A highly rural region
It is known that agriculture holds an important place in Burgundy: in 2016, some 18,400 farms were listed on all 4 departments, and it still occupies more than half of the territory. This results in a lower density, compared to the French average. Ten years ago, there were 117 inhabitants per square kilometer in metropolitan France, but only 65 in Saône-Loire, 61 in Côte-d'Or, 46 in Yonne and 31 in Nièvre. What about the cities? No large cities, only 8 cities considered as medium-sized (between 20,000 and 200,000 inhabitants). The capital, Dijon, is in the lead with just over 158,000 inhabitants. Far behind, Chalon-sur-Saône has 45,000. Then comes Auxerre with its 34,000 souls, in a handkerchief with Nevers and Macon which count about 33,000. Then come Sens (nearly 27,000), Le Creusot (22,000) and Beaune (about 21,000).
Very varied landscapes and reliefs
Did you know that Burgundy is one of the 5 most wooded regions in France, with nearly 970,000 ha of forests? However, if trees and massifs are legion, they do not constitute the only landscapes of the region. During your journey through Burgundy, a multitude of sceneries will impose themselves on you. For example, in the north-east you will observe superb forests, but also the limestone soils of the Châtillonnais and the Plateau de Langres, where the Seine, Marne, Aube and Meuse have their source. A little further west, Lower Burgundy is a region of plains that includes the Sénonais and the Pays d'Othe with its forest overlooking the valleys of the Yonne and Armançon rivers. In the center, on the limestone plateaus of the Auxerrois region, the vineyards of Chablis and Tonnerrois are established. In the southeast, the plains of the Saône offer vast meadows. They are the largest in Burgundy, and include the Dijon plain, the Netherlands (south of Dijon), the Saône valley (Auxonne), as well as the southern plains and Bresse where the river and its tributaries have carved out valleys. Parallel to the Saône river, from north to south, one can also observe the long fault lined with slopes where the vines of the prestigious crus grow. The Mâconnais, with its hillsides and rocks (such as the one at Solutré), a country of mixed farming, livestock and vineyards, is a first approach to the Massif Central. But it is difficult to be exhaustive when it comes to talking about Burgundian landscapes... Thus, we could also mention, in the west, the Loire Valley, a clay-sand plain near Nevers and the Sologne bourbonnaise. The forests of Puisaye, between Yonne and Nièvre. And, of course, the Morvan which covers the 4 departments. If most of Burgundy oscillates between 150 and 600 meters of altitude, this small granite mountain culminates at 901 meters (the Haut-Folin, located in Saône-et-Loire, is its summit). The Morvan Regional Nature Park is made up of vast bodies of water and numerous forests (more than 40% of its territory is covered by forests!), but it is also rich in the clay plains that surround it. Like the Terre-Plaine in the north, the Auxois in the east, the Bazois in the west. Moreover, it is in its lower part, near Pouilly-en Auxois, that the "triple point" is located. Clearly, it is from there that the waters leave towards the Channel, the Atlantic or the Mediterranean.
Rivers, streams, tributaries and canals: waterways at the crossroads
The whole region has many rivers. As mentioned above, the Seine has its source on the Langres plateau, more precisely in the (aptly named) commune of Source-Seine, in the Côte-d'Or. The largest river in France also passes through the region: indeed, the Loire has many tributaries here, such as the Bourbince, the Brème, the Arconce and the Arroux, which flows through Autun and Gueugnon. As for the Saône (which stretches over 482 km), it has its source in Vioménil, in the Vosges, and ends its course in Lyon by joining the Rhône. It thus crosses the Côte-d'Or and the Saône-et-Loire. Long dedicated to trade, it is now one of the richest rivers in Europe in fish. The Yonne, for its part, has known centuries of glory. Frequented by the Gauls who worshipped it, it was used by the Romans who found it a good way to reach the Saône. Centuries later, river transport was developed to supply the region of course, but also Paris. We must also mention the Ouche, a non-navigable river whose 100 kilometers are located in the Côte-d'Or alone. Finally, let's not forget the canals. Since its inauguration in 1832, the Canal de Bourgogne links the Seine to the Saône, while the Canal du Nivernais (inaugurated in 1835) brings the Yonne and the Loire closer together. As for their elder brother, the Canal du Centre (or Canal du Charolais), it was created at the end of the 18th century so that the Saône and the Loire would join, from Chalon to Digoin. For a long time a commercial and industrial site, this canal - like those of Burgundy and the Nivernais - is today a pleasure for boaters!
Burgundy at the crossroads of climates
Of course, the climate in Burgundy is not only a story of weather: here, it also designates a parcel of vines, but the weather is also essential. If the continental climate dominates, specialists distinguish 9 sub-climates. The reason? Burgundy is located at the crossroads of oceanic, continental and southern influences. To the west, it is oceanic. Further north, the semi-continental climate prevails, while in the center, the Morvan faces a medium mountain climate, with cold and snowy winters, cool summers and a high density of rainfall. As for the continental influence, it is manifested in the plains and valleys, but Mediterranean winds, by rushing into the corridor of the Rhone valley extended by that of the Saône, sometimes disrupt the pattern. In short, snow and frost are often part of the Burgundian winter. On the other hand, summers are marked by a pronounced heat, and thunderstorms are frequent. Just like the fogs in the off-season. As a result, Burgundy is one of the regions where the thermal amplitude is felt the most strongly. Nevertheless, it can boast between 1,800 and 2,000 hours of sunshine each year. Not bad!
