Burgundy's great vineyards, the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, lie north-west of Geneva in France and are reached by a drive of a few hours across the Jura and the Bresse plain; for comparison, Lyon is 150 km or about 1 h 45 from Geneva Airport, and Beaune is somewhat further. A chauffeured trip with AirportsTransfers.ch lets you taste in the famous villages without worrying about driving, whether you stay one night or several.
- Getting there: a few hours by road, crossing the border into France
- The heartland: the Côte d'Or, split into Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune
- Grapes: Pinot Noir for reds, Chardonnay for whites
- Base town: Beaune, with its Hospices and wine merchants' cellars
- Time needed: ideally two or three days
Understanding the Côte d'Or
The Côte d'Or is a narrow band of east-facing slopes running roughly from Dijon in the north to near Santenay in the south. Along it, the vineyards are divided into a mosaic of named plots called climats, each with its own soil and exposure, which together are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Wines are classified by origin: regional wines, village wines, premier crus and, at the top, grand crus, which carry only the name of the vineyard on the label. Almost all the red wines are made from Pinot Noir and the whites from Chardonnay, so the differences between them come from the place rather than the grape. Understanding this idea of terroir is the key to enjoying a visit, and a good tasting usually compares several villages or plots side by side.
The Côte de Nuits
The northern half, the Côte de Nuits, is the kingdom of red wine. Villages follow one another along the main road: Gevrey-Chambertin, with its many grand crus; Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny, known for elegant, perfumed reds; Vougeot, with the walled vineyard of the Clos de Vougeot and its historic château, once owned by Cistercian monks; Vosne-Romanée, home to some of the most prized vineyards in the world; and Nuits-Saint-Georges, a small town that gives its name to the area. Narrow lanes lead from the villages up into the vines, where stone walls, crosses and small chapels mark the old plots. Even without visiting a cellar, walking the vineyard paths and reading the names on the walls is a memorable experience for wine lovers.
The Côte de Beaune and the town of Beaune
The southern half, the Côte de Beaune, is wider and produces both reds and many of the world's most celebrated white wines. The hill of Corton rises above Aloxe-Corton, followed by Pommard and Volnay with their reds, then Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, names synonymous with great Chardonnay. At the centre lies Beaune, a walled town with a lively old centre and a long tradition of wine trade, whose merchants' cellars extend underground. Its best-known monument is the Hospices de Beaune, a medieval charity hospital with a spectacular roof of coloured glazed tiles, now a museum. Each autumn, a famous charity wine auction is held there. Beaune is the natural base for a stay, with restaurants, wine shops and tasting rooms in every street.
Planning a chauffeured tasting trip
Burgundy rewards preparation. Many prestigious estates are small and receive visitors only by appointment, sometimes only through trade contacts, so it is wise to book visits well ahead or to rely on merchant houses and tasting rooms in Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges, which welcome the public more easily. Two or three cellar visits a day is plenty, leaving time for lunch in a village and a walk in the vines. The harvest season in early autumn is atmospheric but busy for winegrowers, while late spring and early summer are calmer. A chauffeur makes the trip simpler on every level: no navigation along narrow vineyard lanes, no parking issues in the villages, and no worries about French drink-driving limits. A chauffeur by the hour can stay with you for the whole tour.
Booking your Burgundy trip with AirportsTransfers.ch
Whether you want a return transfer from Geneva Airport to your Beaune hotel or a chauffeur for a full tasting itinerary, book online with AirportsTransfers.ch. You see the fixed price per vehicle before paying by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, with no surprise if traffic is slow. If you are flying in, your driver tracks your flight, waits at arrivals with a name sign and stays on at no extra charge if your flight is late. An E-Class or S-Class is ideal for couples and long drives, while a V-Class takes up to seven passengers with luggage and any cases of wine you bring back; child seats are available on request and companies receive an invoice. Reach the team at +41 78 346 56 77, by phone or WhatsApp, day and night.
