A week in Burgundy: the complete itinerary from Dijon to the Morvan

In short: 7 days are enough to cover the essentials of the Côte-d’Or without rushing. This itinerary alternates town, vineyard and nature, with 3 nights in Dijon, 2 in Beaune and 1 in the Morvan, for a total of about 470 km of driving and an indicative budget of €670 to €1,520 per person depending on comfort.

A week lets you go beyond the Dijon–Beaune duo to explore the medieval Auxois, the forests of the Châtillonnais and the lakes of the Morvan. This itinerary is designed for a curious traveller who wants to understand the region’s diversity, not merely tick off monuments.

Day 1: Dijon, the historic centre

Morning (3 h): Chouette trail, the 22 stages of the historic centre. Palais des Ducs, Place de la Libération, Rue des Forges, Notre-Dame church, townhouses.

Lunch

at the Halles centrales (covered market). Pain d’épices, jambon persillé, cheeses. Allow €10–15 for an upgraded picnic or €18–22 for a set dish in a bistro around the Halles.

Afternoon (2.5 h): Musée des Beaux-Arts (free, one of the richest in France outside Paris) or alternative: stroll in Jardin Darcy and the antiques quarter.

Evening

dinner on a street off Place Zola or Rue Berbisey. Menu €25–38. Overnight in Dijon.

Day’s distance: 0 km (all on foot). Dijon centre is compact, 15 minutes are enough to cross the protected sector.

Day 2: northern Route des Grands Crus

Morning (leave 9 am): Marsannay-la-Côte (10 min from Dijon), tasting at a domaine. Then Fixin and Gevrey-Chambertin: 9 grands crus, Burgundy’s most famous wine village.

Lunch

table in Gevrey-Chambertin or picnic with a view over the climats.

Afternoon: Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée. Domaine tasting in one of the two villages (allow 45 min per domaine).

Evening: return to Dijon or dinner in Nuits-Saint-Georges (Cassissium, lively centre). Overnight in Dijon.

Distance: 55 km. Cumulative driving time: 1 h 15. The RN74 is the main axis, narrow and winding in places.

Day 3: Beaune and the Côte de Beaune

Morning (leave 9 am): Hospices de Beaune (2 h, €12.50). Arrive at opening (9 am) to avoid groups.

Lunch

Beaune market if it is Saturday, otherwise a bistro on Place Carnot or Rue d’Alsace. Menu €18–28.

Afternoon: Pommard, Volnay, Meursault. Three emblematic Côte de Beaune villages, 10–15 min by road from each other. One tasting in Pommard (tannic, powerful) then one in Meursault (buttery, mineral) to contrast the two profiles.

Evening: dinner in Beaune. Overnight in Beaune.

Distance: 20 km. Driving time: 45 min.

Day 4: Auxois, castles and perched villages

Morning (leave around 9 am): Semur-en-Auxois (1 h from Beaune). Medieval bastide, ramparts on the Armançon, Pont Joly. Walk 1.5 h.

Lunch

in Semur or on the road to Flavigny.

Afternoon: Flavigny-sur-Ozerain (25 min from Semur). Perched village, Benedictine abbey, anis factory. Then Alésia MuséoParc (10 min), in the neighbouring commune of Alise-Sainte-Reine. Allow 2 h for the MuséoParc, 1 h for Flavigny.

Evening: dinner in Saulieu or return to accommodation. Overnight in Beaune or in an Auxois gîte.

Distance: 110 to 160 km depending on the return (Beaune or Auxois gîte). Driving time: 2 to 3 h. The D905 and D980 are good departmental roads.

Day 5: the Morvan, lakes and forests

Morning (leave around 9 am): Saulieu (gateway to the Morvan). Romanesque Basilique Saint-Andoche, coffee stop.

Midday

Lac des Settons (45 min from Saulieu). Watersports centre, swimming (in season), paddle, pedal boat. Picnic by the lake.

Afternoon: light walk around the lake (6 km trail, 1.5 h, flat) or climb to the dam. Option to hire a mountain bike.

Evening: dinner in a Morvan inn. Specialities: Morvan ham, trout, honey. Overnight in the Morvan (gîte or B&B).

Distance: 60 km. Driving time: 1 h 15.

Day 6: Châtillonnais, the discreet north

Morning (leave 9 am): sources of the Seine (1.5 h from the Morvan). Archaeological site and mythological spring, in a wooded valley. 1.5 h visit.

Lunch

in Châtillon-sur-Seine (25 min). Pleasant town on the banks of the Seine.

Afternoon: Trésor de Vix, at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais (2 h). The Vix crater, the largest known ancient bronze vessel (1.64 m, 208 kg).

Evening: return towards Dijon (1 h 15). Last night in Dijon.

Distance: 180 km. Driving time: 3 h 15. The longest day in kilometres.

Day 7: Dijon, final stroll

Morning

Cité internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin (2.5 h). Opened in 2022, a recent site in the heart of Dijon.

Lunch: last Dijon table. Lunch menu €22–38.

Afternoon: last-minute shopping (Fallot mustard, Mulot & Petitjean pain d’épices, Anis de Flavigny) in centre shops.

Departure: TGV late afternoon for Paris (1 h 35).

Indicative budget for the week

These budgets are indicative. As a couple, accommodation and fuel are shared, cutting the cost per person by about 25%. As a family, a weekly gîte is the most economical option.