Categories: Adventure TravelVacation Travel

Biking in European vineyards

Fall is arguably the best time of year to visit Europe–with September’s arrival, the heat and crowds have abated, plus harvesting has just begun bringing the flavors of each region front and center. Village markets are brimming with local specialties and local characters.

Butterfield & Robinson has been biking en Bourgognefor almost forever, but each ride feels as great as the first time. This is French wine’s ancestral home, where grand cru vineyards are our most trusted landmarks. Here, you’ll bike to the top of the gorgeous Hautes Côtes, sip vintages in the fields where they grew up, spend the night at Abbaye de la Bussière—the region’s most exclusive hotel—and, with the help of our local guide, explore the unhurried pleasures of Beaune, our adopted hometown, and its unique relationship with wine. To Burgundian locals, time is measured by the season. For us, it’s calculated by the kilometre, the meal and the vintage, the yardsticks of greatness.

Day 1: Receive an informal lesson in Burgundian wines with a professional at a small private vineyard in Morey St. Denis
Day 2: Tour medieval Beaune with our charming local guide
Day 3: Cycle through the fiercely proud villages of La Rochepot, Chassagne-Montrachet, Volnay and Pommard
Day 4: Dine on superb culinary creations at Michelin-starred Abbaye de la Bussière
Day 5: Bike past the magnificent Castle of Châteauneuf en route to a leisurely picnic in Les Jardins de Barbirey, a 19thC garden
Day 6: Breakfast in La Bussière-sur-Ouche and au revoir in Dijon