A Couple’s Guide to the Charming Burgundy Region of France

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Visiting the Burgundy Region: A Perfect retreat from Paris

While researching the region of France, we weren’t sure if we should stay in Chablis or Auxerre. This article will help you to find those answers. The Bourgogne area is the perfect retreat from Paris, France.

P.S. You will need a car to visit these locations. If you are not comfortable driving, there are several tours that you can take to the Burgundy Wine Region from Paris through Viator.com.

Tip: Don’t forget to have € for the tolls in France. The tolls will take cards, but I prefer to have both cash and card available when there is a line of cars behind me.

When To Visit:

My husband and I visited Chablis and Auxerre in November.  It was the perfect time of the year for us to visit for several reasons. In November, the wine vineyard tours have stopped because it’s the end of the season. We have already toured several vineyards, so we were ok without taking a private wine tour. It’s the perfect place to go to enjoy the peace and quiet of the French countryside. 

If you are wanting to tour the vineyards, you will want to visit between May and September/October. Our goal was to see the countryside without the tourists, so we preferred to go in the off season, which is anytime between November and April. If you are ready for a retreat from Paris, this is the perfect place to stay in during your visit.

I wouldn’t suggest going during the Holidays of December because the restaurant at Hostellerie Des Clos is closed and you don’t want to miss it…. (Hostellerie Des Clos is linked below)!

Stay in Chablis or Auxerre?

Hotel Les Maréchaux is the best option in Auxerre, France. There are more sights to see in this town compared to Chablis. It also has a huge local market on Sundays.

Hostellerie des Clos is the best option in Chablis, France. It’s a mid-range priced hotel in the heart of Chablis. Chablis also has a market on Sunday and many wineries.

Don’t forget your travel insurance! We recommend World Nomads. Make sure to have coverage that includes medical expenses, trip cancellations, and coverage for your belongings from theft or damage. If needed, you may also want to include car rental insurance as well.

Stay in Chablis or Auxerre Itinerary:

Friday Evening: Hotel Check-in

I would recommend beginning your trip in Chablis. Spend Friday evening taking in the views and relaxing at your hotel in Chablis.

Make sure to have reservations for dinner at Hostellerie des Clos Restaurant. You can reserve through the hotel or through The Fork app. Their wine list is the size of an encyclopedia!

Saturday Morning: Retreat from Paris at the Spa

There are several ways that you can spend your Saturday morning. You can go for a wine tour of the vineyards or relax at the spa hotel. The spa services are almost half the price as the ones offered in Paris.

Wine Tour: If you are visiting during high season, contact Wine-liaisons.com for a tour with Brendan Moore.

Saturday Afternoon: Retreat from Paris with Wine Tasting

Chablis is a smaller town than Auxerre, but it will not disappoint with all of its charm and of course wine. There are a lot of wine tasting domains that are in walking distance from the hotel, Hostellerie des Clos.

Wineries To Visit:

There are plenty of options of places to taste the Chablis wine, but The Chablisienne is free. You only pay for what you taste, so it’s one that you don’t want to miss.

Wineries to Visit in Chablis: Domaine William Fevre, Domaine Laroche, Domain Jean Marc Brocard.

Saturday Evening: RSVP Dinner

RSVP dinner at any restaurant of choice

Sunday Morning: Auxerre Cathedral

Sunday morning, you will want to check out early from your Chablis hotel. Then head to Auxerre, where you can spend time walking through the markets. You can park for free on Sundays right by the Saint Pierre Church. After visiting the markets, you can visit the Auxerre Cathedral. They will just be ending a service, so make sure not to visit earlier than 12:30. Honestly, we didn’t have high expectations for it because we had just visited the Strasbourg Cathedral a few weeks before. But we were overall really impressed with this cathedral and it’s stained glass windows. After visiting the Cathedral, you can wander the town to find lunch. Make sure to see the Tour de l’Horlodge Clock Tower.

The Abbey of Saint Germain is another historical site that you can visit while in Auxerre, which has the oldest fresco paintings in France. Make sure to schedule a guided tour if you’d like to see the fresco paintings during your visit. It opens at 2:00 PM on Sundays.

Sunday Afternoon: Visit the Auxerre Caves

Les Caves Bailly Lapierre is about a 15 minute drive from downtown Auxerre. You can go on a guided 1 hour tour of the wine caves for €6.00, which includes two cremant tastings and a flute as well! What a deal, right? I recommend also trying the Bourgogne Aligote and the Chablis Premier Cru. During the weekends, they give tours every 30 minutes from 2:30-5:30 PM. Make sure to check the site because it’s a seasonal schedule.

Tip: We learned that parking was much closer than we thought. You will see a parking lot, but there is one much closer actually inside of the caves.

There are also two chateaus that are within a one hour driving distance. They are the Chateau d’Ancy le Franc and the Chateau de Bussy Rabutin. The Chateau d’Ancy le Franc is only 21 miles from Chablis.

If it happens to be a 3 day weekend or you have more time available. You could book an additional night at the hotel mentioned above in Auxerre. Hopefully this will help you decide on where to stay in Chablis or Auxerre?

If you have visited this region of France, I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

Are you looking for other French towns or regions to visit? If so, check out my Paris, Lyon, Loire Valley, or Strasbourg Blog. A bientot!

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