On old medieval town in Côte-d'Or, now listed among the most beautiful village of France, Châteauneuf nestles at the foot of its imposing fortress, which once belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy, at a strategic location between Dijon and Autun. The castle fort, initially no more than a keep, was extended as time went by. A superb example of Burgundian medieval military architecture, it majestically towers over the Auxois plain and the Burgundy canal. On a visit to this historic monument, you can discover the 12th-century keep, the 14th-century south tower, the main building and the 15th-century dwelling of Philippe Pot, as well as the chapel with ancient mural paintings.

It's nice to take a walk in the flowery medieval side streets of Châteauneuf, where some beautiful old stone houses with turrets still stand.

So be sure to stop by the 15th-century Church of St. James and St. Philip, which contains some lovely polychrome stone and wood statues, including one of St. John the Baptist attributed to Claus Sluter.

Near the north door, the mission cross belvedere reveals a stunning view of the Auxois and the Morvan hills.

In late July, in even years every two years, the pretty streets of Châteauneuf come alive for the Médiévales festival: jousting on horseback, medieval dances, a fire show, artillery shooting, craft stands, etc. offer visitors a 100% medieval experience for a whole weekend!

Deep in the heart of Côte-d'Or, between Dijon and Bligny-sur-Ouche, the Ouche Valley is full of scenic, fresh and verdant landscapes. With the eponymous river and the famous Burgundy Canal running through it, this valley is the ideal place for all kinds of outdoor activities, like kayaking and boating. For those who would rather stay on dry land, an old towpath has been converted into a route for pedestrians and cyclists along the canal. There are several bridges over the canal, where you can enjoy some lovely views of the valley and the locks where the boats pass through.

The Ouche Valley also boasts a number of interesting sites. If you enjoy unusual stories, the 12th-century Mâlain Castle will satisfy your curiosity as witches feature prominently in the history of the castle and village. Its location on a hill means it offers amazing views of the surrounding area! The magnificent gardens at Barbirey Castle, which have been awarded Remarkable Garden status, are another place worth visiting during your time in this beautiful part of the world.

Don't miss a chance to take a ride on the Petit Train de l'Ouche, a steam locomotive that travels along one of France's oldest railways. It will take you through the valley from Bligny-sur-Ouche to Pont-d'Ouche.

The Auxois Park in Arnay-sous-Vitteaux, Côte-d'Or is an animal park, a leisure centre and a water park all in one.

Covering 40 hectares, the animal park is home to more than 500 animals from the five continents, living in a natural country setting. Its exceptional range of animals includes big carnivores, birds and all kinds of reptiles, as well as farm animals! The pygmy goats are a big hit with visitors. Make the most of the contact areas to get really close to the animals.

Meanwhile, youngsters will love the leisure centre with its suspension bridge, electric fairground rides, little train and playgrounds. The Auxois Park also has a water park, where the pools and slides are open in July and August for holidaymakers to enjoy!

At the gates of the Morvan Regional Nature Park, Saulieu is a small town in Côte-d'Or renowned for its gastronomy. This is exemplified by its famous restaurant, Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide.

Saulieu also has some very beautiful historical monuments, notably the Basilica of St. Andochius, a masterpiece of the Cluniac Romanesque style. Inside, the remarkable carved capitals each tell their own story: the Flight into Egypt, the Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene, the Hanging of Judas and the Temptation of Christ in the desert. In the small cobbled square in front of the Basilica stands a beautiful 18th-century fountain, which is a listed historic monument. Another interesting piece of heritage to discover is the 14th-century Auxois Tower, the last vestige of the ramparts that Saulieu once had.

As you walk through the village, you will probably notice the many statues of the Virgin Mary that adorn the façades of houses here and there, as well as the beautiful half-timbered dwellings typical of the area. A museum about the Saulieu-born animal sculptor François Pompon houses various works by the artist, as well as a lapidary collection, a reconstruction of a traditional Morvan room and an area devoted to the history of local gastronomy.

The town is a certified Remarkable Site of Taste and on the weekend of Ascension every year, hosts the Gourmet Days of Greater Morvan and the Lands of Burgundy (Journées Gourmandes du Grand Morvan et des Pays de Bourgogne), where food-lovers get together for a fun and festive time.

For those in search of greenery, Saulieu Forest is dotted with ponds and ancient oaks, making it a very pleasant place for a stroll. The paths of the leafy Morvan Park are also great for a walk.

