Day 1

On the first day of the trip, meet your Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 10:45 a.m. in front of the Auxerre train station. Please arrive in your biking clothes with your rain gear handy, or have your biking clothes and rain gear packed in a separate bag.

Shuttle to Auberge de Bazoches 1¼ Hours
Bazoches Route 17 Miles
Longer Option: Château 22 Miles

Bienvenue en Bourgogne! After meeting in Auxerre we shuttle to a scenic working farm and get acquainted over a lunch made with its fresh-grown ingredients. Afterward your Trip Leaders fit your bike and give a brief talk on biking techniques and safety. Then set off for a meandering ride through villages and the peaceful château-dotted countryside. You’ll encounter a few climbs, including one to 12th-century Château de Bazoches, with impressive views and an interesting past. This trapezoidal-shaped castle was once home of Marechal Vauban, the famous military architect and strategic adviser to Louis XIV. Continue biking through the Morvan region, a scenic plateau covered with forests of oak, fir and beech, and intersected by rushing rivers. This area, a regional nature park, is graced with quiet picturesque roads—ideal for biking!

Our home for the next two nights is the luxurious Château de Vault-de-Lugny, set on the banks of the Cousin River and surrounded by 100 acres of forest and parkland. After checking out your lavish room, take a stroll around the impeccable grounds. This evening we rendezvous on the patio for a wine reception and orientation. If the weather is pleasant we’ll enjoy our dinner outside. Otherwise we’ll be served at the table d’hôtes in the gorgeous vaulted dining room.

Lodging: Château de Vault-de-Lugny

Day 2

Brosses Loop 40 Miles
Shorter Option: Vézelay 15 Miles with Shuttle
Longer Option: Mailly-le-Château 57 Miles

Today you’ll become more intimately acquainted with the bucolic hills that make Burgundy so alluring—and biking more challenging! Take in the view as you pedal through forest and lush pastureland to the village of Vézelay, founded atop a hill for protection from Viking raiders in the 9th century. Aside from fostering a tradition of artistry, Vézelay reputedly possesses a powerful mystic air. Known for centuries as the site of St. Mary Magdalene’s relics, it was a stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It’s also where St. Bernard urged the launching of the Second Crusade in 1146. Visit the 12th-century Romanesque Basilique St-Madeleine Cathedral, a World Heritage site, and learn about a history filled with intrigue and religious fervor.

If you’re after additional miles, tackle the hilly longer option, passing the small town of Mailly le Château, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Yonne River. Loop back to our hotel, where you’re free to curl up with a book or take a dip in the indoor pool before we gather for dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Château de Vault-de-Lugny

Day 3

Saulieu Route 34 Miles
Shorter Option: Quarré-les-Tombes 18 Miles with Shuttle
Longer Option: Chastellux 43 Miles

After breakfast pedal the ups and downs of the serene countryside to the medieval city of Avallon, whose prominent seat between two ravines has been fortified since the days of Charlemagne. You’ll wind past châteaux and over rolling slopes to the small rural town of Quarré-les-Tombes, where we regroup for lunch at l’Hôtel du Nord.

If it’s not already apparent why this region is a cyclist’s dream, the afternoon spin to tonight’s hotel in Saulieu will convince you. Bike all the way there or make use of the comfy Backroads shuttle to reach Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, located in the heart of Morvan National Park.

Prepare yourself for a truly memorable culinary experience at our hotel’s restaurant, one of the most acclaimed in France. Four years after Chef Bernard’s death, his wife, Dominique, and the restaurant staff carry on his tradition of creating delectable French cuisine that focuses on bringing out intense flavor with light but filling dishes. If you’d like to take home a memento from this evening, visit the hotel’s boutique for everything from Bernard’s favorite wines and recipes to designer utensils and goodies.

