Active Journeys France Guided Tour Road Cycling France Tour descriptions and distances Best of Burgundy Cycling Tour Day 1 Arrival This is the warm heartland of gastronomic France, a welcoming and colorful landscape of dazzling mustard fields, rich pastures and golden villages. Burgundy, with its chateaux, fine Day 2 45 km wines, wonderful cuisine, remarkable network of quiet country roads and just a few hours To Semur away from Paris, makes this is an ideal locaon to arrange a bicycling holiday in France! Day 3 55 km Burgundy boasts some of the most presgious wines in the world, with names like Vosne- To Chateauneuf Romanée, Gevrey Chambern and Puligny-Montrachet. The commercial centre of the Bur- Day 4 55 km gundy wine industry is Beaune, where each November the annual wine aucon at the Hô- To Dijon tel-Dieu in Beaune forms the centrepiece of Les Trois Glorieuse, a fesval that includes the Chapter of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin at Château Clos de Vougeot and the Day 5 33 km Paulée de Meursault. To Nuits St Georges Burgundy is also the home of the famous Charolais beef, boeuf bourguignonne, coq-au-vin, Day 6 30 km as well as snails, jambon-perseillée (more interesng and beer-tasng than it sounds!) To Beaune and eggs poached in wine. Burgundy deserves its reputaon as one of the gastronomic regions of France. Day 7 35 km Around the wine country Our route this week starts close to the Abbey of Fontenay near Montbard, and we use the Day 8 Departure Canal du Bourgogne to help us find a route through the hills of the Auxois and the ap- proaches to Dijon so that we avoid traffic. From Dijon we explore the famous vineyards of the Côtes d'Or on our way to Beaune. In Beaune we can visit the unforgeable Hôtel Dieu and explore further south, wine tasng in Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet Tour Details 2017 Dates: July 15 August 19 September 16 Cost: $2895 per person Length: 8 days / 7 nights Fast Facts Bike rental: Included Single Supplement: $750 Includes: • 7 nights accommodation in stand- • Route notes and maps Grade: Moderate/Intermediate ard hotels • Guide and support services Starts: Hotel In Montbard • Breakfasts and dinners • Visits to vineyards and wineries Ends: Hotel near Beaune • van support for luggage en route Active Journeys Contact: 1-800-597-5594 or 416-236-5011 Email: [email protected] Day 1 Arrival to Montbard Our tour starts at the first hotel in Montbard , north of Dijon . The best way to access Montbard is via Dijon, by Paris and take the TGV. We can arrange transfers to our first hotel in Montbard. Day 2 To Semur-en-Auxois 45 km We follow the Canal du Bourgogne to Alise-Ste-Reine , where there is a giant statue of Vercengetorix erected by Napolean III. We follow the canal again before climbing to the beauful walled town of Semur-en-Auxois . The town is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs carved by the river Armancon, and is a truly beauful lile town. Day 3 To Chateauneuf 55 km We head downhill, and back to the canal at Marigny le Cahouët. The Canal de Bourgogne has been described as the most beauful route in France. We pass through delighul villages like Braux and St Thibault. At Pouilly-en- Auxois the canal reaches its summit, the highest point on the canal. At Pouilly the canal disappears into a tunnel, and we connue to the delighul village of Chateauneuf . Day 4 To Dijon 55 km Our route now follows the canal and a cycle path through beauful forests all the way into Dijon . Today we cycle past more than 50 locks, delighul canal- side villages and restaurants as we pass through Velars, and the chance to visit one of the famous mustard factories of Dijon . Tonight, weather per- ming we can eat in the lovely courtyard of our hotel. Day 5 To Nuits St. Georges 33 km Today we'll leave Dijon alongside the Canal du Bourgogne before we head west towards the hills of the Côtes D'Or. We follow ny roads and tracks through vineyards, vising vineyards in Marsannay and in Gevrey- Chambern, as well as the Clos de Vougeot before we arrive at Nuits St Georges where we stay at the Hostellerie Saint Vincent. The Chateau at Clos de Vougeot is well worth a visit. Day 6 To Beaune 30 km Today, as we explore the Côtes de Beaune , we tackle some more challenging cycling and visit the beauful villages of Savigny-les-Beaune and Aloxe- Corton on our route to Beaune. Here, the wine makers can't command the sky-high prices of their more illustrious neighbors, but at their best sll pro- duce high-quality wines. Today is a relavely short cycling day, so we should have me for wine tasng in both Aloxe and Savigny before we make our way to Beaune. It is dominated by the wine industry, but the highlight is the Hospice, and a visit is a must. We stay just outside out of Beaune. Day 7 Cycling Amongst the Best White Wines in the World 35 km There are a whole series of classic wine villages running south of Beaune toward Macon and the Beaujolais region. Once again we're on ny roads winding through the vineyards as we visit Pommard, Volnay and Meursault, home to white wines hailed as the finest in the world. From Meursault we cycle to the village of Puligny-Montrachet where we'll do some wine tasng with Olivier-Lefalive Freres before going onto Chassagne-Montrachet and onto Cagny . Here we join the Canal du Centre on a tailor-made cycle path and begin our return to Ste Marie-la-Blanche via ny roads with the hills of the Côtes D'Or behind us. Day 8 - End of Cycling Tour Trip ends a er breakfast. Getting There What to Expect What will the weather be like? Fly into Paris, Charles de Gaulle air- The dayme temperature will be around 20C (70’s F), there may be some rainfall, port: and it is best to bring rain gear, just in case. Sunscreen is a must, as is a hat with a brim. You can take a TGV train leaving Paris Lyon staon at 16:53 arriving How many hours of cycling a day? to Montbard 17:57. Be prepared to ride between 4 to 6 hours daily. On the last day, from Beaune train How fit do I need to be? staon take the 09:39 train to Paris The fier the beer, you will be able to ride more mileage rather than sing in Lyon arriving 12:37. the van. There are some hills and some level terrain. Overall, it is rather hilly. This is not a trip for a beginner. Local transfers on Days 1 & 8 are from What is the food like? Montbard staon to the first hotel, We have a combinaon of buffet breakfasts or modified connental. Dinner will and from the last hotel to Beaune usually be a 3-course meal. We can accommodate all food allergies and re- staon. Cost for return transfer is 50€ stricons. per person. What are the hotels like? They are chosen for their charm and locaon. Properes are at the 3 star level, with all the amenies. All our properes have private facilies, some will have pools. $75 return How to book your holiday • Contact our office to make sure there is space available. One of our travel planners will walk you through the en- tire process. • Download the reservation form from our site and send in completed form by fax or email. Once this is done, your space is confirmed and pre-departure packet will be sent. • Deposit is required immediately, and final payment is due 60 days prior to the trip departure. Terms & Conditions are outlined in our Reservation Form. • Plan your air travel as soon as possible. Extra Services • We encourage you to purchase travel insurance, either We have a small selecon of hotels in France for your arrival or departure. through us or a travel insurance provider directly. • Ensure you are in proper health for the trip chosen. Con- Private transfers depart Dijon at about 4:30 PM for arrival in Montbard by 6:00 PM. Return transfer tact us for more information on vaccinations, inoculations, departs from the hotel at 8:30 AM. and fitness requirements. .