The beautiful, red-roofed medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois stands on a pink granite plateau in the department of Côte-d'Or, between Montbard and Saulieu, within a bend in the Armançon. With a rich heritage and history, the town has a conservation area that's a particularly nice place for an outing. Whether you take a self-guided or guided tour, aboard the little tourist train or with an audioguide, the historic centre of Saumur-en-Auxois welcomes you for a journey through time. Step through one of the fortified doors that used to protect the city in order to take a stroll along the picturesque streets and pretty squares dotted with mansions and half-timbered houses.

First stop: the keep with four towers, including the most imposing one, the Orle d'Or tower. It stands 44 metres tall and has 5 floors that are open to visitors, comprising a museum, a library, a technological collection and a conference room.

Then head to the Collegiate Church of Our Lady, built in the 13th and 14th centuries and restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. Decorated with surprising little gargoyles, this Burgundian Flamboyant Gothic gem houses a painted altarpiece from the 16th century depicting the Tree of Jesse, some beautiful old stained glass windows with illustrations of the butchers' and drapers' corporations, a polychrome statue of the Entombment from the 15th century, and a pipe organ from the 18th century.

Located in the former 17th-century Jacobins' convent, Semur-en-Auxois' municipal museum houses archaeological, geological, natural history and Fine Art collections.

Other sights to see are the pleasant walk along the ramparts which overlooks the Armançon Valley, as well as the Joly and Pinard bridges, offering lovely views of the medieval town!

In the heart of the green Auxois countryside, at an altitude of 420 metres, stands the charming hilltop village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in Côte-d'Or. Its history dates back to 52 BC, when Julius Caesar made it his headquarters before besieging Alesia.

With its picturesque lanes, houses with splendid façades and staircase turrets, as well as its ancient buildings, it's no surprise that this place is now officially listed among the Most Beautiful Villages in France (Plus Beaux Villages de France)!

A walk along the cobbled streets and the ramparts, which feature three fortified gates, is a particularly pleasant experience. Along the way, you can also discover the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter, founded in the 8th century, and its Carolingian crypt. As you stroll around, you'll immediately notice the delightful aniseed fragrance coming from the famous sweet factory on the premises. Popular with children and grown-ups alike, these sweets have been made in the old abbey following the same recipe since the 16th century! While visiting the site, you can go to the sweet-making workshop, explore the charming little museum about the history of Burgundy's famous sweet, known as Anis de Flavigny, and taste its various flavours.

Also be sure to stop by the Church of St. Genesius, which is well worth a visit for its Gothic central tribune made of stone and a beautiful 15th-century statue of an angel of the Annunciation.

With a surface area of 281 400 hectares, the Morvan Regional Nature Park covers the four departments of Burgundy, which are Côte-d'Or, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne. This granite massif, both wild and hilly, reaches an altitude of 901 metres at Haut Folin, in the department of Saône-et-Loire.

With its vast forests, dotted with signposted paths, great lakes and rivers - ideal for outdoor activities - the Morvan is a choice destination for sports fans and nature lovers.

Nestling amid verdant scenery, the great lakes of the Morvan, which are Settons, Pannecière, Chaumeçon, Saint-Agnan, Chamboux and Crescent, have plenty to delight fans of fishing, hiking and water sports.

A bastion of Gallic culture, the site of Bibracte on Mount Beuvray, south of the Morvan, is Europe's biggest archaeological site dedicated to the Celtic world. A museum on the slopes of Mount Beuvray in the commune of Saint-Léger-sous-Beuvray tells the story of Celtic civilisation, through collections of items found in archaeological digs.

During your stay in the Morvan, take a detour along the little roads, lanes and paths to see the listed site of the Gouloux Waterfall, the Cure Valley, Breuil-Chenue Forest, the Narvau Gorges, the panoramic view over the peaks of the Morvan from the Mount of Justice in Lormes...

A land of history and tradition, Morvan also invites you to visit its ecomuseum, made up of themed houses and associated sites: the House of People and Landscapes in Saint-Brisson, House of Livestock Farming and the Charolais in Moulins-Engilbert, House of Vauban in Saint-Léger-Vauban, House of Oral Heritage and House of the Carters in Anost, House of Rye in Ménessaire, Clog Museum in Étang-sur-Arroux, Marchand Clog-makers in Gouloux, House of Wine and Barrel-making in Ouroux-en-Morvan, and House of Trades of the Rural World in Tamnay-en-Bazois.