Lodging: Le Relais Bernard Loiseau

Day 4

Shuttle to Urcy 1¼ Hours
Côte de Nuits Route 32 Miles
Shorter Option: Nuits-St-Georges 16 Miles with Shuttle
Longer Option: Bouilland 40 Miles

We shuttle to the town of Urcy and set off into the Côte d’Or this morning. Bike though the vineyard-laced valley, enjoying a great downhill along the way. At Clos de Vougeot a walled vineyard and restored medieval château that is one of Burgundy’s most famous spots, we’re treated to an informative tour of the property and its centuries-old winemaking tradition. In the 1940s, the château was purchased by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (Brotherhood of the Knights of the Tasting Cup), a group of wine growers and enthusiasts that meets each year to celebrate the art of winemaking and cuisine in Burgundy. This society is largely responsible for spreading the word about excellent Burgundian wines. Numerous historic artifacts are housed within the château walls—make sure to check out the massive 12th-century grape presses once used by Cîteaux monks. After the tour, ride to Nuits-Saint-Georges for lunch on your own at an inviting café.

The afternoon route leads from the Côte de Nuits to the Côte de Beaune. (Together these two regions make up the Côte d’Or.) The smooth (and less hilly) roads will be a welcome break for your legs! Take in views of the surrounding wooded hills and lush vineyards, and pass through charming towns with names you’ll surely recognize from wine labels. Once you’ve arrived in Beaune, the vibrant capital of the Côte d’Or and a center of the Burgundian wine trade, take a look around. As you wander, keep an eye out for a restaurant that looks enticing for tonight’s dinner. You’ll find many charming options offering fine gastronomie de Bourgogne as well as impressive wine lists.
But before heading out for your on-your-own meal, we meet for a private tour and tasting at the well-known Maison Alex Gambal. The winery prides itself on adhering to traditional harvesting methods, producing no more than 60,000 bottles a year, and keeping a close watch on the quality of grapes.

Tonight we stay in the heart of town at Hôtel Le Cep, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Le Cep, whose name means ―young vine sprout,‖ features an impressive tower and stone staircase, an ancient artesian well and a courtyard.

Lodging: Hôtel le Cep

Day 5

Les Villages du Vin Loop 28 Miles
Shorter Option: Chassagne-Montrachet 22 Miles with Shuttle
Longer Option: Mavilly-Mandelot 37 Miles

Today’s ride follows the Route des Grands Crus (roughly translated as ―road of the great wines‖). This famous 37-mile stretch between Dijon and Santenay includes Burgundy’s most prestigious vineyards, including Pommard, Meursault and Puligny Montrachet, and more than 30 quaint viticulture villages. At the town of La Rochepot, we visit the 13th-century fortress, complete with a drawbridge and a guards’ room large enough to hold the village’s entire population in times of war. The medieval castle was destroyed during the French Revolution and then expertly restored at the end of the 19th century. Pedal on to the village park in Chassagne-Montrachet, where we enjoy a lovely picnic before visiting the Caveau de Chassagne-Montrachet for a tasting of some of the Côte d’Or’s finest vintages. Wine lovers rejoice—they ship anywhere!

Continue exploring the inviting lanes between the small plots of Premier Grand Cru vineyards on your way to Beaune. Then check out Beaune’s Musée de Vins (wine museum), housed in the Duke of Burgundy’s original palace. You can also stroll within the town’s ramparts, visit wine shops and taste the local lifeblood at the many caves (wine cellars). Or return to your room instead to relax and recharge before dinner.

Our last dinner together is at the excellent Bistro de l’Hôtel in Beaune. Raise a glass of your favorite vintage and toast our Burgundian journey.

Lodging: Hôtel le Cep

Day 6

Shuttle to Dijon 45 Minutes

Wake up at your leisure and ease into your day with croissants and café. We then head to Beaune for a guided tour of the town’s crowning glory, the Hospices de Beaune, a beautifully preserved building founded as a hospital in the 15th century. Also known as the Hôtel Dieu, its courtyard and vast interior feature turrets, dormer windows, detailed ironwork and a magnificent multicolored tile roof. Have your camera ready!

Afterward we take a private coach to the Dijon train station, where the trip ends.