). Roll into Beaune in the late afternoon, check in, and explore the famous Hospices de Beaune (entry ~£10) before dinner.

🚌Self-guided by hire bike — see bike hire notes in Day 1. Route is flat to gently rolling with good road surfaces.

🛏Hostellerie de Bretonnière, Beaune (~£70/night private room) or Hôtel Rousseau (~£55/night) — both central and characterful

• →Cycle the Route des Grands Crus: Dijon → Gevrey-Chambertin → Vosne-Romanée → Beaune (~54km)
• →Download free GPX route from Komoot or Wikiloc
• →Wine tasting at a small domaine en route — look for 'Dégustation' signs or pre-book via vins-bourgogne.fr (~£10–20)
• →Visit the Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu) in Beaune (~£10 entry)
• →Dinner in Beaune old town (own expense, ~£25–35)

A shorter, relaxed day (~30km, ~160m ascent) — perfect for soaking up the landscape at your own pace. Take a slow morning coffee in Beaune before heading out south through the Côte de Beaune's sun-drenched slopes. The route winds past Pommard, Volnay, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, with opportunity to stop for a Chardonnay tasting at a local cave. The villages are small and gorgeous — stone walls, church bells, vines to the horizon. Roll into Chassey-le-Camp in the early evening, a sleepy hilltop hamlet surrounded by vineyards. The Auberge du Camp Romain (or similar) has a pool, which you'll deserve by now.

🚌Self-guided by hire bike (~30km, mostly quiet backroads and vineyard lanes)

🛏Auberge du Camp Romain, Chassey-le-Camp (~£70–85/night private room) — pool, restaurant, vineyard views. Book directly via their website for best rates.

• →Relaxed morning in Beaune — coffee and pastry at a local boulangerie
• →Cycle Beaune → Pommard → Meursault → Puligny-Montrachet → Chassey-le-Camp (~30km)
• →Wine tasting at a Meursault or Puligny domaine — look for open caveaux, typically free or ~£5–10
• →Explore the quiet village of Chassey-le-Camp on foot
• →Dinner at the village auberge or bring provisions from a Beaune boulangerie (~£20–30)

The biggest day of the route — ~54km with 640m of ascent — as you leave wine country behind and head into the forested Auxois hills. Follow the Canal du Centre through tunnels and under viaducts, then make the final climb up to Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. The medieval château crowning the hill is visible for miles. Visit the Château de Châteauneuf (entry ~£6, payable on the door) and walk the ramparts for sweeping valley views. This is the most physically demanding day — take your time, eat well and reward yourself with a glass of Crémant de Bourgogne at sunset from the village ramparts.

🚌Self-guided by hire bike (~54km — the most challenging day; allow 4–5 hours riding time)

🛏Hostellerie du Château, Châteauneuf-en-Auxois (~£70–90/night private room) — small family-run, castle views. Book directly.

• →Cycle Chassey-le-Camp → Canal du Centre → Châteauneuf-en-Auxois (~54km, 640m ascent)
• →Ride along the Canal du Centre towpath — flat and scenic
• →Visit Château de Châteauneuf (entry ~£6) — 12th-century fortified castle with panoramic views
• →Walk the medieval village streets, listed as one of France's most beautiful
• →Aperitif of Crémant de Bourgogne at a village bar or terrace (~£5–8)

A beautiful, largely flat finale — ~44km along the Canal de Bourgogne towpath, one of the most tranquil cycling routes in France. The canal's flat, tree-lined towpath drifts through the Ouche Valley past lock-keeper cottages, narrowboats and wildflower meadows. Pack a picnic from the village bakery in Châteauneuf before you set off — there are perfect lunch spots by the water every few kilometres. Roll back into Dijon in the late afternoon, return your hire bike, and celebrate the end of the adventure with a well-earned dinner and a final bottle of Burgundy.

🚌Self-guided by hire bike — flat Canal de Bourgogne towpath, ~44km

🛏Return to Dijon — Hotel Monge or similar (~£55–70/night), or book an extra night if departing the next morning

• →Cycle Châteauneuf-en-Auxois → Canal de Bourgogne towpath → Dijon (~44km, mostly flat)
• →Picnic lunch by the canal — pick up supplies from a village boulangerie in the morning
• →Spot lock-keeper houses and working canal locks along the route
• →Return hire bike in Dijon
• →Celebratory dinner in Dijon — try a classic Burgundian brasserie in the old town (~£25–35)

After breakfast, squeeze in a final wander through Dijon's old town before heading to Dijon train station for your onward journey. The Halles de Dijon market is an unmissable last stop — pick up Dijon mustard, pain d'épices (spiced bread), or a bottle of Marc de Bourgogne to take home. Direct TGV trains from Dijon to Paris Gare de Lyon depart regularly (from ~£25, ~1h35m). For Lyon and onward flights, trains to Lyon Part-Dieu take ~1h26m.

🚌TGV from Dijon to Paris Gare de Lyon (~£25–45) or to Lyon Part-Dieu (~£15–25) for onward flights

• →Buffet breakfast at your hotel
• →Final stroll through Dijon's historic centre and Rue de la Liberté
• →Browse the Halles de Dijon market for local produce and edible souvenirs
• →Train home from Dijon station — book return in advance on sncf-connect.com