At the heart of a 40-hectare estate, the Saint-Brisson Area, headquarters of the Park House, also offers its ecomuseum dedicated to the history of the morvandiau territory, a museum about the Resistance in the Morvan, a botanical garden inspired by the medieval gardens, an arboretum and an educational path along the Taureau Pond.

When it comes to gastronomy, savour the Morvan's delicious honey, wild bilberries, cooked meats and of course typical local dishes such as potée bourguignonne, a type of hotpot, and râpée morvandelle, a gratin with potatoes, onions and ham.

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.

The first stop along the way: the Hôtel-Dieu, a gem of Burgundian medieval architecture, built in the 15th century at the request of the Duke of Burgundy's Chancellor, Nicolas Rolin, to come to the aid of the poor and sick. A listed Historic Monument, this superb complex with its famous varnished tile roofs has become a museum of medical history. On your visit, you can in particular admire the magnificent ceremonial courtyard (cour d'honneur), the impressive Hall for the Poor (Salle des Pôvres), the Gothic chapel, the kitchen and the apothecary, as well as a masterpiece of Flemish painting dating from the 15th century: the polyptych of the Last Judgment, attributed to the artist Rogier van der Weyden. The world's biggest wine auction takes place here in November, with part of the proceeds going towards the upkeep of the Hôtel-Dieu.

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.

Another unmissable monument is the Cluniac-inspired Collegiate Church of Our Lady. 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.

Beaune has a busy and lively cultural life all year. One of the most prestigious Baroque music festivals in Europe takes place there in July.

À ne pas manquer, les Lumières à Beaune qui permettent durant tout l'été d'admirer des projections monumentales sur les monuments et sites emblématiques de la cité comme l'Hôtel-Dieu, la collégiale, le musée du Vin, la chapelle Saint-Étienne, le beffroi, le rempart des Dames et la porte Marie de Bourgogne.

Surmounted by a sumptuous roof of glazed tiles, now emblematic of the region, the Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is renowned worldwide for its traditional and prestigious charity wine sale which takes place on the third Sunday of November. A remarkable testament to the medieval architecture of Burgundy, it was built in the 15th century, in a flamboyant Gothic style, at the request of Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, to help the most needy sick. Classified as a Historic Monument, it now houses a museum of medical history, with a collection of nearly 5,000 pieces of furniture and objects, ranging from tapestries and paintings to sculptures and pharmacy pots, chests and beds. Among all these treasures stands out the famous polyptych of the Last Judgment, a masterpiece by the Flemish artist Rogier van der Weyden, made in the 15th century.

During the visit of this french heritage mecca, you will discover the impressive Pôvres room, with its magnificent oak panelling frame and two rows of red curtain beds, the chapel, the Saint-Hugues hall and its murals, the St. Nicholas Room and its exhibition on the history of the Hospices, the kitchen and its beautiful Gothic fireplace with two fireplaces, or the pharmacy and its collection of 130 earthenware pots dated 18th century. The route ends with Rogier van der Weyden's polyptych, once hung above the chapel altar, and a superb collection of ancient tapestries from Tournai, Brussels and Aubusson.

The Langres plateau is where several rivers in France have their source: the Marne, the Aube, the Meuse… and the Seine, which springs forth in the territory of a municipality named Source-Seine, at 446 metres in altitude. Located in Côte-d'Or, some forty kilometres north-west of Dijon in Burgundy, the site of the Seine's sources, bought by the City of Paris 1864, is nowadays a listed Natural Area of Ecological, Floristic and Faunistic Interest. Located next to secondary road 103, the landscaped park includes a romantic grotto designed by Baltard during the rule of Napoleon III, where the main source springs forth. A white stone nymph symbolises the river there. Remains of a Gallo-Roman sanctuary dedicated to the Goddess Sequana, after whom the river is named, were discovered on the site. Pilgrims attributed healing properties to these springs: many ex-votos found in the sanctuary are evidence of this. Today, they are on display at Dijon Archaeological Museum.

Take the time to enjoy a stroll in the superb, green park, which has a dedicated picnic area.

