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Côte d'Or

The Côte d'Or département is named after one of the world's foremost winegrowing regions, which stretches from Dijon, bursting with cultural riches, south to the wine town of Beaune and beyond. West of Dijon, other worthwhile destinations include the walled, hilltop town of Semur-en-Auxois, the idyllic Cistercian monastic site Abbaye de Fontenay and the historic Alésia battlefield where Julius Caesar finally vanquished the Gauls in 52 BC. In the far northwest of the département, on the border with Champagne, Châtillon-sur-Seine displays some stunning Celtic treasures.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Côte d'Or.

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Abbaye de Fontenay
Founded in 1118 and enshrined as a Unesco World Heritage site, Fontenay Abbey offers a fascinating glimpse of the austere, serene surroundings in which Cistercian monks lived lives of contemplation and manual labour. Set at road's end in a bucolic wooded valley beside a tranquil stream, this restored masterpiece of medieval monastic architecture includes an unadorned Romanesque church, a barrel-vaulted monks’ dormitory, and Europe's earliest metallurgical forge, complete with a working reconstruction of the hydraulic hammer used by 13th-century monks.
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Musée des Beaux-Arts
Nearing the end of a nine-year renovation, these sprawling galleries in Dijon's monumental Palais des Ducs are works of art in themselves and constitute one of France's most outstanding museums. The star attraction is the wood-panelled Salle des Gardes, which houses the ornate, carved late-medieval sepulchres of dukes John the Fearless and Philip the Bold. Other sections focus on Egyptian art, the Middle Ages in Burgundy and Europe, and six centuries of European painting, from the Renaissance to modern times.
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Musée du Pays Châtillonnais Trésor de Vix
Châtillon’s main claim to fame is the Trésor de Vix (Vix Treasure), a collection of Celtic, Etruscan and Greek objects from the 6th century BC on display at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais. The outstanding collection includes an exquisitely ornamented, jaw-droppingly massive Greek krater; easily the largest known bronze vessel from the ancient world, it's 1.64m high, with a weight of 208.6kg and a capacity of 1100L!
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Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune
Built in 1443, this magnificent Gothic hospital (until 1971) is famously topped by stunning turrets and pitched rooftops covered in multicoloured tiles. Interior highlights include the barrel-vaulted Grande Salle (look for the dragons and peasant heads up on the roof beams); the mural-covered St-Hughes Room; an 18th-century pharmacy lined with flasks once filled with elixirs and powders; and the multipanelled masterpiece Polyptych of the Last Judgement by 15th-century Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden, depicting Judgment Day in glorious technicolour.
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Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne
Once home to Burgundy's powerful dukes, this monumental palace with a neoclassical facade overlooks place de la Libération, old Dijon's magnificent central square dating from 1686. The palace's eastern wing houses the outstanding Musée des Beaux-Arts, whose entrance is next to the Tour de Bar, a squat 14th-century tower that once served as a prison. The remainder of the palace houses municipal offices that are off limits to the public.
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Château de Pommard
For many red-wine lovers, a visit to this superb château 3km south of Beaune is the ultimate Burgundian pilgrimage. The impressive cellars contain many vintage bottles. If the tour has whetted your appetite, you can sample Burgundian specialities at the on-site restaurant. The château offers several other wine-related experiences, including a 2½-hour glimpse into the secrets of the sommelier, a chance to help with the wine harvest, and a kids' introduction to vineyard ecology followed by a fruit juice tasting.
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Église Notre Dame
A block north of the Palais des Ducs, this church was built between 1220 and 1240. Its extraordinary façade's three tiers are lined with leering gargoyles separated by two rows of pencil-thin columns. Atop the church, the 14th-century Horloge à Jacquemart, transported from Flanders in 1383 by Philip the Bold who claimed it as a trophy of war, chimes every quarter-hour.
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Château du Clos de Vougeot
A mandatory stop on your tour of Burgundy's vineyards, this magnificent wine-producing château (estate) provides a wonderful introduction to Burgundy's winemaking techniques. Originally the property of the Abbaye de Cîteaux, the 16th-century country castle served as a getaway for the abbots. Tours offer a chance to discover the workings of enormous ancient wine presses and casks.
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Château de la Rochepot
Conical towers and multicoloured tile roofs rise from thick woods above the ancient village of La Rochepot. This marvellous medieval fortress offers fab views of surrounding countryside, and the interiors are a fascinating combination of the utilitarian (weapons) and the luxe (fine paintings). Visitors receive a multilingual handout and are free to tour the château on their own.