Beguiling Beaune: A Tour of Burgundy’s Wine Capital

Unless you have a deep knowledge of Burgundy wines, you’ve probably never heard of the small town of Beaune. On this walking tour, I’ll show you the different facets of the town, past and present, and show you exactly why it’s worth exploring.

I’ll take you on a tour of some of the town’s wine merchants, tasting rooms, and cellars while I tell you about the wine board, wine school, wine museum, prestigious wine estates, as well as its famous November charity wine auction at the Hospices de Beaune. This might be the wine capital of Burgundy, but our tour isn’t only about wine, and as you make your way from Porte Saint-Nicolas ( Saint Nicolas Gate) and around the town’s centre, you’ll see plenty of the town’s art, history and charm. Along the way you’ll hear how, in the Middle Ages, Beaune was the seat of the parliament of the powerful Duchy of Burgundy. You’ll see Beaune’s Basilica of Notre Dame (Basilica of Our Lady) which was part of an old pilgrims’ route to the Holy Land. And I’ll point out Hôtel Dieu, once a luxurious charity hospital and now a museum within the Hospice de la Charité de Beaune, organisers of the charity wine auction. The museum is also home to a famous altarpiece by the renowned Flemish painter Rogier Van der Weyden.

On this stroll through town, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• View the unique exterior of Hôtel Dieu Museum Hospices de Beaune, with its flamboyant architecture and multi-coloured roofs
• Hear about the Late Romanesque Basilica of Notre Dame, where none of the original statues survived the French Revolution
• Take in the remarkable Medieval belfry, the Beffroi de Beaune
• Stroll along some of the remaining fortification walls
• Find out about the former residence of two dynasties of dukes, Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne, now a wine museum
• Learn about some of our most famous cheeses
• Promenade along the town’s squares including Place Carnot and Place Monge
• See Beaune’s Hôtel de Ville (city hall) which once belonged to an Ursuline convent
• Learn about the town’s indoor market, Les Halles de Beaune, and its long history going back to 1203

Join me on a 60-minute stroll through this Medieval town’s modern streets, which stimulate all the senses. By the end I’m sure you’ll want to come back again and again.