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Discover Burgundy & Alsace

Overview

From majestic vineyards to medieval villages, gain insider access to the best of two historic wine regions

Step into picture-book France, journeying from the half-timbered houses of Auxerre to the canals of Colmar. Guided by an expert tour leader, you’ll discover medieval towns, explore regal châteaux, walk sweeping vineyards and meet winemakers, ready to fill your glass with their premier produce. From first sip to final farewell, this full-bodied adventure is Burgundy and Alsace at their historic, beautiful best, made even richer by our local tour leader’s insider knowledge.

Key Information

Activity: Culture
Activity Level: Easy
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Comfort Level: Classic
Trip Code: AFB
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: France

What's Included

All accommodation: 6 Classic nights (hotels)
All breakfasts, one lunch, two dinners, two wine tastings and truffle experience
Immersive itinerary with all transport (private minibus and train) and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Arrival transfer available from the train station, group departure transfer available to the train station

Positive Impact

We donate to our Foundation and rewild 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller. Find out more about how our adventures support nature and people to thrive.

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. Also, check out Discover Provence, which you can combine with this adventure.

Highlights

Discover the best of Burgundy and Alsace: medieval towns, leading vineyards and centuries of history

Visit the iconic 12th-century Château du Clos de Vougeot for a tour and tasting

Tour historic towns and villages, such as Auxerre and Vézelay, with expert local guides

Glide over the serene canals of Colmar, the Little Venice of France

Learn the secrets of truffle hunting with an expert

Itinerary

First Destination: Auxerre
Next Destination: Colmar

Accommodation:Hotel Les Maréchaux (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel Les Maréchaux (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Hôtel des Ducs (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hôtel des Ducs (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Saint Martin (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Saint Martin (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Auxerre
Next Destination: Colmar

Begin your adventure in Auxerre, a historic Burgundian city on the Yonne River, where half-timbered houses stand alongside Saint-Étienne Cathedral and the Saint-Germain Abbey.

Around 6pm, say bonjour to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big French welcome by arranging a group dinner.

Want more time in Auxerre or Paris? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation:Hotel Les Maréchaux (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Embark on a guided tour of Auxerre this morning with a local guide, in which we take time to admire the half-timbered houses of the old city. We also see the 15^th-century clock tower and Saint-Germain Abbey, a monastic complex founded by Queen Clotilde in the fifth century.

We then transfer (20 minutes) to Chablis to visit Maison Brocard, a biodynamic vineyard still run by the Brocard family. Here, we enjoy a wine tasting and picnic lunch.

Afterwards, transfer (40 minutes) to the medieval town of Vézelay with time to explore. The abbey here is said to hold the remains of Saint Mary Magdalene, making it a major pilgrimage site and a traditional departure point for those hiking the Camino de Santiago.

Accommodation:Hotel Les Maréchaux (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Depart this morning for our transfer (1hr 30min) to Dijon. Here, we enjoy a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed historic centre, seeing the Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy, Notre-Dame Church, medieval streets, and historic townhouses.

After free time to lunch (your tour leader can provide recommendations), we drive (30 minutes) to Château du Clos de Vougeot, a castle founded in the 12^thcentury by Cistercian monks and now known as one of the premier vineyards in Burgundy. Take a tour with a local expert and enjoy a tasting of three wines.

Accommodation:Hôtel des Ducs (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

We drive (45 minutes) to the Hospices de Beaune this morning. Built as a hospital during the Middle Ages, this magnificent collection of gothic buildings is one of the most important historic monuments in France, while also being renowned for producing exceptional wines, which are sold at auction on the third Sunday in November. Join a local guide to witness the beauty of the buildings and learn all about their history and wine production.

After free time for lunch, transfer (20 minutes) to Maison aux Milles Truffes. Here, owner Thierry and his colleague Nicolas invite us to discover the fascinating world of truffles. After introducing us to their work and sharing truffle secrets, they take us into the grounds to demonstrate how truffle hunting is carried out with Taïga, their trained dog.

Accommodation:Hôtel des Ducs (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Bid adieu to Dijon this morning, as we take the train (1hr 45min) to Colmar, in the Alsace region. Mid-morning, we have a guided tour of this picturesque town of cobbled streets, colourful half-timbered houses, and Renaissance buildings.

