Current as of: September 6, 2025 - 04:25
Current as of: September 6, 2025 - 04:25
1 out of 7 - Easy
Step into picturebook France, journeying from the half-timbered houses of Troyes 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.
Highlights
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.
Adult min age: 16
Min group size: 6
Max group size: 16
Begin your adventure in Troyes, a medieval city in the Champagne region, where ancient half-timbered dwellings and stained-glass windows provide a wonderfully picturesque start to the trip, and a taste of things to come.
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 Troyes or Paris? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Accommodation: Hotel de la Poste (or similar)
Join a local guide this morning for an insider’s tour of Troyes centre, focusing on the glorious half-timbered houses for which the city is known. After, we transfer (35 minutes) to the Fromagerie de Mussy in Chaource, an artisanal cheesemaker who specialises in producing AOP-designated Chaource cheese, for a tour and tasting.
Then drive (45 minutes) to Chablis, where we lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a wine tasting at a local producer and meeting with members of Les Piliers Chablisiens, a brotherhood of wine enthusiasts, who share their group’s heritage and the cultural importance of wine in the region.
Finally, we transfer (45 minutes) to the medieval town of Vézelay, where you have free time to explore.
Accommodation: Hôtel de la Poste et du Lion d’Or (or similar)
Join a local guide this morning to explore the 12th-century Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, a masterpiece of the Romanesque style.
Then transfer (1hr 30min) to Dijon, where you have free time for lunch – your tour leader can make recommendations. After, we jump back into the vehicle and transfer (30 minutes) to Château du Clos de Vougeot, built in the 12th-century by Cistercian monks and now known as one of the premier vineyards in Burgundy. Here, we join an expert to explore the castle and enjoy a wine tasting with three different glasses, before continuing to Dijon, where we have the evening to relax and explore the local restaurant scene.
Accommodation: Maison Philippe le Bon (or similar)
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.
Returning to Dijon, we have a guided tour of the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin, a designated cultural space in the city that combines exhibitions, restaurants and vendors to celebrate the food and wine of the region. Here, we attend a workshop at the École des Vins de Bourgogne to learn the art of food and wine pairing from an expert.
Accommodation: Maison Philippe le Bon (or similar)
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 13th-century convent, or exploring the Bartholdi Museum, where artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, was born.
Accommodation: Hotel Val-Vignes (or similar)
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 13th generation of the owning family.
This evening, we have a celebratory farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant in Saint-Hippolyte, an excellent chance to raise a toast to our adventure together.
Accommodation: Hotel Val-Vignes (or similar)
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.
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.
Troyes: Hôtel De La Poste (night 1)
Start the adventure in Troyes, a medieval town in the heart of the Champagne region. Our 32-room hotel, a one-time posting office decorated in a horse and carriage theme, is just a short walk from the pedestrianised cultural centre of town, perfect for exploring. If you really want to treat yourself, enjoy the complimentary access to the sauna, hammam and sensory shower of Nuxe Spa.
Vézelay: Hotel de la Poste et Du Lion D’or (night 2)
Within an old coaching inn, this historic hotel has provided a warm welcome to travellers for decades. The 38 rooms are comfortable and traditional in style, offering views of Vézelay village or the countryside. There’s also a bar and terrace serving vintages from the Burgundy region, while the Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is just a 10-minute walk away.
Dijon: Maison Philippe le Bon (nights 3-4)
Ideally located in the centre of Dijon, this boutique hotel comprises three historic residences, including a former convent with a 15th-century gothic courtyard listed as a historic monument. The 26 rooms have a modern style with walk-in showers, plus there’s a 1920s-inspired bar with a boules space in the cellar.
Saint-Hippolyte, near Colmar: Hotel Val-Vignes (nights 5-6)
Just outside Colmar, among vineyards overlooking the village of Saint-Hippolyte, the Val-Vignes offers tranquillity and beautiful scenery in equal measures. The terrace opens onto the surrounding vineyard – a glorious place to raise a toast to the adventure – plus there’s a games room and lounge bar.
Worth knowing
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.
Transfers during the week are by private minibus and train.
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.
Start hotel: Hotel de la Poste, 35 Rue Emile Zola, 10000 Troyes
Phone: +33 3 25 73 05 05
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. We have a welcome meeting at 6pm, followed by a group dinner
Recommend airport: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
The start hotel is approximately two minutes’ drive from Troyes railway station and we provide free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the railway station for everyone arriving from 1pm onwards. If you’re flying into Paris, the easiest way to reach Troyes railway station is to take the direct train from Gare de l’Est, which takes 1hr 30min. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Unless specified otherwise, the transfers are to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and are on the date on which the tour starts; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
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.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Troyes
Location end: Saint-Hippolyte, near Colmar
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
There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
France's time zone: Europe/Paris (UTC +02:00)
France's electricity: Plug types C (two round pins, European standard) and E (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz
France's currency: Euros (EUR)
ATMs are available in all main towns. We recommend you bring some spending money in cash (for use in smaller shops/newsagents), but a credit/debit card is useful for larger payments.
On this Premium Adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included, and is taken care of by your tour leader (or in some cases through our local agent).
Our ‘included tips’ normally cover drivers, local specialist guides, certain hotel staff, and serving staff for included meals. Amounts are in line with the local standard. Of course, if you wish to make a further tip for some extra special service you may do so.
Tips for the tour leader are not included. Whether to tip at all, and the amount, is entirely at your own discretion, but as a starting point we suggest around €20-€25 per person for the trip.
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.
Your Safe Participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.
By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.
Speak to our friendly team of experts to plan your adventure:
After booking
You will receive a confirmation document and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements. Our dedicated Customer Operations team will help you with any pre-travel questions or arrangements and can easily add extensions or extra accommodation to your booking. Final Joining Instructions will usually be sent out two to three weeks prior to departure.
Adding transfers to your booking
If you have arranged your own flights and would like to add transfers to your booking, please provide your arrival and departure details to our Customer Operations team around four to six weeks before departure.
Trip Note validity
Trip notes may be updated after booking; if any updates significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary you will be advised in writing. A link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes will be sent out with your Final Joining Instructions before departure.
The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes, and occasionally it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.