Burgundy

Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) offers some of France's most gorgeous countryside: rolling green hills dotted with mustard fields and medieval villages. The region's towns and its dashingly handsome capital, Dijon, are heirs to a glorious architectural heritage that goes back to the Renaissance, the Middle Ages and into the mists of Gallo-Roman and Celtic antiquity.

Two great French passions, wine and food, come together here in a particularly enticing way. Burgundy's vineyards have been granted Unesco World Heritage status in recognition of the region's centuries-old history of viticulture and the remarkable diversity of its winegrowing terroir (land).

Burgundy's four départements (Côte d'Or, Yonne, Saône-et-Loire and Nièvre) are a paradise for lovers of the great outdoors. You can cycle through venerable vineyards, hike the wild reaches of the Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan, glide along tranquil waterways in a canal boat, or float above it all in a hot-air balloon.