With a strategic location between Northern and Southern Europe, the Burgundy capital was the seat of one of the most brilliant courts in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries: that of the Dukes of Burgundy. An exceptional ensemble, witness to this glitzy past, the built heritage of the city of Art and History of Dijon is composed of superb monuments and picturesque old houses with wood panels. It was also enriched in the Renaissance, as well as in the 17th and 18th centuries, with elegant mansions: the Hotel d'Esterno, the Coeurderoy Hotel, the Legouz Hotel in Gerland, the Bouhier Hotel in Lantenay…

The city can be discovered on foot, by tram, bicycle, shuttle or segway, and many guided tours will allow you to explore its history and its preserved neighborhoods. The Owl's route, a 22-step pedestrian circuit to follow at your own pace, will make you discover the must-sees of the historic centre. So take the time to stroll through its pedestrian streets and pleasant squares, then enjoy the beautiful shops and delicatessens that you will come across along the way!

Located in the palace of the Dukes and the States of Burgundy which also houses the town hall of Dijon, the Museum of Fine Arts houses remarkable collections ranging from antiquity to the 21st century through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is in the former great ceremonial hall that you can admire the sumptuous tombs of the dukes Philip the Hardi and John without Fear. Dating back to the 15th century, the Philippe le Bon tower, which dominates the 46-metre-high palace, offers a magnificent panorama of the city and its surroundings!

Numerous churches, covering all eras, from the Middle Ages to the present day, have earned Dijon its nickname as a town with a hundred steeples. The oldest Church of Our Lady is a masterpiece of Gothic, with its remarkable façade adorned with gargoyles. Unusual, his sculpted owl, located on a foothill of the building, is considered a lucky charm that must be caressed with the left hand while making a wish! Inside the church, you can see the very old statue of Our Lady of Good Hope, a wooden Virgin dating from the 11th century, at the south absidiole.

Also to be discovered are the Cathedral of Saint-Bénigne in the Burgundian Gothic style, the former Sainte-Anne church transformed into a museum of sacred art, the church of St. Michael in flamboyant Gothic style, the Church of Saint-Étienne whose choir and transept house the Rude Museum dedicated to the Dijon sculptor François Rude…

A masterpiece of medieval Burgundy sculpture awaits you at the hospital, in the former cloister of the Champmol chartreuse: the Well of Moses, the bedrock of a now-defunct ordeal, made between 1395 and 1405.

Contemporary Dijon is revealed through several spaces dedicated to art: private galleries; The Atheneum, an exhibition space; Consortium, a centre for contemporary art.

The gateway to burgundy's prestigious vineyards, including the Côte de Nuits, Dijon is the city of mustard, gingerbread and blackcover cream, which has its museum, the Cassissium, in Nuits-Saint-Georges, about 30 kilometres south of Dijon. Its gastronomic component, unavoidable, also passes through beef bourguignon, eggs in meurette, ham parseled, rooster with wine and of course the great vintages… At the halls, nearly 250 stalls offer fresh produce and local specialties. This flavour market takes place on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, as well as All-Day Saturdays.

Dijon is also a green city with 700 hectares of parks and gardens, including the beautiful Arquebuse Park with its arboretum, rose garden and science garden that combines a planetarium, a museum and a botanical garden dedicated to biodiversity. Also worth seeing is the Parc de la Colombière, a French-style garden listed as a historical monument, with more than 6,000 trees.

Based in the magnificent palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy, the Dijon Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1787, is one of France's most prestigious museums. Its exceptional collections, which have been added to continuously over time, now comprise around 130,000 works, ranging from Antiquity to the contemporary era through the Renaissance: paintings, sculptures and drawings, but also decorative arts, make up the museum's fabulous treasure trove. The remarkable medieval collections, consisting of art objects, sculptures and Italian, Flemish, Swiss and German paintings, canvases by such famous painters as Delacroix, Titian, Champaigne, Géricault, Manet and Monet, as well as works by Burgundian artists like François Rude and Jean-Baptiste Lallemand, are among the gems you can admire on your visit.

The museum's centrepiece, the large and impressive palace hall, in the Flamboyant Gothic style, contains the tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, Philip the Bold and John the Fearless! Masterpieces of medieval funerary art, these two sumptuous tombs are adorned with pleurants, finely carved alabaster statuettes of weeping figures, made in the 15th century.

The museum offers free access to the permanent collections and many activities all year round: themed tours, creative and fun activities, night events, etc.