It’s also a canal town, earning it the nickname Little Venice, and we take a private boat trip on the waters.

The afternoon is free for you to further explore. Options include exploring Colmar Covered Market by the Lauch River, visiting Unterlinden Museum, part of which is housed in a 13^th-century convent, or exploring the Bartholdi Museum, where artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, was born.

Accommodation:Hotel Saint Martin (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Embark on a drive down the Route des Vins d’Alsace today, passing historic vineyards and medieval villages.

Leaving at 9am, our first stop is Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, the largest castle in Alsace, which is gloriously perched high on a rocky plateau. After our tour, we drive to Kientzheim, a wine-growing village founded in the eighth century, where we meet winegrowers to learn about their work and take a 1hr 30min hike through the vineyards.

After lunch at Kientzheim, our return route takes us to the beautiful medieval villages of Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé. At the latter, we visit Maison Trimbach, a celebrated wine producer since 1626, which is now run by the 13^th generation of the owning family.

This evening, we have a celebratory farewell dinner, an excellent chance to raise a toast to our adventure together.

Accommodation:Hotel Saint Martin (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

You’ve sampled world-leading wines with expert producers, toured grand châteaux, and explored some of the most beautiful towns in Europe, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Accommodation

A selection of French hotels

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.

Auxerre: Hotel Les Maréchaux (nights 1-2)

Begin the adventure at this historic hotel in downtown Auxerre. It’s a refined start to our trip; each of the 25 rooms is tastefully decorated in a traditional style, while the property is surrounded by a peaceful park with more than 100 different tree species and a rose garden. The hotel also has a heated outdoor swimming pool with loungers (open from May to October) with free towels available.

Dijon: Hôtel des Ducs (nights 3-4)

Occupying a spot in the historic centre, just 100m from the Dukes’ Palace and the Fine Arts Museum, this boutique-style hotel is ideally located for our explorations. Rooms are contemporary in design and comfortable, while breakfast is served beneath a glass roof, and the hotel also has an outdoor terrace.

Colmar: Hotel Saint Martin (nights 5-6)

We end the adventure in the heart of Colmar, staying in a 14th-century patrician residence near the canals and half-timbered houses of Petite Venise. The historic setting gives the hotel a distinctly Alsatian character, while its central location places Colmar’s cobbled streets, covered market and architectural landmarks within easy walking distance.

Worth knowing

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Essential Information

This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Suitability: Our guided tours include walking on cobblestones, so comfortable shoes are necessary. There is also a rail journey from Dijon to Colmar, on which you need to carry your luggage on and off the train; however, you are transferred by vehicle between the stations and hotels.

Key information

Start hotel: 6 Av. Foch, 89000 Auxerre
Phone: +33 3 86 51 43 77
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time on Day 1. We have a welcome meeting at 6pm, followed by a group dinner
Recommend airport: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Getting to the start hotel

Direct trains run from Paris Bercy Bourgogne–Pays d’Auvergne to Auxerre Saint-Gervais, with journey times starting from around two hours. For arrivals after 1pm, the guide can collect you from the station and transfer them to the hotel, approximately five minutes away, provided this is arranged in advance. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Catching your return flight

There’s one group transfer to Colmar railway station, which you can join at no extra cost. The train from Colmar will take you directly to Gare de l’Est. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.

France

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter France. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/france
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/france
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/France.html

Vegetarians can be fairly easily accommodated in this area of France; however, vegans may find the variety of dishes available is rather limited. Larger supermarkets can provide gluten-free bread and baked goods, but this is less common in local bakeries.

Both the Burgundy and Alsace regions experience a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. However, the Alsace climate is moderated by the Vosges Mountains, which makes it drier and sunnier than Burgundy.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

You’ll also find Thriving Nature, Thriving People moments across our trips. These experiences are often a highlight of your adventure, while also benefiting the natural world or local communities.

On this trip, we:

Meet Les Piliers Chablisiens, a brotherhood of wine enthusiasts, to learn about the group’s heritage and the cultural importance of wine in the Chablis region.