A Town of Art and History and the capital of Burgundy wine, Beaune is located forty kilometres or so south of Dijon and boasts some exceptional heritage. Surrounded by old ramparts, it is known as the centre for the Burgundy wine trade, as evidenced by the famous auction at the Hospices de Beaune every third Sunday in November. The old town contains some remarkable monuments and has some beautiful Renaissance mansions for visitors to admire, as well as pretty half-timbered houses and charming inner courtyards.
Take the time to stroll around, to see Beaune's architectural treasures at your own pace or using an audioguide. A listed Historic Monument, this superb complex with its famous varnished tile roofs has become a museum of medical history.
Not far from there, on Rue Paradis, is the mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy, which you can visit. A listed Historic Monument, this old ducal palace from the 14th century now houses the Museum of Burgundy Wine, where the history of the vineyard and winemaking is told through ethnographic and artistic collections, tapestries and everyday objects used by winegrowers.
All around the Beaune region, there are cellar tours, tastings and organised excursions in the vineyard so you can learn about Burgundy's winegrowing heritage. This superb 13th-century edifice, one of the last big Romanesque churches in Burgundy, possesses a Gothic portal and chevet, as well as a Renaissance bell tower.
Inside is a collection of five tapestries from the 15th century illustrating the life of the Virgin, a Renaissance chapel and a black Virgin from the 12th century.
