Beaune can claim to be the heart of Burgundy wine Country – although it is more of a largish town rather than a village.

Beaune (21 Cõte d’Or, BFC) is the centre of the region’s wine business, as most of Burgundy’s major négociants (wine dealers) are here. Beaune is renowned for its annual charity wine auction on behalf of the Hospices de Beaune. It is on the route des Grands Crus wine route/tourist trail amongst the Burgundian vineyards from Santenay in the south and then north to Dijon.

Visitors to the town can still see the 12th century ramparts around the town with their strong walls, towers and bastions, with the moat transformed into gardens. There are also renaissance town houses, including that of the Dukes of Burgundy! – and a wine museum (Musée du Vin de Bourgogne)

Beaune is famous throughout the world for the annual charity auction at the  Hôtel-Dieu (Hospices de Beaune) which takes place by candlelight on the third Sunday in November. the highlight of a 3-day wine festival known as  Les Trois Glorieuses

Beaune

Small differences appear, depending on the exact location. Wines from the Northern end of the commune are more often intense and powerful, and those from the southern end are smoother and fuller.
Red: this wine has a striking and vivid colour – a luminous scarlet, introducing aromas of black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry) and red (cherry, gooseberry), as well as humus and underbrush. When older, it is redolent of truffle, leather, and spices. In youth, it charms the palate with the taste of crunchy fresh grape. Firm, upright and full of juice, it evolves with time, revealing a solid and absolutely convincing structure.
White: this wine boasts a silky gold colour, flecked with green. It has a bouquet of almond, dried fruits, bracken, and white flowers. It may be enjoyed either young “on the fruit” or later for its mouth-filling mellowness.

Beaune is situated in the midst of famous and prestigious vineyards, such as Pommard, Corton-Charlemagne and La Romanée-Conti – magical names for serious wine lovers. See the official Burgundy wines website. It is also widely-respected for its rich local cuisine and there are plenty of restaurants to try.

For hotels and other accommodation in and around Beaune including self-catering and B&Bs and the central Hotel Le Cep with its atmospheric cellar restaurant

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