Experience the Medieval Wonders of Burgundy: A Scenic Road Trip

Across the hallowed landscapes of Burgundy (Bourgogne in French), medieval history comes alive through incredible abbeys, monasteries, and Romanesque churches that flourished like the vineyards for which the region is famed. Explore the legacies of the Dukes of Burgundy, who poured wealth into artistic and architectural treasures.

On this six-day road trip, explore an exhilarating 252 highlight-filled miles (406km) unfolding between Cluny and Vézelay, with opportunities for wine tasting and glorious walks along the way.

Cluny: Once Christendom’s Grandest Abbey

Burgundy’s importance in ecclesiastical history is immortalized in the scattered remains of the great Benedictine abbey in Cluny. Founded by William the Pious in 910 and completed in 1130, it presided over more than a thousand monasteries and priories across Europe. Climbing 120 steps in the Tour des Fromages gives you a sweeping sense of its scale, which you can also see in the historically accurate scale model in the 15th-century abbey palace housing the Musée d’Art et d’Archéologie.

Leaving Cluny, look out for the 11th-century Église St-Martin in Chapaize, one of the oldest Romanesque churches in Burgundy. At Ozenay, the 12th-century Romanesque church Église Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais d’Ozenay, next to the Château d’Ozenay, offers delightful chambres d’hôtes (B&B) accommodation.

The drive: Head eight miles (13km) north along the D981 to Cormatin, then go 16 miles (25km) east along the D14 to descend into Tournus.

Tournus: A Millennium-Old Marvel

Surrounded by towers, Tournus’ immense Benedictine abbey, Abbatiale St-Philibert, remains remarkably intact. Light streams into its soaring church with side-aisles frescoes, a baroque organ, and a 12th-century floor mosaic of the calendar and zodiac in the apse. Monastic buildings, including the cloister, chapter house, cellar, and refectory, show the grandeur of its architecture.

The medieval center, crossed by the river Saône, also boasts fine restaurants, notably three Michelin-starred establishments, making it an excellent lunch stop.

The drive: From Tournus, zip 60 miles (96km) straight up the A6 and A31 to Dijon.

Dijon: Burgundy’s Medieval Capital

Echoes of Burgundy’s 14th- and 15th-century golden age resonate through the region’s capital, Dijon. This was the seat of Burgundy’s powerful dukes, and on the main square, their palace, the Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne, today houses one of France’s finest arts museums, the Musée des Beaux-Arts. Up 316 spiraling steps, you can survey Dijon’s architectural splendor from the Tour Philippe le Bon.

Rising to the palace’s north is the three-tiered, colonnaded facade of the early 13th-century church Église Notre Dame. Half-timbered buildings line the surrounding streets of Dijon’s vibrant medieval center.

The drive: The scenic Route des Grands Crus through the Côte d’Or vineyards leads you seamlessly to Beaune.

Beaune: Crowned by Kaleidoscopic Roof Tiles

Ramparts wrap around medieval Beaune, the beating heart of Burgundy’s age-old viticulture industry. Its most defining sight is the Gothic Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune, adorned with geometric-patterned multicolored tiles covering its steeply pitched roofline and turrets. Built in the 15th century as a charity hospital, inside you can admire the barrel-vaulted Grande Salle, centuries-old pharmacy, and 15th-century Polyptych of the Last Judgement. Inside Beaune’s Basilique Collégiale Notre Dame, blending Gothic and Romanesque styles, are five 15th-century tapestries.

Beaune’s cobbled center is awash with atmospheric wine bars where you can sip the region’s renowned vintages.

The drive: A super-scenic 30-mile (49km) drive along the D973 leads through vineyards to Autun.

Autun: Roman Ruins and a Mighty Medieval Cathedral

Time-travel back two millennia at Autun. Roman remains of Augustodunum, as it was known, include two of its original four town gates. From the 16,000-spectator Théâtre Romain, you can see a remnant from a Gallo-Roman pyramid.

Autun’s fortunes were revived in the Middle Ages with the construction of the Cathédrale St-Lazare to house St Lazarus’ relics. Carved by Burgundy sculptor Gislebertus in the 12th century, the vivid tympanum of the Last Judgement adorns the main doorway. The sublime Romanesque capitals are also the work of Gislebertus, with his stone bas-relief the Temptation of Eve taking pride of place at the adjacent Musée Rolin.

