Tourist Routes in Normandy

Take your pick from among 17 tourist itineraries:

Wine Roads punctuated by renowned vineyards, Historical Routes inviting you to follow in the footsteps of dukes, monks and famous writers.

Craft and Nature Trails taking you through the patchwork of the Burgundian countryside, etc…

All of these itineraries lead you straight into the heart of the Land of Great Art and Good Living.

So, follow them and discover the authentic charm of Burgundy – and take your fill of culture, gastronomy, music and conviviality!

Wine roads

The “Route des Grands Crus”

Burgundy lays on a red carpet welcome for you! From Dijon all the way to Santenay, the Route des Grand Crus takes you through villages whose names are known and revered throughout the world: Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne- Romanée and so many others. The Route fully lives up to its title of the “Champs- lysées of the Côte-d’Or”!

The “Route touristique des Grands Vins de Bourgogne”

Rully on Tourist Route des Grands Vins de Bourgogne

Rully on Tourist Route des Grands Vins de Bourgogne

This itinerary is an extension of the “Route des Grands Crus” towards south. It snakes from Santenay to Saint-Gengoux-le-National through the famous vineyards of the Maranges, the neighbouring Couchois and the Côte Chalonnaise.

The “Route des vins Mâconnais-Beaujolais”

12 itineraries to explore the many facets of the Mâconnais and the Beaujolais. The rocky outcrops of Solutré and Vergisson and the mediaeval village of Brancion are the high spots in this landscape of  vineyards, meadows and fields defined by the monastic towns of Cluny and Tournus.

The “Route des Vignobles de l’Yonne”

Divided up into 4 circuits, this itinerary enables you to discover the wine cellars and typical villages of the different vineyards of the Yonne Department, from the Tonnerrois to the Vézelien, through Chablis and the Auxerrois.

Wine-tours

Several Burgundian incoming agencies organize wine and gastronomy tours. All of them comply with exacting standards of quality and efficiency guaranteeing the success of your projects.

A list of these agencies is available from the Burgundy Tourist Board and further information can be obtained from the Tourist Offices in the region.

Historical Routes

The Romanesque architecture of Southern Burgundy

Paray-le-Monial on the Tourist Route of Romanesque architecture of Southern Burgundy

Paray-le-Monial on the Tourist Route of Romanesque architecture of Southern Burgundy

This “Romanesque Road” offers you 3 different itineraries, about 120 km each. The Tour of the Romanesque Churches in Brionnais goes from Paray-le-Monial to Charlieu, through Anzy-le-Duc and Semur-en-Brionnais. All sites in this lovely area of green hillsides offer visitors information in English.

The Route of the Burgundian Dukes

From Ancy-le-Franc to Tanlay, by way of the Château de Bazoches, Bourbilly, Bussy-Rabutin, Châteauneuf, Commarin, Époisses, Frôlois, Lantilly, Montbard, Montjalin, Nuits-sur-Armançon and Sully, you will turn the colorful pages of the history of Burgundy. Close to vineyards of repute, Fontenay Abbey, part of Unesco World Heritage, Châtillon-sur-Seine and the famous treasure of Vix or the mediaeval village of Noyers-sur-Serein await your visit.

The Châteaux of Southern Burgundy

Cormatin on the Tourist route of 16 chateaux

Cormatin on the Tourist route of 16 chateaux

16 châteaux in southern Burgundy have joined forces to summon visitors on a journey from the Morvan to the Bresse, passing through the Mâconnais, the Brionnais and the Côte Chalonnaise: Brancion, Brandon, Couches, Rully, Berzé-le- Châtel, Germolles, Sully, La Ferté, Drée, Digione, Demigny, Cormatin, Pierreclos, Saint-Point, Milly-Lamartine and Fléchères.

The Cistercian Itinerary in the Yonne

The largest surviving Cistercian church in France is to be found at Pontigny, very near Auxerre in the Yonne department. The Cistercian Itinerary in the Yonne, centred on Pontigny and joining up five sites, former abbeys or “granges” (large farm estates), illustrates the different aspects of the Cistercian legacy in Northern Burgundy.

In the footsteps of Lamartine

Alphonse de Lamartine was born in Mâcon in 1790 and the region abounds with memories of this famous poet, writer and politician: the châteaux of Saint-Point, Cormatin, Pierreclos, the Lamartine Museum in Mâcon and his childhood home at Milly-Lamartine. 100 km circuit.

Crafts and Nature trails

The Cider Apples and Cider Presses of the Pays d’Othe

Cider in the Pays d'othe

Cider in the Pays d’othe

Takes us through the lush valleys of the Pays d’Othe, liberallyThe Cider Apples and Cider Presses of the Pays d’Othe sprinkled with apple trees.

This circuit passes through villages where many producers may still be found making cider from traditional apple varieties.

Some of these producers still own and operate time-honoured wooden cider presses.

Two museums, at Vaudeurs and Boeursen-Othe, provide an excellent introduction to the world of the cider.

The Puisaye Murals Tourist Route

The Puisaye, in Northern Burgundy, is notable for the wealth of its clayey subsoil: rich in the “powdered gold” of ochre. In the local architecture, ochre vies for prominence with brick and ferruginous sandstone. It also adorns the walls of several religious edifices. Along the “Puisaye Murals Tourist Route”, several churches and chapels, the Bâtisse pottery and the Guédelon mediaeval building site are worth a visit.

The Route of the Tonnerrois Washhouses

Tonnerre : Fosse Dionne – Route of the Tonnerrois Washhouses

Tonnerre : Fosse Dionne – Route of the Tonnerrois Washhouses

The public hygiene vogue which swept through France in the 19C led to the creation of washhouses in almost every part of the country. The Yonne’s position close to Paris and the fear of contagious diseases combined to prompt the construction of washhouses in the region, particularly in the Tonnerrois.

Travelling by car or bicycle along the back roads, the visitor will discover these little architectural gems far removed from the main tourist roads: the Tonnerre region alone boasts almost 40 washhouses.

 The Burgundian Bresse Route

Tradition is very much alive in the Bresse, also noted for its water mills, its redbrick houses and poultry. The circuit revolves around Louhans, its colourful market and the Hôtel-Dieu, Romenay, its Local Life and Poultry Museum, the magnificent Château de Pierre de Bresse and its Ecomuseum…And there’s no shortage of excellent restaurants for savouring the famous chicken in all its guises!

The Loire Bargees’ Route

The story of barge transport on the Loire

The story of barge transport on the Loire

Starting in Decize, in the south of the Nièvre department, this tourist route runs beside the Loire and its famous vineyards, and relates the history of the Loire bargees.

On the trail of the Blackcurrant

The “Route du Cassis” initiate the visitor to the many aspects of this “black pearl” : sweets, mouthwatering jams, sirup and blackcurrant liqueurs… The Route takes you through picturesque villages of the Côtes and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits vineyards. A must on this trip is a visit to the Cassissium in Nuits-Saint-Georges where you can quite literally discover the whole world of the blackcurrant.

The Log Floaters’ Route

This 372 km signposted route starts at Clamecy, crosses the Morvan Regional Natural Park and runs alongside the Nivernais Canal. Picturesque roads will lead you to the principal attractions of the Nièvre department and you will learn all about the floating of logs which, right up to the beginning of the 19th century, were dispatched by river and canal to heat Parisian homes.

credits : Normandy Tourist Board

Skneller
Author: Skneller

I'm the creator of BonjourLaFrance which started off as a personal site in 1998 and has developed into the global site it is today.

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