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Beaujolais and Burgundy | Two French Wine Regions in One Day

We started the day in Burgundy and ended it in Beaujolais. Needless to say, we drank lots of great wine.

Burgundy

We sadly left La Ruchotte after a too short visit and took the short drive to Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. We had to do what one does in such a place, so we immediately proceeded to a recommended wine shop. We were like kids in a candy store as we perused the selection of local wines at prices exponentially lower than at home.

Looking at the wines and hearing about them was almost as fun as drinking the wines will be. Okay, maybe not. But it was fun nevertheless. And the net result is that we will get to enjoy Burgundy well after the trip has ended, each time that we open a bottle.

Wine Shopping in Beaune
Wine Shopping in Beaune

Everybody in the city (including us) seemed to be cranky due to the rain, so we decided to eat lunch. We had enjoyed three special meals in Burgundy so far, but our lunch was nothing special.

Certainly, it was better than the average lunch in Philadelphia and of course was accompanied by white Burgundy wine, just nothing special for by French standards. After we finished lunch, we jumped into our delightfully dry Peugeot and headed to the Beaujolais wine region.

Beaujolais

Beaujolais is the wine region that is south of Burgundy and north of Lyon. The region is famous in France and beyond for its Gamay grapes and the annual swill debuted each November known as Beaujolais Nouveau.

View from Bed in the Twiggy Room
View from Bed in the Twiggy Room

We didn’t meander through the vines due to the rain; instead, we headed directly to Pouilly-Le-Chatel in Denicé. This B&B was stylish and comfortable, though it felt to be more style over substance compared to our two past lodging experiences which had both provided hospitality from the heart.

The rain persisted, so we relaxed in the lounge with wi-fi and a bottle of Pouilly Le Chatel Beaujolais. Yes, the B&B was located at a winery.

Beaujolais Dinner

We didn’t have to go far for dinner, as we partook in a four-course dinner prepared by our hosts.

German Dinner Companions
German Dinner Companions

Our dinner companions were an older German couple. Small talk was somewhat stilted based on our cultural differences more so than any language barriers.

All Meals Should Start with Charcuterie
All Meals Should Start with Charcuterie
Amuse Bouche
Amuse Bouche

The four of us polished off two more bottles of local wine while we ate cheese, charcuterie, salmon and rich chocolate cake. The best part of the meal, however, was when we stepped outside to go to our room and found that the rain had finally ended.

Salmon and Rice
Salmon and Rice
Every Meal Should Have a Cheese Course
Every Meal Should Have a Cheese Course
Locally Sourced Wine
Locally Sourced Wine

We woke up the next day to dry weather, so we happily checked out Southern Beaujolais after a quick breakfast at the B&B.

Driving Through Beaujolais

The better wines, or Crus, are indigenous to Northern Beaujolais, but we stayed in the south to enjoy the rolling hills and charming towns. The views were stunning, the kind of view that cannot be properly captured by a camera.

Shed at the Winery Beujolais France
Shed at the Winery
Beautiful Beaujolais
Beautiful Beaujolais
Self Portrait
Self Portrait
Rolling Hills Beaujolais France
Rolling Hills
Vineyard in the Hills Beaujolais France
Vineyard in the Hills
Tasty Roadside Grape Beaujolais France
Tasty Roadside Grape
Vines Beaujolais France
Vines

Oingt

Oignt Beaujolais France
Oignt

We decided to check out a medieval village called Oingt with golden limestone walls. We knew we liked the town when we were offered a wine tasting within minutes of arriving, plus the name is fun to say.

Oignt Street Beaujolais France
Oignt Street

We climbed the winding streets up to the church which dates back to the 12th century. The view at the top of the hill was breathtaking. Artisan shops were dotted among the historical buildings, and we couldn’t help but assist the local economy.

Inside the Medieval Church Beaujolais France
Inside the Medieval Church
Stained Glass Beaujolais France
Stained Glass
View from the Top Beaujolais France
View from the Top
Limestone Beaujolais France
Limestone

We left Oignt and started driving south.

Along the way, we bumped into a series of cool scarecrows made of household items.

Scarecrows in the Field Beaujolais France
Scarecrows in the Field

Grocery Store Lunch

We contemplated another fancy meal but instead opted for a more casual lunch at a supermarket on the drive from Oingt to Lyon. We always like checking out markets when we travel, even supermarkets.

Scavenging for Lunch France Supermarket
Scavenging for Lunch

We enjoyed our eclectic, cost-effective lunch and proceeded with the relatively short drive to Lyon, where we were about to experience lots of great food and great coffee.

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Hungry for More French Food?

Check out our French food guides for Lyon, Paris and Strasbourg. Then check out our guide to the best desserts and pastries in France.

About the Authors

About the Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We self-funded our trip to both wine regions.

Original Publication Date: October 27, 2012

Els

Sunday 10th of August 2014

I prefer Chilean wines to French ones, but am looking forward every year to the arrival of the "Beaujolais Nouveau"! And oh God, that food looks to die for!!