About twenty kilometres from Beaune, in Burgundy, don't miss Nolay, a pretty little medieval town in the south of Côte-d'Or. Nestled in a valley between famous vineyards and limestone cliffs, it has a typical heritage of beautiful old half-timbered houses and a splendid 14th-century covered market hall. The market has a roof of Burgundian flagstone tiles (lauzes) as well as an impressive framework of oak and chestnut wood. Together with the houses and the church, it forms a very pretty picture that amateur photographers will enjoy immortalising!

Dedicated to St. Martin, the 15th-century church is distinguished by its 38-metre-high Gothic stone spire and its campanile, which houses the Jacquot and Jacquotte jacquemarts. These two wooden figures have been ringing the hours for over 400 years.

Take a stroll through the medieval streets, visit the small shops and art galleries or sit at one of the café terraces to enjoy the peaceful and authentic atmosphere. You can also take a detour via the Saint-Pierre district to admire its small 16th-century chapel topped by a stunning onion dome bell tower.

Climbing and hiking enthusiasts should head west of Nolay, where a 40-metre-tall limestone cliff awaits them, as well as a cirque, the Bout du Monde, from which a superb waterfall flows.

Bordered with ramparts, the historic centre of Autun is home to a rich architectural heritage. In the heart of the old town, the Saint-Lazare cathedral, surmounted by a Gothic spire, has a remarkable Romanesque tympanum depicting the Last Judgment. Also of interest during a visit are the narrow medieval streets around the cathedral, the Rolin museum which houses collections of archaeological objects, sculptures and paintings, and the Natural History museum. The City of Art and History of Autun is also home to remarkable ancient remains, such as the Roman theatre, the biggest theatre of the Gallic Empire; the Saint-André gateway; the Arroux gateway; the Janus temple; the Gallo-Roman remains.

Around the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the south of Côte-d'Or, lies a Mecca for lovers of French wine: the Côte de Nuits wine region, which stretches for some twenty kilometres between Dijon and Corgoloin, on a narrow strip of slopes facing the Saône Valley. Boasting many grands crus and premiers crus, this famous terroir is home to the vines of the most prestigious estates in Burgundy. Among the most famous are those of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot and Gevrey-Chambertin. In fact, between Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin is where the greatest red wines of the region are concentrated. Although it is the realm of Pinot Noir, the Côte de Nuits wine region also produces excellent white wines from the Chardonnay grape variety.

On the Grands Crus Route, which runs for about sixty kilometres through the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune wine regions, you can discover the area's exceptional heritage. As you travel along this unmissable itinerary, you can see not only famous historical monuments, such as the Renaissance castle of Clos de Vougeot and the medieval fortified castle of Gevrey-Chambertin, but also a typical, traditional built heritage of dry stone walls and picturesque wine-growers' huts, known locally as cabottes.

The wines of Burgundy, and more specifically those of Côte de Nuits, are a precious legacy from the monks who worked the vineyards in the Middle Ages. The monks of Cîteaux Abbey developed the vineyard and were responsible for building the Clos de Vougeot in the 12th century. Since 1934, the Clos de Vougeot has been home to the Fraternity of the Knights of the Wine-Tasters' Cup, whose aim is to promote the products of Burgundy, particularly its great wines.

The Church of Sainte-Magnance, whose origins date back to the 12th century, was rebuilt in the 16th century, and its bell tower was reworked in 1843 by the Avallonais architect Edme Tircuit.

The Gothic building used to be called St. Peter's, but history decided otherwise after the bones of St. Magnance were transferred there in the 13th century. According to legend, in 448, she was one of the five girls who travelled with the remains of the Bishop St. Germanus, who had died during his stay in Ravenna at the court of Galla Placidia. Before he died, he had asked for his body to be brought back to Auxerre. As she escorted the body of the deceased, Magnance died of exhaustion not far from their destination.

Nowadays, the church still houses the saint's tomb, adorned with remarkable bas-reliefs illustrating several scenes from her life. Originally polychrome, this carved masterpiece is an important example of the Burgundian Romanesque style.

Situated on the border of Côte-d'Or and Saône-et-Loire, Sène Mountain is a small mountain culminating at 521 metres above sea level. It is also known as the Three Crosses Mountain (Montagne des Trois Croix) due to the presence of three 18th-century crosses erected at its summit. The site was a sacred place for a long time, as evidenced by remains of dolmens and a Roman temple dedicated to Mercury.

