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Description
Beaune is a city in Burgundy, France.
Beaune succeeded Dijon as capital of the Duchy of Burgundy during its glory days. Today, Dijon is again the capital of Burgundy, a much bigger city, and an important site of industry as well as culture. But Beaune has much to recommend: It is a bustling, wealthy, and charming place of pilgrimage for art lovers, wine lovers, and gastronomes.
For the typical tourist, Beaune is a half-day town. The historic center is charming and a pleasant place to walk around. The Hotel-Dieu is a must-see, but only takes an hour or so. For the food and wine lover, there is not enough to time to spend in and around Beaune. Nearly every town along the Côte-d'Or has a fabulous restaurant and multiple places to taste wine. Even though the wine appellations in the Côte-d'Or are not far apart, the wines produced in relatively close appellations vary dramatically.
Beaune makes a good base for exploring other small wine towns in the Côte-d'Or. It is centrally located about half way along the wine route, and other famous nearby wine towns like Montrachet, Pommard, and Nuits-Saint-Georges are all a short drive from Beaune.
Access
Beaune is easily accessible via Autoroutes. Directions:, (By train: Beaune railway station (Direct link with Paris by TGV high speed train). By plane: Dijon and Lyons airports. By car: Autoroute (motorway) A6, A31, A36, 2h30 from Paris, 1h15 from Lyons.).
Transportation
Beaune is a good city for walking. The old center of town is compact, and surrounded by a ring street that follows the old city walls. It is better to park outside the old center of town and walk in. There are a number of pay parking lots on the perimeter roads.
A car is required to explore the surrounding wine towns on the Côte-d'Or.
Activities and Sightseeing
- The Hotel-Dieu, Rue de l'Hôtel-Dieu 21200 Beaune (By train: Beaune railway station (Direct link with Paris by TGV high speed train). By plane: Dijon and Lyons airports. By car: Autoroute (motorway) A6, A31, A36, 2h30 from Paris, 1h15 from Lyons.), ? 33 (0)3 80 24 45 00 (hospices.beaune@wanadoo.fr, fax: 33 (0)3 80 24 45 99), . The Hotel-Dieu features the Polyptych of the Apocalypse by Rogier van der Weyden and is a stunning example of Burgundian architecture.
Visit some of the local wineries and indulge in a tasting.
- Marché aux Vins, ? 03 80 25 08 20 (marcheauxvins@kriter.com, fax: 03 80 25 08 21), Open all year, 7 days a week (except 25 December and 1 January) from 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM and 2:00 PM to 5:45 PM. From July 1st to August 31st, open from 9:30 AMto 5:45 PM.. 10 euros per person.
Shopping
There is an outdoor market every Saturday morning. A wide variety of goods, including food, is available at this market. Note that the city is very crowded on market days. There is an E. LeClerc hypermarket on the outskirts of town, close to the exit off of the A6 Autoroute.
Restaurants
There are many good restaurants in Beaune. Classic Burgundian dishes include beef bourguignon, coq au vin, oeufs meurette, escargot, and Époisses cheese.
- Le Conty, 5 rue Felix Ziem, ? 03.80.22.63.94. A good brasserie, with terrasse for the summer, and a caveau for the winter. 3-course menu with wine 25€.
Nightlife
The local wines: the reds are all pinot noir and the whites are almost all chardonnay (the exception is Aligote, which is usually mixed with creme de cassis to make a kir).
Lodging
See the listing of the Hotels in Beaune