Burgundy Cycling Weekend

5 days - from $873

Enjoy fine food and wine whilst exploring a heritage stretching from the Gauls to the Romanesque in the beautiful Bourgogne countryside
Burgundy styles itself as 'The Land of Great Art and Good Living'. The landscape is an attractive patchwork of lush pastures and broad-leaved woodlands, interspersed with extensive vineyards. This is one of France's foremost wine regions and we will be passing some of the most valuable vines in the world. For those who enjoy some classic wines the names of the towns and villages will have a distinct resonance: Pommard, Beaune, Nuits Saint Georges. The architecture, too, is distinctive, with many fine old half-timbered buildings whose steeply-pitched roofs are patterned in multi-coloured tiles. The lattice of quiet lanes and tracks follows rivers and meandering canals and climbs into the hills to explore the enchanting countryside, ancient abbeys, historic towns and magnificent chateaux. This itinerary enables an appreciation of the food, wine and the countryside but also provides some healthy exercise to justify a little indulgence at the end of each day. We will recommend a number of possibilities for you to taste the fine wines of Burgundy en route.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Start Dijon. 2 Leave mediaeval Dijon and pedal via Nuits St Georges, the capital of the Cotes de Nuits vineyards, to Beaune. The fascinating old town is a great place to explore and eat with plenty of shops and restaurants. 3 Pass through through the heart of wine country and into the villages of Pommard and Meursault before cycling to the old town of Nolay. Leave the vineyards behind and cycle through the forested uplands to the hilltop village of Chateauneuf en Auxois. 4 Cycle to Dijon. Most of the route follows the Burgundy Canal past Velars-sur-Ouche and then on to Dijon to complete the circuit. 5 End Dijon.

Mode of travel: Average daily distance: 46kms (28 miles) No. of days cycling: 3 Vehicle support: none whilst cycling, luggage is transferred between hotels for you Terrain and route: the suggested cycling mainly follows quiet tarmac roads past villages and vineyards across undulating terrain. Occasionally a busier road is encountered, as is a longer climb, but the route is not particularly arduous.
Group size: Self guided. Luggage is transferred, route notes and maps are provided.
Accommodation: 4 nights in 2 and 3 star hotels. All rooms have en suite facilities.
Food: All breakfasts included.
Compulsory Single Supplement: from $330.75
Trip Reference: LSN
Reverse Itinerary: trips that run in reverse are specified with an 'R' in the dates and prices table below.
Notes: Start any Thursday from 15 March to 18 October 2012Starting 09 April - 30 September GBP549Prices are 'Land only' and do not include travel from LondonSupplement for single traveller GBP335 (includes single room supplement)Return rail travel to Dijon, prices on requestBike Hire France: 21 speed Lapierre bikes GBP70, paid on booking
Trip Reference: LSN