Of France's many gifts to the world, wine is perhaps the greatest. And of its many wine-growing regions the noblest, surely, is Burgundy.
Archaeologists have discovered evidence of viticulture there in the second century, though it is likely the Greeks introduced wine-growing to the Celts there centuries before the Romans did. But we owe the refinement in techniques, and the understanding that different terroirs produce different wines, to the Cistercian monks. More recently Félix Kir, the priest who became mayor of Dijon after the second world war, gave his name to the popular aperitif whose original 1904 recipe calls for Crème de Cassis (made with Noir de Bourgogne blackcurrants) and Aligoté, an AOC white burgundy wine.
The history of Burgundy is indivisible from the history of its wine, as you will find if you take a tour of its varied regions. The key itinerary is the Route des Grands Crus, from Dijon to Santenay, which in 40 miles (65km) takes you through some of the greatest and most famous appellations, whose names – Pommard, Corton-Charlemagne, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet - taste almost as good on the tongue as the wines.
You pass through Gevrey-Chambertin, where you can tour the medieval castle and sample wines in its cellar; Vougeot, whose chateau boasts huge Cistercian wine presses; Nuits-Saint-Georges, with its beautiful old town centre and its modern Imaginarium museum dedicated to sparkling wine; the charming little village of Pernand-Vergelesses; and finally Beaune, the capital of Burgundy wines, where you'll find the Burgundy Wine Museum in the magnificent residence of the Burgundy dukes.
If you don't have a car, rent a bike: there are 14 miles (22km) of well-kept and signposted bike trails from Beaune to Santenay. The Chablis region to the north, renowned for its flinty, unoaked white wines, should also not be missed. One of the best ways to tour the region is in a Citroën 2CV driven by wine expert and teacher Eric Szablowski (heartofwines.com/uk).
The city of Auxerre is notable for its cathedral, its ninth-century abbey with some of the most ancient murals in France, and its clock tower. Grapes saved the town in the second world war, when a pack of starving wolves gorged themselves drunk and were thus easily dispatched by the inhabitants. The magnificent Cistercian Abbaye de Fontenay to the east is also worth a detour.
Almost wherever you go in Burgundy there will be a chateau or small grower offering tastings. There is an abundance of packages from tour operators, but it's easier than ever to put together your own itinerary. The Official Burgundy Wines website is exceptionally user-friendly: as well as cellar visits and vineyard walks, you can find oenology lessons and overnight stays. It's searchable by area, and even, for non-francophones, by language spoken.
To find out more about this destination, visit gotofrancenow.com/burgundy
