What to See Iconic Places in Burgundy
The French province of Burgundy is located on the border between northern and southern Europe. Pristine lakes and rich vineyards dominate its territory, and many world-famous wines are named after local cities.
Vacationers to these places are attracted by picturesque villages, majestic ancient castles, graceful churches, and unique natural attractions. Local culinary traditions delight gourmets, and chefs prepare exquisite dishes even in the restaurants of provincial towns.
What to See Iconic Places in Burgundy
Sensa Town
The area of Sensa’s town is famous for its beautiful natural places; here, you can take a tour of the lovely lakes or go fishing in the most remote locations in the area. Charolais’ suburban areas are entirely grassland and grassland, with the province’s largest national park in the Nevers region. In addition to exciting excursions, Morvan Park offers its guests to go horseback riding; a riding school is open on the reserve territory.
St. Mary in Grape
The most visited architectural landmarks in the region are the Church of St. Mary in Grape, located in Oxon, the Church of de Brou, the Abbey of Fontenay, and the buildings of Bress. In the suburban area of Macon, the famous Cluny monastery was founded at the beginning of the 10th century.
Shrine
More than 60 thousand pilgrims from all over the world visit the shrine annually. On the Saone-et-Loire department’s territory, another prominent historical monument – the Cochet castle, whose construction was completed in the 11th century. The fortress occupies a vast territory; the obligatory excursion program includes visiting the prison tower and dungeons.
Saint-Pointe Castle
Saint-Pointe Castle is a magnificent building. Today, an art gallery is open in one of its halls. However, Burgundy’s hallmark is not historical sights but excellent wines. Large wineries are located in every corner of the province, and Beaune’s ancient city has been the winemaking center for many years.
local winery
Connoisseurs of the drink should visit a local winery and dine at one of the restaurants. Burgundy restaurants’ wine lists will pleasantly surprise even the most discerning customers, and the hospitality and friendliness of residents will make the experience even more pleasant and unique.
Burgundy
The most interesting historical sights can be seen in the beautiful villages of Burgundy – the city of Dijon. This quiet, charming town carefully preserves its historical heritage; its main symbol is the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. It is a large-scale architectural complex; a historical museum now occupies part of the palace.
Dijon
Dijon’s sights are very convenient to explore during walking tours. Historical buildings alternate with picturesque parks and gardens. Darcy Garden is not far from the train station, and the station building itself is of great historical value—many historic buildings in Dijon today house wine bars, cellars, and exciting souvenir shops.
city of Beaune
The city of Beaune, considered the region’s wine capital, also has many unique historical sites. A spectacular Gothic monument is the Hospice House, the permanent venue for the annual charity fair. The best winemakers worldwide participate in it, presenting the best wines from their cellars for sale. All proceeds from sales go to charity.
Cultural landmarks in Burgundy
- Burgundy has many cultural and historical sights of world importance. In Wesel is the Basilica of Mary Magdalene—a unique religious monument in every respect, which amazes with its grandeur and beauty. The Abbey of the Cistercians is located in Fontenay—another monument of world importance with which many interesting stories are connected.
- Dijon is exciting from an excursion point of view; an ordinary walk along its ancient streets can turn into an exciting excursion. For many years, one of the city’s main symbols has been the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy (Palais Ducal). It is currently home to the Museum of Applied and Fine Arts.
- It is worth considering that all the exhibits within the museum’s walls once belonged to the castle’s owners. One of the oldest cities in the province is Avallon. In the 15th century, it was surrounded by mighty fortification walls. Some elements of the fortifications are well preserved today, and hundreds of curious tourists come to admire them every day. One of the most beautiful fortifications is the Tour Gaujard, built-in 1438.
- Burgundy’s Roman past influences the region; one of the most spectacular monuments from the Roman Empire can be seen in Autun: the Roman gate, which miraculously survived to this day in its original form. The picturesque town of Nevers should not be deprived of attention. The charming Place Carnot is the starting point of excursion routes.
- The 15th-century ducal palace is next to the square, which has undergone many reconstructions over its long history. Today, the facade of the building is decorated with graceful sculptural compositions.
- Bon’s main symbol is the old hospital, Hotel Dieu, which has an unusual name. Built in the 15th century, it has a vast and lovely courtyard. The annual wine auction here attracts connoisseurs of Burgundy wine worldwide.
- Burgundy’s cultural heritage comprises Magnificent ducal palaces, ancient abbeys, majestic castles and fortresses, and countless museums and art galleries.
Things to do in Burgundy
- Travellers who go on vacation, without exception, wonder what entertainment to diversify their leisure time with. It is difficult to surprise modern travellers with an abundance of restaurants, entertainment venues, and sports centers; Burgundy is ready to offer its guests several rather unusual ways of spending leisure time.
- The province’s main distinguishing feature is its cleanest rivers, which, in the warm season, become attractive for beach holiday fans. Water sports fans have chosen almost all the local rivers and rental centers for sports and beach equipment located on the shore.
- If a serene stay on the beach is not impressive, travellers are invited to go hunting. Of course, you can hunt game, which is rich in vast forests, but truffle hunting is more in demand among tourists. More than 4 tons of exquisite mushrooms are harvested annually in the province, which is appreciated by gourmets worldwide.
- Tourists can search for truffles accompanied by an experienced guide and a specially trained pig; such events are organized for individual tourists and large groups. The mushroom-picking period begins in summer and lasts until the end of September.
- In recent years, hot-air ballooning has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment. From a bird’ s-eye view, everyone can appreciate the incomparable Burgundy landscapes. Such walks are usually carried out in the early morning, and several large specialized centers organize flights.
- Burgundy is also ideal for sports activities, not just cycling and walking. The province has about 20 high-class golf centers for experienced athletes and beginners.
Sights of Burgundy for families with children
The French region of Burgundy is like a journey into another world, fascinating and beautiful. The hysterical region has long been famous for its gastronomic delights – wine, mustard, Burgundy beef, fondue.
The kids will love the local desserts—Dijon gingerbread and anise from Flavigny. But that’s not all there is to do in Burgundy. The region’s entertainment centers, museums, water parks, theme parks, and zoos are worth visiting.
The northeastern part of Burgundy, where the region’s capital, Dijon, is located, deserves a visit first. Here are the most exciting places to visit with children. So, you can find a water park called Amphitrite, where little tourists can play on the playground in the pool, swim in pools for every taste, try a few slides, and relax in the jacuzzi.
The swimming complex is located in Montbar. If you want to spend time actively, it is recommended that you visit Messigny-e-Ventoux and explore In’Forest. Visitors can play paintball or laser tag, jump on trampolines, bungee jump, and bubble football.
The water park has several slides, but extreme water attractions are unavailable since they are primarily aimed at little kids. But the pools are for every taste—please. The amusement park offers rides on various carousels designed for the most minor children.
In Chernow, near the capital of Burgundy, you should visit La Ferme à l’école and enjoy the pastoral atmosphere. You can see goats, ponies, and donkeys in a picturesque park entwined with vegetation.
Conclusion
In the western part of Burgundy, you can also find great places for the whole family. For example, this is the Cardoland Dino Park, which is located in the city of Shamu, with stunningly executed sculptures of dinosaurs and crocodiles almost in total growth, fascinating young tourists no less than the fakir’s music fascinates the cobra.
