The best of Burgundy

For all but the most serious wine buffs, Burgundy is too often considered a one-night stand on the way to the south.

For all but the most serious wine buffs, Burgundy is too often considered a one-night stand on the way to the south.

But escape the autoroute and see its unspoilt limestone villages with tiny, Romanesque churches. Medieval abbeys adorn the horizon and the glazed roofs beloved of Flemish-Gothic architects catch the eye. Around the picturesque Yonne valley, a 1,000km network of canals makes pleasure-boating a popular alternative to driving. Dijon is home to 300 restaurants and a splendid market, while further south, the hills and villages of the Côte d'Or beckon wine- lovers with the promise of the perfect Pinot Noir.

Where to stay

If you've a taste for kitsch-free luxury, try the Hostellerie de Levernois, Route de Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, Levernois, Beaune (00 33 380 24 73 58; www.levernois.com). Book into the pavilion, which looks out on to the gardens. The restaurant is Michelin-starred. A double costs €206 (£137) a night, with breakfast at €19 (£12.60) per head.

A less expensive gem is the Maison des Glycines, rue Saint-Pierre (00 33 386 32 35 30), an 18th-century house in the medieval village of Vézelay. The airy rooms have wrought-iron beds, decorative stucco work and original marble fireplaces. Doubles from €52 (£35) per night, with breakfast at €6 (£4). Closed Thursdays, except July and August.

Best restaurant

Burgundy's reputation as a gastronomic playground is thoroughly deserved. For classic cooking, try La Dame d'Aquitaine at 23 place Bossuet (00 33 380 30 45 65) in Dijon. In a 13th-century cellar decorated with stained glass and tapestries, all the local favourites - escargots, oeufs en meurette - are here alongside an array of dishes from the chef's birthplace, Gascony. The menu terroir (Burgundian specialities) costs €28.30 (£19) per head without wine. Three courses à la carte costs €40 (£27) per head without wine.

Contemporary Franco-Japanese cuisine is the speciality at Le Charlemagne, Route des Vergelesses, Pernand-Vergelesses (00 33 380 21 51 45; www.lecharlemagne.fr). Three courses without wine from €30 (£20).

Les TonTons, 22 Faubourg Madeleine, Beaune (00 33 380 24 19 64) is well worth trying. Dishes include white bean and cep soup or fricassée of snails and chicken. Three courses without wine for €30 (£20).

Best cultural attraction

To get a feel for Burgundy's medieval past, spend a morning in the Palais des Etats de Bourgogne on the Place de la Libération in Dijon. Once the base of the all-powerful local dukedom, the eastern wing houses one of France's most important museums, the Musée des Beaux Arts (00 33 380 74 52 09; www.ville-dijon.fr). The permanent art collection is a voyage through European art, from Swedish and Rhinish primitives to Braque, Monet and contemporary French painters. Open daily 9.30am to 6pm until 31 October and 10am to 5pm from 1 November to 30 April. Entrance €3.40 (£2.25), free on Sundays, and €5 (£3.30) for museum and exhibition.

Also unmissable is the Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune (00 33 380 24 45 00). A classic example of Flemish Gothic architecture, the building was founded in 1443 as a paupers' hospital and has been flawlessly preserved. Look out for the pharmacy, whose ceramic jars contain comforting remedies such as "vomit nuts powder". To restore your spirits, head to the Saint-Louis room where tapestries form a fitting backdrop to a magnificent polyptych of the Last Judgement. Open daily from 9am to 6.30pm to mid-November and 9am to 11.30am and 2pm to 5.30pm until mid-March. Admission €5.40 (£3.60).

Best shopping

What to buy in Burgundy is a no-brainer: wine and food. For an excellent introduction to wine-tasting as well as a choice of more than 20,000 bottles, stop by at the caves of Bouchard Aîné & Fils, 4 Boulevard Maréchal Foch, Beaune (0033 380 24 06 66). Opened in 1731, the cobwebbed, bottle-stacked vaults are also home to a wine-making workshop and an exhibition dedicated to the five senses employed in wine-tasting. Guided visits from €6 (£4) per person.

At Les Halles du Marché, rue Ramey, Dijon, the 19th-century covered market is a gargantuan larder of fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, fish, flesh and fowl. Open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and all day Saturday.

Best sightseeing

Burgundy is the place for an A-list Benedictine and Cistercian abbey crawl: Cluny, Citeaux, Fontenay and Auxerre, whose crypt contains the oldest frescos in France. The ethereally beautiful Basilica of Sainte Madeleine in the hilltop village of Vézelay is blessed with numerous Romanesque stone sculptures. At the front there is a panoramic view over the Morvan valley. Open daily. Entrance free. Further information from the Vézelay Tourist Office (00 33 386 33 39 50; www.vezelay.cef.fr).

Best nightspot

Burgundy is no Ibiza; disco bunnies should head elsewhere. Those of a more serious musical bent will appreciate the programmes at the Dijon Auditorium 11, boulevard de Verdun (www.auditorium-dijon.com; 00 33 380 60 44 44). A post-modernist edifice acclaimed for its acoustics, this is a great venue for concerts, opera, ballet and modern dance. The highlight of the June programme is the opera Don Carlo by Verdi, (4, 6 and 8 June). Ticket prices range from €8 to €40.

How to get there

P&O Ferries (08705 202020; www. poferries.com) runs 30 return crossings daily between Dover and Calais. From Calais, take the A26 to Troyes, the A5 east towards Langres and the A31 south to Dijon and Beaune.

Rail Europe (08705 848848; www.raileurope.co.uk) offers Eurostar via Lille to Dijon from £99 return. Hertz (www.hertz.co.uk; 0870-844 8844) has car hire from £134 per week. Burgundy Tourism (00 33 380 28 02 80; www. burgundy-tourism.com).

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