Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hi Everyone,

Just back from yet another wonderful weekend in Burgundy. This is the one place we have been to so many times and each visit we learn and experience more. Just as we think that we know all about Burgundy we find out about something new and exciting.

This visit we stay at a hotel we had stayed in years before, now totally renovated and enhanced. Food wise we experienced a super friendly and easy dinner at a Brasserie. Also had a fabulous gourmet meal cooked especially for us in a new restaurant by a chef we had  met during a previous trip to Beaune. Of course we drove to explore and find a new castle we hadn’t been to before. Last but not least were crazy enough to go for a bike tour through the vineyards at temperatures over 36° celsius…

Keep reading for the full story: Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

 

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hotel Le Cep – Much more than initially meets the eye!

 The 5 star Hotel Le Cep is situated right in the middle of the old town of Beaune – very easy to walk past without looking twice and yet inside is a whole realm of treasures. Dating back to the  14th century you can imagine there are many stories to be told. It is said that King Louis IV, preferred to sleep in this mansion rather than the Hospices de Beaune  during his trip to Beaune for fear of germs.

I also discovered a room containing a vast collection of photos and signatures from all the famous people that have stayed here over the years.

Despite being right in the middle of town there is great parking nestled at the back of the property. The back courtyards are also so pretty they make you feel as though you have found your own little oasis.

Eating breakfast in the courtyard I love to pretend I am in a different time from today…

Each of the 62 rooms (32 of which are suites), are decorated totally uniquely. This time we were given a beautiful romantic red suite:

I love the attention to detail – every modern comfort whilst maintaining that old French charm.

… dressed for dinner by a presto fashion …

Whilst walking around the hotel I climbed to the top of a tower to discover the fitness room with a panoramic view overlooking the rooftops of Beaune…

Hotel Le Cep – Wine Cellar

Back at the bottom I located the wine celler where you can book your own private wine tasting.

 

 

Dinner at Brasserie le Monge

If you are looking for a bubbly location, no fuss but tasty food in the centre of town then Brasserie Le Monge is the place to go. With seating inside or out and some of the friendliest staff ever. Even if the restaurant looked full it took them a matter of seconds to create a lovely space just for us.

See what we ate:

Note a great selection of regional wines on the menu!

Having fun after dinner with director Eric and Cecile and Francois from the team.

 

The Wine Bike Tour

Wanting to do something a little different this trip we decided to try a half day wine tasting bike tour with active-tours.fr – it was one of the best things we did!

I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was a super easy 10 km ride through the vinyards with many stops along the way, learning all about wine and how it is produced.

Fun fact:

Did you know the lower the grape vines the lower quality of wine. Those vines planted higher on the slopes make the higher quality of wine.

Our first bit of wine tasting was en-route right in the middle of the fields…

After we stopped off at a small local wine maker for a tour of the cellar and to learn all about how wine is made.

3 Fun facts:

1. Did you know that the flavours of wine are largely determined by the age of the cask it is matured in.
2. All grape juice starts off white and the red colour only comes due to leaving the skin and juice to ferment together for a longer period of time.
3. Wine makers can only use a cask for about 6 years, after which they sell them off to the makers of harder alcohol such as Cognac or Whiskey.

Conclusion: we would do this again any time. It was an easy fun ride and I recommend it.

Active Tours
Parc de la Bouzaise
Allée du Docteur Bouley
21200, Beaune FRANCE

Tél : +33 (0)3 80 26 17 12
info@active-tours.fr

 

Dinner at Restaurant Le 428 – Hotel Restaurant L’Ouvrée

– a real secret tip!

When going out for dinner is like meeting old friends… We had met Christophe (chef and owner, pictured above), at the Hotel Le Cedre Beaune where he used to be the chef. Now since one year he is the proud owner and chef of the Hotel L’Ouvrée with restaurant Le 428…

Great design detail has been placed in everything including the plates which have been especially designed for Christophe by an artist close to Dijon – next visit to Burgundy I’m also going to get some plates made!

Check out what we ate. Note the wine. 2015 was a very good year in Burgundy, always a good tip to look out for wine of that year!

Hotel L’Ovree

A real secret tip – each of the hotel rooms has been decorated in a different theme. A great place to visit for design inspiration and incredibly well priced with the most expensive suite currently around EUR 168 (note this might change).

 

---

 

Stay tuned for more  Fashion  and Lifestyle news!

 

Please don’t forget to click on the heart at the end of this post if you liked it – anyone can do it – you don’t have to register at all.

 

With Love

 Dressed by a presto fashion

18 Persons think this post is funky