Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hi Everyone,

Just back from yet another wonderful weekend in Burgundy. This is the one place we have been to so many times and each visit we learn and experience more. Just as we think that we know all about Burgundy we find out about something new and exciting.

This visit we stay at a hotel we had stayed in years before, now totally renovated and enhanced. Food wise we experienced a super friendly and easy dinner at a Brasserie. Also had a fabulous gourmet meal cooked especially for us in a new restaurant by a chef we had  met during a previous trip to Beaune. Of course we drove to explore and find a new castle we hadn’t been to before. Last but not least were crazy enough to go for a bike tour through the vineyards at temperatures over 36° celsius…

Keep reading for the full story: Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

 

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hotel Le Cep – Much more than initially meets the eye!

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

 The 5 star Hotel Le Cep is situated right in the middle of the old town of Beaune – very easy to walk past without looking twice and yet inside is a whole realm of treasures. Dating back to the  14th century you can imagine there are many stories to be told. It is said that King Louis IV, preferred to sleep in this mansion rather than the Hospices de Beaune  during his trip to Beaune for fear of germs.

I also discovered a room containing a vast collection of photos and signatures from all the famous people that have stayed here over the years.

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Despite being right in the middle of town there is great parking nestled at the back of the property. The back courtyards are also so pretty they make you feel as though you have found your own little oasis.

Top Tips for a Weekend in BurgundyEating breakfast in the courtyard I love to pretend I am in a different time from today…

Each of the 62 rooms (32 of which are suites), are decorated totally uniquely. This time we were given a beautiful romantic red suite:


Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

I love the attention to detail – every modern comfort whilst maintaining that old French charm.

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

… dressed for dinner by a presto fashion

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Whilst walking around the hotel I climbed to the top of a tower to discover the fitness room with a panoramic view overlooking the rooftops of Beaune…

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hotel Le Cep – Wine Cellar

Back at the bottom I located the wine celler where you can book your own private wine tasting.

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

A unique collection of 36 different wines of the Hospices de Beaune that are spread out over 30 vintages…

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hotel Le Cep – Spa

The perfect way to relax after an adventurous day is to spend some time in the 350 square meters spa area

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Taking my time to think about which of the 12 sensorial experiences available I will choose:

  1. full body cryotherapy
  2. aquabiking
  3. dry hydromassage bed
  4. balneotherapy
  5. jounce dry flotation bed
  6. pressure therapy
  7. cello m6
  8. massage
  9. body wrap and floatation bed
  10. facial treatment
  11. hammam
  12. sauna in large barrel

… which would you choose?

Conclusion: the hotel has belonged to the Bernard family for over 30 years now. You can tell that Jean-Claude runs it with absolute passion and we can’t wait to return!

 

27 Rue Maufoux – 21206 Beaune

 

 

Dinner at Brasserie le Monge

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

If you are looking for a bubbly location, no fuss but tasty food in the centre of town then Brasserie Le Monge is the place to go. With seating inside or out and some of the friendliest staff ever. Even if the restaurant looked full it took them a matter of seconds to create a lovely space just for us.

See what we ate:

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Note a great selection of regional wines on the menu!

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Having fun after dinner with director Eric and Cecile and Francois from the team.

CONTACT INFOS

7, Place Monge
21200 – Beaune

+33 3 80 22 30 68

brasserie.lemonge@orange.fr

 

The Wine Bike Tour

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Wanting to do something a little different this trip we decided to try a half day wine tasting bike tour with active-tours.fr – it was one of the best things we did!

I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was a super easy 10 km ride through the vinyards with many stops along the way, learning all about wine and how it is produced.

Fun fact:

Did you know the lower the grape vines the lower quality of wine. Those vines planted higher on the slopes make the higher quality of wine.

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Our first bit of wine tasting was en-route right in the middle of the fields…

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

After we stopped off at a small local wine maker for a tour of the cellar and to learn all about how wine is made.

3 Fun facts:

  1. Did you know that the flavours of wine are largely determined by the age of the cask it is matured in.
  2. All grape juice starts off white and the red colour only comes due to leaving the skin and juice to ferment together for a longer period of time.
  3. Wine makers can only use a cask for about 6 years, after which they sell them off to the makers of harder alcohol such as Cognac or Whiskey.

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Conclusion: we would do this again any time. It was an easy fun ride and I recommend it.

Active Tours
Parc de la Bouzaise
Allée du Docteur Bouley
21200, Beaune FRANCE

Tél : +33 (0)3 80 26 17 12
info@active-tours.fr

 

Dinner at Restaurant Le 428 – Hotel Restaurant L’Ouvrée
– a real secret tip!

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

When going out for dinner is like meeting old friends… We had met Christophe (chef and owner, pictured above), at the Hotel Le Cedre Beaune where he used to be the chef. Now since one year he is the proud owner and chef of the Hotel L’Ouvrée with restaurant Le 428…

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Great design detail has been placed in everything including the plates which have been especially designed for Christophe by an artist close to Dijon – next visit to Burgundy I’m also going to get some plates made!

Check out what we ate. Note the wine. 2015 was a very good year in Burgundy, always a good tip to look out for wine of that year!

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Hotel L’Ovree

A real secret tip – each of the hotel rooms has been decorated in a different theme. A great place to visit for design inspiration and incredibly well priced with the most expensive suite currently around EUR 168 (note this might change).

Top Tips for a Weekend in Burgundy

Conclusion: I am still dreaming about the food and will certainly be returning!
54 RUE DE BOURGOGNE
21420 SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE, FRANCE
TEL. 03 80 21 51 52
CONTACT@LOUVREE.FR

 


 

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With Love

signature Dressed by a presto fashion

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FunkyForty

Hi! I’m Yvonne, a 40 something (wink) Kiwi, living in Zurich. I love fashion, travel, shopping and food – believing chocolate will cure almost anything!

5 Comments
  1. Thank you dear Yvonne for your Blog and taking me around those lovely Places I can just close my eyes and imagine that I am with you and experience it all myself very nice and beautiful. xxx

  2. Looks amazing Yvonne ! I hope one day , to be able to travel to Europe, again !
    You are able to transport me there with your beautiful pictures and descriptions.
    Take care xoxoxo

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