The wine-soaked region of Burgundy in eastern France has been a classic drive from the French capital ever since the giddy s when fashionable Parisian motorists tootled through the region, tracking the course of the scenic Seine and Yonne rivers, on their way to the sun-blessed Med and beyond into Italy. Having a car makes it easy to get around Burgundy and road-tripping is a restorative, get-away-from-it-all journey through insanely picturesque landscapes peppered with vines, mustard fields and forests thick with truffles.
Ecclesiastical architecture blossomed in Burgundy between the Middle Ages and the 15th century, littering the region with a bounty of monasteries and basilicas you can explore in this multi-day itinerary. Going north towards abbey-clad Tournus , restaurant Le St-Martin in Chapaize, with an alfresco terrace eyeballing the bijou 11th-century village church, is a sensational lunch stop for modern French cuisine. Wine-tasting is one of Burgundy's most famous things to do and this is the way to experience it with four wheels.
Handsome stone villages stitched from squat half-timbered cottages, romantic Romanesque churches, fields specked with Charolais beef cattle and curious rock formations polka-dot the scenic route. The best spot to taste Dijon mustards is actually in Beaune, at the last-remaining mustard factory where mustard seeds are stone-ground to craft Moutarde de Bourgogne IGP.
Continuing south, dogs sniff out wintertime black truffles at Le Cos Piguet near Cortevaix. Pair with a local white Chardonnay or red Pinot Noir for epicurean heaven on earth. Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid The beauty of traveling in Europe in fall is the variety of experiences on offer.
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