Discover Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Burgundy-Franche-Comté is the densest region in France for great red and white wines. On the Côte-d'Or, between Dijon and Santenay, the Côte de Nuits (Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée) then the Côte de Beaune (Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet) unroll the world's greatest terroirs for pinot noir and chardonnay. The vineyard has been UNESCO-listed since 2015 as the "Climats de Burgundy", recognising a thousand-year parcel system shaped by Cistercian monks. Beyond the vines, Dijon, the former ducal capital, keeps its medieval centre intact (Palais des Ducs, Renaissance mansions, Notre-Dame and its owl) and its market hall — a worthy heir to the central market rebuilt by Eiffel. Vézelay, another UNESCO site, raises its Romanesque basilica on the "eternal hill" from which pilgrims once set off for Compostela. To the east, Franche-Comté opens the rougher Jura landscapes: spectacular cul-de-sacs (Baume-les-Messieurs amphitheatre), the royal saltworks of Arc-et-Senans (UNESCO), the Hérisson waterfalls and Métabief ski resort. On the table, this is the empire of cave-aged Comté, seasonal Mont d'Or (15 August to 31 March), Morbier and Burgundy-marc Époisses. Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille from the Jura, based on savagnin, are among the longest-lived whites in the world. Plan for September-October for harvest, or June for flowering gardens and mild weather.
