From Burgundy to Provence Wine trails

Arrival in Dijon the capital of the Ducs of Burgundy

Easy access only 1h30 by high-speed train from Paris. Walk through the cobbled streets of the historic center, visit the Ducal Palace, the Museum of Fine Art and the Eglise Notre-Dame featuring a Black Madonna statue.

Night: Dijon

Golden Coast to Chateau Clos Vougeot

After breakfast a short 30 mins transfer to Gevrey-Chambertin where you will start your walk through the heart of the Burgundy vineyards on quiet farming tracks and paths, you visit the charming towns of Chambolle-Musigny and Morey St. Denis before arriving at the prestigious 16th century Chateau Clos de Vougeot, you can visit the Chateau and also book a wine tasting-lunch available from Tuesday to Sunday. Your next stop is Vosne Romanée producing the region's most celebrated wines, all made entirely from the Pinot noir grape.

Walk: Gevrey Chambertin > Chateau Clos Vougeot > Nuits Saint Georges | 4h | 13 km - 8 miles | Elevation : +240/- 280m

Countryside trails to Beaune

After hearty breakfast board your taxi for a 15mins transfer to Fussey to start your hike to Beaune. You are quickly in the countryside walking through oak forests on peaceful paths leading to an authentic winegrowing village: Savigny- les-Beaune, a rarity in the Côte de Beaune, as this village produces Crémant de Bourgogne a festive wine. From the church of Saint-Cassien and its splendid listed Romanesque bell tower, to the formal garden of the Chandon de Briailles Manor House, the village has some wonderful discoveries in store for you, then continue to Beaune the capital of Burgundy’s wine industry. Extension idea: Stay an extra night in Beaune and hike to Meursault

Walk: Fussey > Beaune | 4h | 13 km - 8 miles | Elevation : +135/-390m

Travel South to Avignon

Today you can visit Beaune and then travel in the afternoon to Avignon. (tickets not included). If you are in Beaune on a Saturday, then you should not miss the morning market, the best place to taste local produce, bite into a piece of fruity Cîteaux cheese produced by the monks, a tasty Delice de Pommard or a creamy Brillat Savarin, try the marbled ham, smell the truffle and taste gingerbread flavoured with honey. Don’t miss a visit to the imposing mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy, the basilica of Notre Dame and the most famous of all the sights in Beaune: the steep pitched patterned roofs of the Hotel Dieu an ancient hospital now featuring a fine arts museum. After your train ride arrive in Provencal Avignon, stroll through the cobbled streets of the Papal town UNESCO World Heritage site a beautiful medieval town, lots of cobbled streets and full of history with its famous Pope’s Palace and St Benezet bridge.

King of the Cotes du Rhones wines: Chateauneuf du Pape

Morning transfer to Châteauneuf du Pape (30 mn). Literally “New castle of the Pope”, this village was chosen as the summer residence of the Popes of Avignon, complete with a castle built atop the hill, today only a set of ruins remain from which the views extend far out to the horizon. It was the popes who brought the vines here in the 14th century, making wines that have been famous for centuries. Today you have the choice of loop hikes as you explore Chateauneuf du Pape and its famous vineyards. You walk through the vines, alongside tracks packed with the red rocks that were deposited here 15 000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. They absorb the heat during the day and emit it at night, keeping a constant warmth in the vineyards, and helping produce powerful and spicy reds..

Short Chateauneuf du Pape > Chateau Mont Redon | 3h15 | 10 km - 6 miles | Elevation : +100/-100m . Long : 04h15 | 14 km - 8 miles | Elevation : +150/-150m

Chateauneuf du Pape > Vaudieu > Nalys > Solitude | 2h45 | 7 km - 4 miles | Elevation : +100/-100m

The wines of Gigondas

Morning transfer to Gigondas. You leave your bags at the hotel upon arrival and pick up your picnic before leaving for your walking day. Today’s walk is through the vines of Gigondas, 2nd of the cru wines of the southern Rhône. The town of Gigondas sits high above the Rhône and overlooks a sea of vines. The old stone houses with their clay tiled roofs are separated by narrow cobbled streets. Take the time to explore the village before the walk that takes you to the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a set of chiseled limestone cliffs that soar almost improbably in the sky. The steep hills have been carved into terraces, planted with rows of seemingly inaccessible vineyards. Views of the Rhône Valley and of Provence’s highest mountain, Mont Ventoux, paint the backdrop. There are plenty of wine tasting opportunities in the village.

Short walk: Loop Gigondas | 2h | 5 km - 3 miles | Elevation : +200/-200m Moderate walk: Loop Gigondas | 3h30 | 11 km - 7 miles | Elevation : +300/-300m . Longer walk: Loop Gigondas | 4h | 12 km - 8 miles | Elevation : +450/-450m

On the way to Seguret one of the most beautiful villages of Provence

Today is the last walking day of the trip, with a lovely hike to the town of Séguret, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The walk runs underneath the cragged peaks and above the Rhône Valley, on paths and farming tracks through the vines and olive groves. You pass above the village of Sablet before reaching the medieval wooden entrance gates of Séguret, its homes set in superimposed rows and all clinging to the rock. In the cobbled streets, you’ll find a tea house with delicious cakes, in a setting overlooking the Rhône Valley: the perfect reward after a day’s walk. At the end of the walk, transfer to Vaison la Romaine, France’s largest Roman archaeological site.

Walk: Gigondas > Séguret | 3h30 | 10 km - 6 miles | Elevation : +300/-380m

Departure