Burgundy (Bourgogne) Overview

With rich green vineyards punctuated by brightly colored village rooftops, this agricultural region has long fostered a strong identity and an independent spirit. This sovereign attitude was best demonstrated during the Hundred Years’ War when the Burgundians betrayed the young Joan of Arc by siding with the English—or rather, against the French.

The heartland of Roman Gaul in the first century BC, this fruitful region was finally conquered in the AD fifth century by the the namesake Germanic tribe of Burgundians. By the Middle Ages, the duchy of Burgundy had grown fat off the land, building magnificent cathedrals and palaces, collecting priceless works of art, funding powerful monasteries, and creating a legacy of world-class winemaking. The ducal palace and museums of Dijon—the regional capital—stand as vivid reminders of a time when Burgundian dukes wielded more power than the puny Parisian monarchy.

Taste a source of regional pride by sampling the wines produced in this fertile area; Louis XIV called Burgundian wine “le vin des rois, le roi des vins” (“the wine of kings, the king of wines”). Today, a bicycle ride through the rolling hills of the Côte d’Or reveals some of the world’s finest vineyards, haunted by connoisseurs in search of the perfect Pinot Noir.