But the Three Crosses Mountain is above all renowned for its belvedere offering exceptional views over the Côte de Beaune, Saône Valley, Jura and Morvan! Two orientation tables on the top of the mountain will help you identify each of these important parts of the landscape.

The path up the mountain is a quick walk of about ten minutes from the car park (which has a pleasant, shaded picnic area nearby). More seasoned hikers can enjoy an 11-kilometre walk from Santenay along the mountain ridge trail.

Not far from the Morvan Regional Nature Park, in the Côte-d'Or department, is a castle that has been home to the same family since 1661. This family owns Époisses Castle, which was built in the 6th century. Surrounded by a double fortified wall, it forms a beautiful ensemble with its postern, large towers, old dovecote with 3,000 compartments, 12th-century church, small 15th-century houses and superb park. The latter is an attraction in itself and is worth a long visit to soak up its atmosphere and scents. It has a French formal garden, an English-style garden in shades of grey, green and gold, and a mixed border which is in bloom from June to September. In the main courtyard, you can also smell the fragrance of the 500 rosebushes, whose colours add a fresh and cheerful touch. A charming walkway along the castle's dry moat awaits you for a pleasant stroll, during which you can admire this exceptional building's architecture!

Located in the Côte-d'Or department, the Côte de Beaune is one of the five main wine regions in Burgundy. The Grands Crus Route runs through it and its hilly landscapes are dotted with villages and wine châteaux. This prestigious terroir spans thirty or so kilometres, between Ladoix-Serrigny and Cheilly-lès-Maranges. It has around 6,000 hectares of vines whose grapes are used to make red and white wines. The red wines are mainly made from Pinot Noir, which produces the excellent Corton, Pommard and Volnay. The whites, on the other hand, come mainly from the Chardonnay grape variety and give us world-renowned wines such as Corton-Charlemagne, Montrachet and Meursault.

From the heights of the wine villages, such as Volnay, Monthelie, Santenay and Puligny-Montrachet, you can enjoy beautiful views of the vineyards and localities of the Côte de Beaune.

If you wish to taste or buy grands crus and premiers crus, the region's châteaux will gladly open their doors to you. Don't miss Savigny-lès-Beaune Castle and its 9 incredible museums with unique collections of planes, motorbikes, racing cars, fire engines and tractors!

Saint-Léger-Vauban, 30 kilometres from Vézelay and deep in the Morvan Regional Nature Park, is the birthplace of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the famous military architect born in 1633.

Engineer to the King at the age of 22, Vauban began serving Louis XIV by designing the fortifications of many towns in France, building citadels, and erecting awe-inspiring strongholds.

In the village where he was born, a museum in the former home of the sculptor Marc Hénard pays tribute to the illustrious Marshal Vauban. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the life and work of this 17th-century genius, who was at once a designer, engineer and builder, but also an economist, humanist, writer and reformer. An audiovisual screening lasting 20 minutes, filmed at Bazoches Castle, completes the tour.

Belonging to the Morvan Ecomuseum, which comprises seven themed houses and four associated sites, the Vauban House regularly puts on events and temporary exhibitions.

Halfway between Auxerre and Dijon, not far from Montbard in Burgundy, Fontenay Abbey is part of the exceptional French heritage whose architectural and environmental value was recognised by UNESCO and earned it World Heritage Site status in 1981.

Founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118, Fontenay Abbey is the oldest preserved Cistercian abbey in the world. An important spiritual centre in the Middle Ages, it was inhabited by monks until they were forced to leave after the French Revolution. The abbey then became the property of Elie de Montgolfier, nephew of the inventors of the hot air balloon, who turned it into a paper mill. The place has stayed in the family, as his descendants now take care of preserving and restoring the estate.

A marvel of the Romanesque style, Fontenay Abbey is characteristic of Cistercian architecture, particularly in the harmonious simplicity of the majestic abbey church. During your visit, you can also admire the monks' dormitory, whose impressive oak roof framework dates from the 15th century, the elegant Romanesque cloister, the chapter house with its ribbed vaults and sculpted capitals, or the forge near the river, which is one of the oldest metalworking factories in Europe!

The valley in which the abbey was built is now a protected and listed area. Its magnificent landscaped park was awarded the Remarkable Garden label in 2004, in recognition of its historical, cultural and aesthetic interest. Enjoy a wander in this green and natural environment where a French formal garden, centuries-old trees and water features all add to the charm of a superb, calm and peaceful place.

