The region offers a lot of activities for everyone’s taste
As well as a lot of lovely tracks for walking and cycling, and visits to historical towns and old wine villages, the region also offers plenty of activities: visits to chateaux, churches, gardens and museums.
Visits to major historical towns
– In Côte d’Or : Beaune including Hôtel-Dieu (French site)*** ) Basilica*, and Wine Museum*. And Dijon (Palais des Ducs**, Fine Arts Museum*, Magnin Museum*, Burgundy Life Museum*)
– In Saône-et-Loire: Autun with its splendid Cathedral** (a romanesque cathedral dating from the early twelfth century) Rolin Museum*, Roman theatre. The Bussy Rabutin Chateau is 90 km away.
The medieval cities such as Châteauneuf (French site)* , and the small towns e.g. Semur-en-Auxois (French Site)* are worth a visit as well.
Visits to chateaux
In addition to La Rochepot Chateau we suggest to visit :
– In Côte d’Or : Commarin** and Le Clos-de-Vougeot**
– In Saône-et-Loire : Cormatin**, Germolles **, Couches*, and Sully*
Visits to museums
In addition to Beaune and Autun churches, we suggest to visit:
– In Yonne, Vézelay Basilica***. The church and hill at Vézelay were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.
– In Côte d’Or, Fontenay Abbey*** . The abbey is a former Cistercian abbey founded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118.It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
– In Saône-et-Loire, Tournus Abbey** (the early 11th century church of St Philibert at Tournus once belonging to the Benedictine abbey of Tournus, suppressed in 1785, is in the primitive Burgundian Romanesque style). Other churches in Saône-et-Loire as Cluny (former Abbey), Brancion* , Chapaize*, and Paray-le-Monial Basilica*
Visits to Museums
In addition to Beaune, Dijon and Autun museums, we suggest visiting:
– In Chalon-sur-Saône, Musée Nicéphore Niepce Photography Museum* (Nicéphore Niepce, born in Chalon, took the first photographic negative)
– In Saulieu, Pompon Museum* (François Pompon, a famous French sculptor born in Saulieu and died in 1933, many of his works can be seen at the Orsay Museum in Paris),
– In Arnay-le-Duc, Regional House of Food and Tableware.
Visits to gardens
– In Côte d’Or : Barbirey-sur-Ouche** and Château de Lantilly
– In Saône-et-Loire : Châteaux de Sully and Château de Digoine..
To conclude
If you are in the mood, you can visit the Santenay Casino.