Walkers, hot-air balloonists and canal boaters mooching between villages, wineries and secluded abbeys at snail pace are rewarded with smolderingly romantic views straight off a Turner canvas. Motoring around Burgundy is relaxed. Check tolls, fuel costs and traveling time between towns on Autoroutes. Once on the road, tune into Autoroute Info Car-sharing, whereby passengers help defray fuel costs, is popular.
Within the region, public transport operators Mobigo and Dijon-based Divia both run their own, hugely successful car-sharing schemes. Getting around Burgundy by bus requires the patience of a saint and meticulous planning. Buses linking towns and villages are limited, less frequent on Sunday and during school holidays, and non-existent in some rural areas.
If you are a first-timer in Burgundy taking in the major urban sights over a few days, train travel works. SNCF, or at any train station. Bikes ride for free on regional trains. Before boarding any train, paper tickets must be validated by time-stamping them in a composteur , a yellow post located on the way to the platform. If you forget or don't have a ticket , find a conductor on the train before they find you β or risk a fine.
Several mid-range and top-end vineyard hotels offer guided e-bike tours to wine-producing chateaux and villages. One Up Tour in Chablis organizes e-scooter vineyard tours. Serious cyclists can tackle a tour of the entire region β a circular loop sticking to canal-side chemins de halage towpaths , disused train tracks and dedicated cycling paths for much of its km miles. Another trail tracks the course of the Canal de Bourgogne from Dijon to Migennes km. You can rent regular bicycles and e-bikes in Dijon, Beaune and other large towns.
Insert a credit card, get a passcode, choose a PIN and go. Locally based rental companies like France Afloat offer boats from March to October; canals close for repairs in winter. Boats accommodate two to 12 passengers and come fully kitted out with compact sleeping, cooking and bathroom facilities. Burgundy, like the rest of France, presents constant challenges for visitors with reduced mobility β cobblestones, hilltop villages, narrow sidewalks crowded with cafe tables, budget hotels without elevators.