Founded in 1850 in the heart of the Morvan forest, St. Mary's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in the commune of Saint-Léger-Vauban, south of the Yonne, in Burgundy.

Nestled in a wild and green environment, the place takes its name from a huge stone in balance, now surmounted by a statue of the Virgin. In the past, before it was sealed, the rock could be set in motion at the touch of a hand.

The monks who occupy the monastery welcome retirees to their hotels in search of spiritual healing and recollection. For those who simply want to visit the site, only the church, the exhibition on monastic life, and the store offering cheeses, pottery and religious objects, are accessible.

The community is also very involved in renewable energy: the abbey of The Pierre-qui-Vire has had its own hydroelectric plant since the 1960s and has benefited from a central boiler room with wooden wafers that heats all the buildings, i.e. 15,000 m². A filter garden treats the waters of the cheese factory: the Pierre-qui-Vire farm, located 800 meters from the abbey, produces famous organic cheeses with cow's and goat's milk.

After a few shopping at the abbey store, take the time to walk in the forest: a path will take you to the nearby small stream, the Trinquelin.

Halfway between Beaune and Dijon, the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges in Côte-d'Or is renowned for its famous red wines. Located in the heart of the prestigious Côte de Nuits wine region, it's one of the stops on the Grands Crus Route which goes through this part of Burgundy. Its name comes from its oldest vintage, Saint-Georges, which dates back to the year 1000 and was attributed to it in 1892.

Nuits-Saint-Georges also has a rich and diverse heritage combining architecture and culture. The emblem of the town, the belfry, is one of its most distinctive buildings. The octagonal lantern above the square tower has several bells, including a listed bell dating from 1619. Continuing your walk, you will come across two churches, the oldest of which is dedicated to St. Symphorian. Built at the beginning of the 13th century, it is a subtle blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Inside, the 18th-century pipe organ and astonishing 16th-century carved wooden staircase are sure to attract your attention. The church of St. Denis dates from the mid-19th century and is distinguished by its beautiful organ, made in 1878 by the famous organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.

For a spot of culture, head to the Nuits-Saint-Georges Museum devoted to history and archaeology. In a building that was once a "maison des vins" (local wine storage facility and shop), you can admire the many objects unearthed during excavations at the archaeological site of Les Bolards. The museum also offers a temporary exhibition each year about an aspect of the region's heritage.

If you enjoy the world of wine, don't miss the Imaginarium, which offers an interactive and entertaining exhibition on sparkling wines, a sound and light show about the history of the vine, and wine-tasting sessions. And if you like blackcurrants, the region's other great speciality, a visit to the Cassissium is a must, not only to discover the secrets of the small black berry, but also to learn how the famous crème de cassis liqueur is made from it!

The town of Montbard in Côte-d'Or is famous for its superb park, which is a listed historic monument. Developed in the 18th century by the famous naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, a native of Montbard, it overlooks the town and offers splendid views over the Brenne Valley. Enjoying an exceptional natural and historical setting, it consists of 14 landscaped terraces planted with various species, which visitors can now enter free of charge. The development of the park is closely linked to the history of Montbard Castle. Remains of the old fortress of the Dukes of Burgundy are still dotted about the site, making it a truly remarkable place! You can see the Aubespin Tower and the St. Louis Tower dating from the 14th century, the Church of St. Ursus and the ramparts. From the top of the 46-metre-tall Aubespin Tower, you will enjoy superb views over Montbard's rooftops and the surrounding scenery. The St. Louis Tower once housed the renowned naturalist's summer study, laboratory and library.

At the foot of the park is a museum dedicated to Buffon and his collaborator, Louis Jean-Marie Daubenton, who was the first director of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. Visitors are offered a journey through natural history and the philosophy of the Enlightenment. The museum also has two temporary exhibition rooms on themes relevant to the permanent collections. In addition to being classified as a Historic Monument (Monument Historique), the Buffon Museum is part of the Museums of France (Musées de France) network and has earned the Maison des Illustres heritage quality mark.

In the Morvan Regional Nature Park, the sarcophagi of Quarré-les-Tombes are a curiosity and remain an enigma to this day. In the old cemetery surrounding the Church of St. George are 112 Merovingian limestone tombs whose origin is still a mystery. There were probably more than 1,000 of them to start with, some even say 2,000. They only arrived at that spot between the 8th and 10th centuries, and there is no explanation for their strange presence. According to some theories, the sarcophagi might have come from a quarry in the region, or an 8th-century Merovingian necropolis. But a few legends have also arisen around this secret of local history!

