South Burgundy
Die Vielfalt des Süd-Burgunds
Welcome by the tour guide in the late afternoon. Beaune is wine-capital of Burgundy and has a picturesque old town. Visit Hotel Dieu, the old hospital of poor.
You cycle via Chagny to castle Rully, a medieval fortress in midst of vineyards. Join the Voie Verte, an old railway track converted into a cycle path and cycle to Buxy. The picturesque little town surrounded by vineyards lives from winegrowing.
Enjoy your easy and relaxed route on Voie Verte, just now and then with a very small climb. Your next stop is Cormatin with the biggest castle of Burgundy followed by Cluny, the famous monastery. The church of Cluny was at times the biggest church of Christendom.
Along the Voie Verte you cross the railway tunnel of Bois Clair (longest bike tunnel in Europe, length 1,6 km). Afterwards you cross the boarder to Maconnais. The last 20 km you cycle relaxed into the valley of Macon. We recommend visiting the old city and historic bridge. Especially in the evening you have awesome views from the new promenade next to river Saone.
Via Pont-de-Vaux (well known weekly market) you cycle through „Bresse“to Ferme-de-la-Foret, a typical farm of the region. Louhans is capital of Bresse and is justly named “the most beautiful de-tour of France”. Visit remarkable sites as the old hospital with apothecary, the streets framed by 157 arcades and the parish church with a roof of coloured tiles.
Today you should stop in St. Loup-de-Varennes. Here photography was invented and the local museum of photography shows many exhibits from this time. In the afternoon you meet again with river Saône and reach Chalon-sur-Saône, second largest city of Burgundy with important airport for the exportgoods wine and corn.
On your last cycle day you enjoy the idyllic river valley of Saône, a 480 km long river, springing in the Vosges and mouthing into river Rhone near Lyon. When you reach Beaune take your time for a stroll through the picturesque little town and celebrate the beautiful tour with a glass of good burgundy wine.
After breakfast the tour is completed.
The route
Easy cycle tour, partly using the „Voie Verte“(old railway tracks or bridle paths along canals), thus avoiding climbs. Otherwise you are using cycle paths off the traffic and minor roads.
- Overnights in rooms with shower / toilet or bath / toilet
- Half board if booked: at least three-course dinner
- Personal welcome briefing on spot
- Luggage transfer
- Detailed travel documents (places of interest, telephone numbers, maps)
- Carefully elaborated route
- GPS-Tracks on request
- 7-days-service-Hotline
Arrival / parking / departure
- Very well connected by TGV till Dijon, than continue to Beaune.
- Also very good flight connections to Lyon and the by train to Beaunne (approx. 2 hours).
- Free Car park at the starting hotel, no reservation possible, payable on spot
