10 Diverse Activities in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

The Route des Grands Crus, nicknamed "The Champs Elysées of Burgundy", passes through the most prestigious wine-growing neighborhoods, in the vineyards of the Côtes de Beaune and Côtes de Nuits. Between Dijon and Santenay, you can travel between the "climats", those vines listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites which produce unique vintages.

By automobile, you simply follow the D974. By bike, a cycle route allows you to travel southwards from Beaune and its famous hospices. In this hilly landscape, you pass through villages with stone houses built around a church, a fountain or a wash-house. Estates and chateaux invite you to discover their wines in magnificent old cellars.

By barge or along the banks of the Canal de Bourgogne, you'll discover the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region with its rural landscapes alternating between forests and fields, adorned by picturesque villages and ancient chateaux. Let yourself be guided by the water that gently flows down this canal as it crosses the region, between the Yonne and the Saône.

From Migennes to Dijon, the pleasant banks are ideal for a family outing, on foot or by bike, studded by the countless locks along the canal. It also features 5 canal bridges, including the Saint-Florentin bridge over the Armance river. This river crossing with its remarkable stone aqueduct, offers a magnificent and truly poetic landscape.

The Plateau des Mille Étangs in the Haute-Saône region offers numerous hiking trails that cross forests, meadows and moors, while skirting the countless streams and ponds shaped by the ancient glaciers of the Vosges. The Plateau lies within the Ballons des Vosges Nature Park, and to explore it, you can set up your base camp in the town with plenty of character, Faucogney-et-la-Mer.

Here and there, in its hamlets, you can see farms, churches and mills that form a picturesque architectural heritage amidst unspoilt natural landscapes. Ferns and heather line the paths that open onto vast stretches of water that are true sanctuaries of biodiversity.

The horse-riding tour of the Morvan follows almost 600 km of marked horse-riding trails. This natural park has an authentic landscape and will give you a breath of freedom as you ride your horse. Its bridle paths are a chance to discover the different facets of the massif. After passing through undergrowth and coniferous forests, by waterfalls and lakes, you stop off at villages steeped in history, such as Vézelay or Château-Chinon.

Being quite sporty, this tour is aimed at riders from an intermediate level upwards. Allow a good week to complete the larger loop. For the less experienced or if you have only a little time, opt for more peaceful day or half-day trips.

The Dijon Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Dijon) exhibits paintings and sculptures from different periods in a renowned residence, the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. It's located in the southern part of the city centre. You'll easily spot it with its 46-metre high Philippe le Bon tower (tour Philippe le Bon).

It's one of the largest museums in France and houses a wealth of works ranging from Antiquity to the modern era, with a particularly good collection of art from the late Middle Ages. You can also visit it for the place itself and its walls that are full of history, reflected by the sculpted tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy displayed in the great hall.

The Château d'Ancy-le-Franc is a magnificent 16th-century monument in the heart of a park covering some 50 hectares, on the banks of the Canal de Bourgogne. Built near Auxerre, in the midst of medieval villages and renowned vineyards, it is distinguished by four wings of equal size creating an elegant inner courtyard. The interior is richly decorated with a major collection of murals and period furniture that tells us about the lives of the historical characters who lived there, such as Diane de Poitiers.

Outside, you can stroll through the English garden with a large lake, and between the French flowerbeds. On request, you can even have lunch or take a cooking workshop in the old kitchens of the chateau.

Fontenay Abbey (Abbaye de Fontenay) is a magnificently preserved monument, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a small valley between Auxerre and Dijon, the 12th-century stone buildings stand in a green setting. The peaceful location imbued with spirituality is an invitation to calm and introspection. In the Romanesque style, the cloister consists of galleries with double arcades that frame a grassy courtyard.

Visit the chapter house, the dormitory and the monks' hall, as well as the abbey church and the forge, as they bear witness to the beginnings of metalworking in Europe. The place is brought to life once more through movies, including Cyrano de Bergerac with Gerard Depardieu, and it regularly hosts candle-lit concerts.

The citadel of Besançon (La citadelle de Besançon) is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 17th-century military architecture, which is one of Vauban's best preserved fortifications. Built on Mont Saint-Étienne, which dominates the old town, it offers a panoramic view of the roofs and meanders of the Doubs river.

Surrounded by imposing ramparts, it offers three museums. Namely, the Musée comtois dedicated to local traditions, the Museum of the French Resistance and Deportation, and the Natural History Museum, which includes a zoological museum. It's a great setting for a cultural, family outing just a stone's throw from the city. However, with young children, you will need to leave the pushchair behind to stroll its beautiful rampart walk.

The Toy Museum (Musée du Jouet) houses a collection of games and toys, especially wooden examples, in the purest Jura tradition. It is located in the Haut-Jura Regional Natural Park, in Moirans-en-Montagne, between Besançon and Aix-les-Bains. It shows changing manufacturing techniques and toys from all eras and styles.

From small automobiles, dolls and antique dinners to the first games consoles, construction models, plastic figures and electric trains. Displays are made fun with a treasure hunt organized during the school vacations. In the shop, it's easy to be tempted by a "made in Jura" toy.

Unlock the secrets of Comté cheese at Fort Saint Antoine. This former military fort is located between Malbuisson and Métabief in a forest in the Haut-Doubs, south of Besançon. Today, it houses the Marcel Petite maturing cellars. Its long underground galleries provide slow matururation at a constant temperature.

A master cheese maker presents this cheese-making tradition from the Jura mountains and explains his profession with passion. You'll find racks full of cheese wheels waiting to be rubbed and salted with patience. You'll discover the different textures and flavors, and see which maturation period results the finesse and intensity of the desired taste. The tour ends with a tasting session to titillates your senses. Remember to book your guided tour.