Around the church, the marketplace is very welcoming, as is the village's natural environment. The municipality is a listed Green Resort (Station Verte) and offers many opportunities for outings in the forest or by the water.

On the Côte-d'Or Washhouse Route, Salives is a charming little medieval village located 45 km north of Dijon. The River Tille, which has its source in the village, supplies water to the pretty washhouse at the foot of the Romanesque church. However, Salives is most famous for the remains of its keep dating from the year 1000. It stands 18 metres tall and is one of the oldest feudal towers in Burgundy! The village is also surrounded by over a kilometre of ramparts interspersed with towers. Inside the fortifications, the medieval atmosphere is still very much in evidence, including old houses with staircase turrets, coats of arms adorning the old walls, a dovecote and a 14th-century fortified well.

For an original and fun way to explore Salives, bring your smartphone and look for the various QR codes to scan at the foot of the village's monuments.

Built between 1854 and 1861 to regulate the flow of the Yonne and make it easier to float wood along the river to Paris, Settons Lake lies at the heart of the Morvan Massif, near Montsauche-les-Settons. Nowadays it is a holiday resort popular with water sports fans.

Retained by a unique stone dyke, this 367-hectare lake lies between quiet, wooded banks planted with pine trees and larches. It offers many outdoor activities, with its water sports centre, marina, sailing school and beaches. Hiking, horse-riding and mountain-biking around the lake, supervised bathing in July and August, on the beaches of Presqu'île and La Cabane Verte, fishing, windsurfing, catamaran, canoe-kayak, water skiing, pedaloes and tubing are some of the leisure activities on offer on-site, all in a pleasant, restful setting!

A major destination in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits wine region, Clos de Vougeot Castle is the birthplace of Burgundy wine-growing and has one of France's oldest cellars. The story goes back to the 12th century, when the monks at Cîteaux Abbey decided to erect buildings for winemaking. These are surrounded by plots of vines delimited by a three-kilometre-long wall, hence the estate's name of Clos (meaning "enclosure" in French). A Renaissance main building was added to the complex in the 16th century.

Inside the castle, spend some time in the Renaissance drawing rooms as well as the 12th-century vat room, where four immense oak presses remain, and the remarkable cellar which can hold up to 2,000 bottles.

In addition, the famous castle has been home to the famous Fraternity of Knights of the Wine-Tasters' Cup since 1934. Its mission is to promote Burgundy through its traditions, gastronomy… and wine, of course! Now world-famous, Clos de Vougeot Castle is an unmissable stop on the Grands Crus Route. And if you're visiting in June, don't miss Musique et Vin, the week-long festival of music and wine that takes place there!

Listed among the most beautiful villages of France, Montréal in Burgundy offers stunning views over the Serein Valley. Located about ten kilometres from Avallon, this wonderful village transports its visitors into a medieval atmosphere where lords, knights, merchants and craftsmen once rubbed shoulders in the time of the Crusades. Beautiful period houses, some with mullioned windows or colourful gardens, line the main street and some picturesque lanes. Its two fortified gates, En-Haut and En-Bas, are vestiges of the ancient ramparts and evidence of its eventful past.

Right at the top of the village, near a panoramic viewpoint over the surrounding countryside, you can admire the Collegiate Church of Our Lady. It was built in the 12th century and restored in the 19th century by the architect Viollet-le-Duc. Its imposing façade, with its round-arched portal and beautiful rose window, as well as its 15th-century alabaster altarpiece and its remarkable oak choir stalls decorated with carved figures, are sure to make an impression on heritage-lovers!

The Cistercian abbey of Cîteaux is located near Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the municipality of Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux in the department of Côte-d'Or, Burgundy.

The birthplace of the Cistercian order, the Abbey of Our Lady of Cîteaux was founded in 1098 by Abbot Robert de Molesmes. It was here that the famous St. Bernard began his monastic life, before becoming the first Abbot of Clairvaux in 1115.

The public can see a permanent exhibition based in the old Définitoire and a film about the life of the Cîteaux monks, take a guided tour of the historic buildings with a look at the 13th-century scribes' cloister and the 15th-century library, and buy products such as honey sweets and cheeses from the abbey.