Burgundy Biking

On the first day of the trip, meet your Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 10:45 a.m. in front of the Avallon train station. Please arrive dressed in your biking clothes and have your rain gear handy, or bring them in a small daypack so you can change before the ride.

Shuttle to Auberge de Bazoches: ½ Hour

Biking Options: 

Bazoches Route: 16 Miles (820’ elevation gain) 

Château Route: 22 Miles (1,120’)

Bienvenue en Bourgogne! After meeting in Avallon we shuttle to a working farm and get acquainted over a lunch made with fresh ingredients from the local farms. Afterward your Trip Leaders fit your bike and give a brief talk on biking techniques and safety. Then set off on a meandering ride through villages and the peaceful countryside. You’ll encounter a few climbs, including one to 12th-century Château de Bazoches, where you’ll have impressive views. This trapezoidal-shaped castle has an interesting history as the former home of Marechal Vauban, the famous military architect and strategic adviser to Louis XIV. Continue biking through the Morvan, a scenic plateau covered with forests of oak, fir and beech, and intersected by rushing rivers. A regional nature park, the area is graced with quiet picturesque roads ideal for biking!

Our home for the next two nights is the luxurious Château de Vault de Lugny, set on the banks of the Cousin River and surrounded by 100 acres of forest and parkland. After checking into your lavish room, take a stroll around the impeccable grounds. This evening we rendezvous on the patio for a wine reception and orientation. If the weather is pleasant we’ll enjoy our dinner outside, otherwise we’ll be served in the gorgeous vaulted dining room.

Lodging: Château de Vault de Lugny

Today you’ll become more intimately acquainted with the bucolic hills that make Burgundy so alluring—and biking more challenging! Take in the vista as you pedal through forest and lush pastureland to the village of Vézelay, founded atop a hill for protection from Viking raiders in the 9th century. Aside from fostering a tradition of artistry, Vézelay reputedly possesses a powerful mystic air. Known for  centuries as the site of St. Mary Magdalene’s relics, it was a stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It’s also where St. Bernard urged the launch of the Second Crusade in 1146. Visit the 12th-century Romanesque Basilique StMadeleine Cathedral, a World Heritage site, and learn about a history marked by political intrigue, war and religious fervor.

If you’re looking to burn off some calories after our delicious picnic spread, tackle the hilly route leading past the small town of Mailly-le-Château, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Yonne River. Loop back to our hotel, where you’re free to curl up with a book or take a dip in the indoor pool. Later we gather for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.

Lodging: Château de Vault de Lugny

Biking Options:

Vézelay Route: 13 Miles* (1,270’ elevation gain)

Brosses Route: 22 Miles* (1,500’)

Vault de Lugny Loop: 36 Miles (2,070’)

Mailly-le-Château Route: 53 Miles (2,920’)

*with shuttle

After breakfast, pedal the ups and downs of the serene countryside to the medieval city of Avallon, whose prominent seat between two ravines has been fortified since the days of Charlemagne. Then wind past châteaux and over rolling slopes to the small rural town of Quarré-les-Tombes, where we have lunch at l’Hôtel du Nord.

If it’s not already apparent why this region is a cyclist’s dream, the afternoon spin toward the Côte d’Or will convince you. Bike all the way there or take the Backroads shuttle to tonight’s hotel, Abbaye de la Bussière, located on the river Ouche.

Prepare yourself for a truly memorable culinary experience at our hotel’s restaurant! Acclaimed chef Emmanuel Hébrard delights in using only the best local produce and seasonal ingredients, paired with fine wines from the region, of course, to bring you cuisine in the true Burgundian style. After dinner, why not explore the beautiful well-kept gardens that surround the hotel, or perhaps enjoy one of the three beautifully decorated lounges.

