Day 23 - September 10, 2026

Discovering the Heart of Burgundy in Beaune

After several wonderful days exploring Franche-Comté, today was dedicated to Burgundy—its wine, history, and the beautiful town of Beaune.

We started the morning at the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne, conveniently located just a short walk from our hotel. Even before going inside, the building itself impressed me. Its contemporary architecture is striking and beautifully designed, making it feel more like a work of art than a museum.

The exhibition turned out to be one of the highlights of our time in Burgundy. Using the English audio guide, we spent well over two hours exploring the immersive displays that explain the unique wine culture of the region. Even as someone who doesn’t consider herself a wine enthusiast, I found it fascinating. The exhibits do an excellent job of explaining what makes Burgundy so special—from the idea of terroir to the incredible diversity created by tiny differences in soil, climate, and history.

One of my favorite parts came at the very end: beautifully designed aroma stations where you can smell many of the scents found in wine bouquets. It was surprisingly fun trying fragrances like flowers, berries, citrus, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, dairy, leather, and many others. Suddenly all those wine descriptions that used to sound mysterious started making much more sense.

The visit concludes with a tasting, which is included in the ticket. We decided to try both the white and the red Burgundy wines. Although I’m definitely not a wine expert, I genuinely enjoyed them—especially the white, which was elegant, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

Since it was already lunchtime, we discovered that the museum also has an excellent restaurant and decided to stay. It turned out to be a wonderful choice. We shared several beautifully prepared dishes: a refreshing gazpacho topped with basil ice cream, a salad with warm goat cheese and dried apricots, a rich rustic “soup” with eggs, onions, mushrooms and lardons, and wonderfully tender pork served with perfectly gratinéed potatoes. Every dish felt creative without being pretentious, making for one of the most memorable lunches of the trip.

After lunch we drove about six minutes, parked near the old town by Lidl, and walked to the magnificent Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu). Armed with another audio guide, we spent at least an hour and a half exploring one of France’s most remarkable medieval hospitals.

The colorful glazed tile roof is even more beautiful in person than in photographs, and the story behind the building is just as impressive. Founded in 1443 by Chancellor Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins as a charitable hospital for the poor after the Hundred Years’ War, it remained a functioning hospital for over five centuries. Walking through the vast medieval ward with its rows of red curtained beds, ornate wooden ceiling, and beautifully preserved chapel made it easy to imagine what life was like here hundreds of years ago. The combination of remarkable architecture and a deeply human story made this one of the most memorable historic sites we’ve visited in France.

The rest of the afternoon was wonderfully relaxed. We wandered through Beaune’s charming streets, browsed a few boutiques, and stopped for coffee at a café with outdoor seating. It was one of those simple travel moments I always enjoy—sipping coffee, sharing a delicious chocolate éclair, and watching everyday life unfold around us as people strolled through the streets.

Dinner was at Bistrot Cocotte, where we sat outside on the patio. The atmosphere wasn’t especially memorable, but after such a substantial lunch we were happy with a light meal: a fresh salad with egg and chicken alongside another gazpacho. I also tried a Crémant de Bourgogne with crème de cassis, a local sparkling cocktail known as a Communard Pétillant. Lightly sweet, refreshing, and distinctly Burgundian, it was something I’d happily order again.

As darkness fell, Beaune transformed once again. We followed the Chemins de Lumières (Paths of Light) through the historic center, discovering projections mapped onto some of the city’s most important landmarks. Each short show lasted only a few minutes but beautifully combined light, animation, and local history. We watched the stories come alive on the Hospices de Beaune, the Beffroi (the medieval clock tower, with animations inspired by Beaune-born photography pioneer Étienne-Jules Marey), and the Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne, once the residence of the Dukes of Burgundy and now home to the Wine Museum. The illuminated route actually includes seven major monuments connected by more than 150 artistic lights, making for a magical evening walk around the old town and its ramparts.  

Beaune turned out to be exactly the kind of place I love: compact enough to explore on foot, rich in history without feeling overwhelming, deeply connected to its local traditions, and full of wonderful food and wine. Even as someone who never considered herself particularly interested in wine, today gave me a whole new appreciation for Burgundy—not just for what’s in the glass, but for the centuries of history, culture, and craftsmanship behind every bottle.