Introduction

Castles and kings, festivals and famous wines: history and the art of fine living meet in the heartland of France.

Rich in history and art, in food and wine, in charm and natural beauty – at once breathtakingly grand and delightfully simple, the regions of Burgundy and the Loire Valley turn an ordinary vacation into a regal holiday.

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For friendly expertise to assist you in touring France at your own pace, contact DMI Tours.

 

Wine Country

The more casual wine lover can head out to the Cote d’Or for a day of wine tasting, and a stroll along the quiet streets of a stone village. Everywhere you look, vineyards carpet the land. Many wine producers open their caves to the public and invite you to sample their wines. Look for signs that offer tastings: “degustation” (day-goose-ta-see-ahn) and wine for sale "vente." (vant)

Wine is a way of life in Burgundy. In some villages, everyone grows grape vines. The town talk revolves around the weather – "is there enough rain, enough sun, will the autumn be wet or dry?" Owning ten acres of vines in this golden countryside can make you quite wealthy – if the weather cooperates.

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For excellent wine country tours, check out www.wineandvoyages.com.

 

Canal Boats

The area around Semur is laced with canals. It is possible to travel around most of France by cruising some 5000 miles of canals, streams and rivers by rented boat or on full service barge trips. In times past, the canals were used to ship wood, stone and wine to the people of Paris.

One very sweet way to explore Burgundy is on a canal boat. Steve Adams from France Afloat invited me aboard to find out how it’s all done.

Moderately priced and perfect for a family or group of friends, a canal trip lets you take in Burgundy leisurely. You can overnight anywhere on the canals and take bike rides to the surrounding towns, castles and countryside.

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Find out more on taking your own canal boat vacation at www.franceafloat.com.

 

Hot Air Ballooning

Hot air ballooning is quite popular in the Loire Valley. Everything from short tours to full day trips can be arranged. Weather and wind direction have a lot to do with what you’ll see. It’s a heavenly experience, sailing gently above the countryside, guided by the wind.

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To indulge your own heavenly experience, visit www.franceballoons.com.

 

Château de la Bourdaisière

If you really want to feel like royalty, you can stay in a castle yourself. The Château de la Bourdaisière (bord–day–see–air) , located near Tours, offers a princely retreat at reasonable prices. The owners happen to be French princes themselves.

Francois built la Bourdaisière for one of his many mistresses. A biographer once called Francois "as amorous as a cat." The beautifully decorated rooms are mostly named for famous women.

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To book your own royal visit, go to www.chateaulabourdaisiere.com. If you're looking for even more chateau experiences, check out www.relaischateaux.com.

 

Domaine Dujac

I’m visiting one of the premiere wine producers in Burgundy. Domaine Dujac makes a Grand Cru and a Premiere Cru wine. Simply put, they are the best of the best.

I spoke with Dujac’s Jeremy Seysses about the differences between their world-class wines.

The perfect lay of the land is reflected in the taste and the price of the wine. And well, it may just take me several tries to taste the subtle differences.

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If you'd like to take wine tasting matters into your own hands, get the book "Touring in Wine Country: Burgundy" by Hubrecht Duijker.

 

• Introduction
• Wine Country
• Canal Boats
• Hot Air Ballooning
• Château de la Bourdaisière
• Domaine Dujac