Lodging: Abbaye de la  Bussière

Biking Options:

Quarré-les-Tombes Route: 18 Miles* (1,770’ elevation gain)

Saulieu Route: 34 Miles* (2,680’)

Chastellux Route: 46 Miles* (4,170’)

La Bussière Route: 64 Miles (4,300’)

*with shuttle

We set off into the Côte d’Or this morning biking through the vineyard-laced valley and the towns of Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, well known throughout the region for their delicious wines. At renowned Clos de Vougeot, a walled vineyard and restored medieval château, we’re treated to an informative tour of the property and learn about its centuriesold winemaking tradition. In the 1940s, the château was  purchased by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin  (Brotherhood of the Knights of the Tasting Cup), a group of  wine growers and enthusiasts that meets each year to celebrate  the art of winemaking and cuisine in Burgundy. This society is  largely responsible for spreading the word about excellent Burgundian wines. Numerous historic artifacts are housed within  the château walls—make sure to check out the massive 12thcentury grape presses once used by Cîteaux monks. After the tour, ride to Nuits-St-Georges for lunch on your own at an  inviting café.

The afternoon route leads from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte de Beaune. (Together these two regions make up the Côte d’Or.) The smooth roads are sure to be a welcome break for your legs! Take in views of the surrounding wooded hills and lush vineyards as you pass through charming towns with names you’ll likely recognize from wine labels. Once you’ve arrived in Beaune, park your bike and soak it all in. As you wander, keep an eye out for a restaurant that looks enticing for tonight’s dinner on your own. There are many charming options offering fine gastronomie de Bourgogne as well as impressive wine lists.

But before you head out for dinner, we meet for a private tour and tasting at the well-known Maison Alex Gambal. The winery prides itself on adhering to traditional harvesting methods, producing no more than 60,000 bottles a year and keeping a close watch on the quality of grapes.

Tonight we stay in the heart of town at Hôtel Le Cep, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Le Cep, whose name means “young vine sprout,” features rooms named after different wine-producing appellations in Burgundy.

Lodging: Hôtel Le Cep

Biking Options:

Nuits-St-Georges Route: 24 Miles* (890’ elevation gain)

Côte de Nuits Route: 39 Miles (1,120’)

Bouilland Route: 50 Miles (1,870’)

*with shuttle

Today’s ride follows the Route des Grands Crus (“road of the great wines”). This 37-mile stretch includes Burgundy’s most prestigious vineyards and quaint viticulture villages. On the way we visit Le Château de La Rochepot, a 13th-century fortress, complete with a drawbridge and a guards’ room large enough to hold the village’s entire population in times of war. The medieval castle was destroyed during the French Revolution and then expertly restored at the end of the 19th century. Pedal on to the park in the wine village of Chassagne-Montrachet, where we enjoy a lovely picnic  before visiting its caveau (vault) for a tasting of some of the Côte d’Or’s finest vintages. Wine lovers rejoice—they ship anywhere!

Continue exploring inviting lanes between the small plots of Premier Grand Cru vineyards on your way to Beaune. You can also stroll within the town’s ramparts, visit wine shops and taste the local lifeblood at the many caves (wine cellars), including Beaune’s Musée du Vin (wine museum), housed in the Duke of Burgundy’s original palace.

Tonight we gather together for our last meal at the excellent Bistro de l’Hôtel in Beaune. Raise a glass of your favorite wine and toast our Burgundian journey.

Lodging: Hôtel Le Cep

Biking Options: 

Chassagne-Montrachet Route: 17 Miles*

(1,130’ elevation gain) 

Les Villages du Vin Loop: 28 Miles (1,740’) 

Mavilly-Mandelot Route: 37 Miles (3,220’) 

Beaune Loop: 49 Miles (3,500’) 

*with shuttle

Rise early for a final spin through the vineyards around Beaune, or sleep in and ease into your day with croissants and café. We then head into town for a guided tour of the Hospices de Beaune, a beautifully preserved building founded as a hospital in the 15th century. Also known as the Hôtel Dieu, its courtyard and vast interior feature turrets, dormer windows, detailed ironwork and a magnificent multicolored tile roof. Have your camera ready!

Afterward we take a private coach to the Dijon Ville train station, where the trip ends.

Au Revoir Loop: 16 Miles (500’ elevation gain)

Shuttle to Dijon: 45 Minutes