When you come to spend a weekend in Beaune, you can do the Voie des Vignes in two stages. The first heading south between Beaune and Nolay, and the second between Beaune and Dijon.
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The Route des Grands Crus by bike
Explore Burgundy
South of Beaune
01. From Beaune to Santenay
The Véloroute is an ideal way to immerse yourself in the vineyards. It takes in 22 kilometers of small roads and vineyard paths frequented by winemakers and grape-pickers. You’ll enjoy a tasty route, punctuated by picturesque villages and the continuous spectacle of vineyard work. The cycle route is easy on the eye, allowing everyone to admire the impeccable alignment of the vines and, why not, stop off on a dry stone wall for a picnic out of the bag.
On your way, the wine villages of Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet and Santenay offer the chance to stop off at a restaurant or café terrace. Or perhaps you’d prefer to visit a Romanesque chapel, a château dating back to the time of the Dukes of Burgundy, or simply enjoy a tour of these picturesque villages. When you arrive in Santenay, you can extend your ride by joining the Canal du Centre and the Voie Verte along the towpath.
It’s in the shade of acacias and poplars that you’ll pedal along the Canal du Centre. Following the towpaths, this route will take you to Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune and Chalon-sur-Saône, on a bucolic itinerary punctuated by locks.
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02. From Santenay to Nolay
From Santenay to Nolay, the Voie des Vignes follows a former railroad line that has become a greenway dedicated to cyclists, rollerbladers and pedestrians. For 13 km, enjoy the rolling hills of Les Maranges, panoramic views of the Cormot cliffs and the medieval town of Nolay. At the end of the route, 2 viaducts offer superb views over the Burgundy countryside.
Discover the Santenay to Nolay route
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03. From Beaune to Nuits-Saint-Georges
24.40 kmFrom Beaune, whose visit is a must, the first village to pass through is Savigny-lès-Beaune with its château, coiled in a combe. The fountain on Place Emile Fournier, named after its donor, holds the promise of a refreshing break.
From Savigny to Aloxe-Corton, via Pernand-Vergelesses, you pedal with your eyes fixed on the most beautiful hill in this vineyard, which the route skirts. The Colline de Corton, this pretty hilltop topped by a grove, is the mountain of the three Grands Crus that are Corton, Corton Charlemagne and Charlemagne. It’s magical! This incredible mountain spills over into the communes of Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Ladoix-Serrigny, covering 150 ha of some of the Côte de Beaune’s most renowned red and white Grands Crus. Here, the vines are exposed from sunrise to sunset, grapes caressed all day by the sun’s rays.
Crossing Burgundy south of Dijon
On your way back to Beaune, you can head north into Burgundy. The Voie des Vignes links Beaune to Dijon: 46 km of cycling through vineyards and urban and rural, natural and architectural heritage! Pedaling here is a joy… This route links Burgundy’s two most famous vineyards, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits.
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And what about a detour to the Oratoire de Frétille in Pernard-Vergelesses? From the top of this hill, you have the impression of dominating the world in calm and wonder. Even without this detour, the landscape is undulating, which is part of its charm. It’s hardly surprising that the false flats sometimes turn into hills. Isn’t it said that merit is imperishable? Thinking of the hard work of a quarryman as you pass by the Corgoloin and Comblanchien quarries will make you forget those tricky little passages along the way.
Nuits-Saint-Georges unveils a pretty center bustling with small stores around a belfry. On Friday mornings, a lovely market is held under the covered market.
Discover the Butte de Corton tour
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04. From Nuits-Saint-Georges to Dijon
21.6 kmThrough small roads, you wind between villages with prestigious appellations, Vosne-Romanée, Gevrey-Chambertin… If you turn your head to the left, you can admire the Côtes and just above you can guess the vineyards of the Hautes-Côtes, a limestone plateau at an altitude of 400 to 500 meters. It’s love at first sight for the Côte de Nuits landmark, Clos de Vougeot, emerging from an ocean of greenery. In the early morning or late at night, the site is appreciated differently depending on the light.
Now, if you turn your head to the right, it’s a plain that unrolls its fields all the way to the Saône, passing through the woods that surround Cîteaux Abbey. On 10 kilometers between Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin are concentrated the great red wines of Burgundy: 25 Grands Crus to the point that some authors call this itinerary, the Champs Elysées of Burgundy.
For the little anecdote, Chambolle-Musigny is an exception in the Côte de Nuits, Musigny is a great white wine!
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Chateau Clos Vougeot (7)Chateau Clos Vougeot (7)|
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05. En route to the final stage
Coming soonThe 15 km section of the Voie des Vignes from Chambolle-Musigny to Dijon has been open since 2020. It passes through numerous wine-producing villages. Stopping off and discovering fine tables with tasty dishes made from local produce is a delightful way to bring gastronomy and heritage together. Along the way, treat yourself at one of the restaurants in Vougeot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Gevrey-Chambertin, Marsannay-la-Côte or old Chenôve.
After Gevrey-Chambertin, a typical hillside village with stone houses clustered around a small church, we discover the elegant Château Stephen Liégeard. From here, you can see the glazed tile-roofed bell tower of Fixey’s Romanesque church.
If you decide to make a little detour, it’s certainly to go and see Fixin’s hemicycle washhouse, it houses a round basin with ferruginous water, the water from the Chaulois spring.
At the gates of Dijon, lies Marsannay-la-Côte. In front of its chateau, which is a wine estate, admire the magnificent view from the Clos de Jeu plot. You’ll soon reach Chenôve, then the lock at the Burgundy Canal marina in Dijon. In the Parc du Canal, enjoy the soothing shade, coolness and comforting rest. Don’t miss the “Winged Dream” sculpture, a tribute to Gustave Eiffel, who was born in Dijon in 1832. Look at this metal bird, the work of Robert Rigot, it seems to take flight and its streamlined shape points in the direction of Eiffel’s birthplace.
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Night view of Dijon from the Philippe le Bon tower, Saint-Philibert and Saint-Bénigne churchesNight view of Dijon from the Philippe le Bon tower, Saint-Philibert and Saint-Bénigne churches|
Going South
From Santenay to Châlon-sur-Saône
Organize
My stay
Pedestrians and bicyclesTake the train!
You have a station at Beaune, Meursault and Santenay on the southern part of the Voie des Vignes, then Corgoloin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Vougeot-Gilly-les-Cîteaux and Gevrey-Chambertin. TER Paris > Dijon > Beaune > Chalon > Mâcon > Lyon (many trains – free bicycle transport).