The drive: The D980 runs 44 miles (70km) north to Semur-en-Auxois; stop off at Saulieu to see more Romanesque capitals at 12th-century Basilique de St-Andoche.

Semur-en-Auxois: A Medieval Fairy Tale

Looking like it’s been lifted from the pages of a picture book, Semur-en-Auxois is idyllically set above a river bend, guarded by a quartet of pink-granite bastions. Two concentric medieval gates lead into its tangle of cobbled lanes, where the 11th-century flamboyant Gothic Collegiale Notre-Dame de Semur-en-Auxois is adorned by gargoyles. A staggering six monasteries were once located in Semur, as you can discover at the Musée de Semur-en-Auxois. Spellbinding views extend from the Promenade du Rempart’s battlements, enchantingly illuminated by night. Medieval festivals in May showcase the town at its best.

The drive: Follow the D980 13 miles (20km) north into Montbard. Then go a little over a mile (2km) east on the D905 before joining the idyllic northbound D32 for a scenic 2-mile (3km) stretch into Fontenay.

Abbaye de Fontenay: UNESCO-listed Wonder in the Woodlands

Driving from Semur-en-Auxois takes you into a hushed wooded valley where the superbly preserved Abbaye de Fontenay has sheltered since it was founded in 1118. Its Cistercian monks toiled in its metallurgical forge (Europe’s first) in the 13th century; visitors can see the dormitory where they slept and the austere Romanesque church where they prayed.

From the parking lot, the GR213 trail forms part of two verdant walking circuits: one to Montbard (eight miles; 13km return), the other (7 miles; 11.5km) through Touillon and Le Petit Jailly. Maps and botanical field guides are available in the abbey shop.

The drive: Backtrack to the D905, follow it 8.5 miles (14km) west-northwest to Rougemont, then take the westbound D956 13 miles (21km) into Noyers.

Noyers-sur-Serein: Fortified Jewel on the River Serein

Gabled half-timbered houses huddle in the cobbled streets of one of France’s prettiest villages, Noyers-sur-Serein, set amid thick woods and sunlit fields northwest of Fontenay. Noyers has long inspired artists and creatives, offering joy in browsing their galleries and atelier-boutiques.

Of the original 23 defensive towers guarding the town, 19 still stand today. For a closer look, follow the Chemin des Fossés from the town’s southern gate. Along the southern riverbank, take the Balade du Château past the ruins of Noyers’ former seigniorial castle – an active archaeological site hosting volunteer workcamps and stone masonry workshops in summer – for stunning views over the bucolic landscapes.

The drive: Snake nine miles (14km) southward through the peaceful Serein valley via the D86, then head seven miles (11km) west on the D11 from Dissangis to Joux-la-Ville before charting a southwest course down the D32, D9, D606, and D951 for the final 15 miles (24km) run into Vézelay.

Vézelay: Hilltop Romanesque Treasury

Finish your road trip with a pilgrimage to Unesco World Heritage-listed Vézelay, southwest of Noyers-sur-Serein. Founded in the 9th century and rebuilt in subsequent centuries, Vézelay’s exquisite Basilique Ste-Madeleine is where the faithful set out for Santiago de Compostela along the Via Lemovicensis. A mid-12th-century crypt is believed to contain one of Mary Magdalene’s bones; treasures here also include carved Romanesque capitals and a 12th-century tympanum of Jesus and the Apostles.

Walks extend around the picturesque hilltop village’s medieval ramparts and down via the vine-draped Chapelle Ste-Croix de la Cordelle into the valley.

Medieval history continues to thrive 38 miles (61km) west of Vézelay at Chantier Médiéval de Guédelon. Artisans are constructing a fortified castle using only 13th-century-available resources, from clay tiles fired from local timber to stone hand-quarried by tools forged by blacksmiths on site.

Sponsored Content

As a travel entertainment and inspirational media outlet, we incorporate brand sponsors into our efforts. This activity is clearly labeled across our platforms.

This story was crafted collaboratively between brand partners and iBestTravel. Both parties provided research and curated content to produce this story. We disclose when information isn’t ours.

With sponsored content, both iBestTravel and our brand partners have specific responsibilities:

• Brand partner

  Determines the concept, provides briefing, research material, and may provide feedback.

• iBestTravel

  Provides expertise, firsthand insights, and verifies with third-party sources when needed.