Travel guide Côte-D'Or

Vineyard products, cereals, cattle and sheep breeding, fruit and vegetables, but also cheeses (Epoisses, but not only!), the Côte-d'Or is rooted in its rural nature. Its agriculture is even an essential sector of the local economy. In short, if for you happiness is not in the meadow, go straight away!

Wood, glass, iron, stone or clay work, basketry or even soap making... In the four corners of the department, art craftsmen offer their creations. Not to mention all the small producers who will delight you with their home-made products. It's hard to resist. So, before coming, bring big bags to fill!

As much as the wines and the mustard, the blackcurrant is emblematic of this corner of France! Here, from the aperitif to the dessert (and even to the digestive), you will drink and eat blackcurrants. Not to mention the countless sweets, chocolates, jams and other gingerbreads that also have their own version of cassis. Unmissable, we tell you!

In Beaune, Vougeot, Pommard, Vosne-Romanée and Châtillon-sur-Seine, it is often underground that you will indulge in the pleasure of tasting the great wines of which the Côte-d'Or abounds. Red, white or crémant: you will be spoilt for choice. So, go for it! Especially in the summer, you will also find a little freshness.

Snow, frost and fog in winter, scorching heat and strong thunderstorms in summer, the Côte-d'Or has a fairly wide temperature range. But don't be fooled: when we talk about climate here, it will be mainly to evoke the parcels of vines dotting the hillsides of the wines. They are even listed as a World Heritage Site.

From south to north, from east to west, wherever you go you will find the imprint of the Dukes of Burgundy. There, the Hospices de Beaune. Elsewhere, the castle and garden of Barbilly or those of Commarin and Bussy-Rabutin. In short, the Dukes are everywhere. Normal, they have reigned on these lands for more than 500 years. Of course, that leaves traces!

From the Saône to the Armançon via the Ouche, the Canal de Bourgogne, the Tille or the Serein, there are many rivers and canals. Not to mention the countless lakes and other bodies of water that are a joy for bathing and fishing enthusiasts. If, in addition, you are a fan of cruising, do not hesitate any longer: welcome to the Côte-d'Or!

Burgundy boasts over thirty starred chefs, but the Côte-d'Or alone is home to 13. So there's no shortage of excellent restaurants, not to mention a bistronomic offering and a multitude of restaurants that would also merit a thousand and one stars. Suffice to say, you'll never go hungry here!

The Côte-d'Or's rich historical and natural heritage makes it an international showcase. In 2023, the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne opened in Beaune, Chablis and Mâcon. The Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon was inaugurated on May 6, 2022, and will celebrate its second anniversary, and the Foire Internationale Gastronomique has been in existence for over 94 years.

What would Dijon be without its mustard? Along with its wines and blackcurrant liqueur, this is Côte-d'Or's most exported product. However, while Burgundy mustard is 100% local (thanks to its AOP), Dijon mustard is often made with seeds from Canada, rather than from Gustave Eiffel's homeland. Tabernacle!

Vineyards and forests, limestone plateaus and verdant valleys, the Côte-d'Or offers a wide range of landscapes. Natural areas abound. As for the National Forest Park in the Châtillonnais region, its 241,000 ha make it the largest wooded area in the département, and Europe's largest ecological and economic park. And that's not all!

From the abbey of Cîteaux to the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, from the beautiful villages of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Vougeot to the superb Hospices de Beaune, there's no shortage of wonders to discover. As proof, Unesco has even classified two Côte-d'Or sites as World Heritage Sites: the Abbey of Fontenay and the Burgundy wine climats!