Santenay walks

This is a whole end-to-end 8-day dog-friendly 80 Km trip along the Route des Grands Crus (RDGC) from Santenay up to the edge of Dijon. On the way, you walk through great countryside, vineyards, and villages, covering the whole of the Côte d’Or which consists of two halves, the Côte de Beaune in the South end and the Côte de Nuits at the north end. We've divided the route into eight comfortable walks designed to provide a linear end-to-end route, each starting and finishing in accessible towns or villages. The wines and associated villages and vineyards are some of the most famous in the world with an unprecedented number of Grand Cru and Premier Cru marques, such as Chassagne-Montrachet in the south and Gevrey-Chambertin in the North (even the names of the villages sound enticing!). You will see that some of the vineyards are tiny - hence the exclusivity! - and indeed often divided up historically between many owners.

This is stage 1 Santenay to Meursault of the Route des Grands Crus. This walk runs from Santenay through villages of Chassagne Montrachet and St Aubin to the charming small town of Meursault; moderate difficulty with a bit of climbing, dog friendly via countryside and vineyards. End to end, a train service enables return to start.

Discover some of the famous vineyards between Santenay, La Rochepot, Saint Aubin and Chassagne Montrachet, then return to Santenay. Magnificent views over the various valleys you cross and the vineyards, which are very much in evidence.

Discover the Monts de Sene, Mont Rème and Rome Château through the vineyards with magnificent scenery.

Between mountains and vineyards, come and discover this village and its beautiful panoramic views from Mont Sene.

A family-friendly, educational route that takes you to superb panoramic views on both sides of the ridge.

Discover Rully and its surroundings. Beautiful landscapes to explore. Moderator's note added on 07/08/2021: since this page was created, some of the trails seem difficult to follow. See reviews.

Coming from Fontaine or Chagny, enter Rully, follow the signs to Agneux, go through the hamlet and up the narrow road to the pass; you're on the site of the caves, park at the pass exit near the lagoon. This is where the hike begins.

Discover the Agneux caves, the medieval castle of Rully and the surroundings of Mercurey.

A beautiful walk above the village of Rully in Burgundy, through vineyards, oak and boxwoods.

A beautiful hike from the Château de La Rochepot to Orches and back. Beautiful views make this a most enjoyable walk, and there are plenty of picnic tables along the way for well-deserved breaks.

Between undergrowth and along the cliffs, discover 2 archaeological sites with magnificent scenery in early autumn.

Hiking at the end of the world, a Jura retreat in the heart of the Côte d'Or! Majestic limestone cliffs gradually carved out by the Cozanne river.Route through undergrowth and along cliff edges (no real danger as long as you stay on the path).

A walk to discover the cliffs of St Romain and Orches. Beautiful panoramic view and, with a bit of luck, you'll spot peregrine falcons nesting on the cliffs.

An ascent of two mounts, Mont de Rome Château (514m) and Mont Rême (546m), giving you a good panoramic view of the Cossane valley, which joins the Dheune.

Discover Mercurey's surroundings: the vineyards, of course, but also the different viewpoints over the village and the beautiful 12th-century churches.

A beautiful hike in the Beaune region, allowing you to discover two small towns boasting architectural treasures, vibrant nature, magnificent panoramas and a touch of local heritage history.

A beautiful, slightly challenging hike, with magnificent views over prestigious villages and vineyards (Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet) and an extraordinary collection of cottages.

This 2nd walk on the 8-walk Route des Grands Crus (RDGC) starts in the centre of the famous wine village of Meursault and joins the RDGC proper on the west edge of the village or a fraction further on near Auxey-Duresses. It continues through the charming village of Auxey-Duresses itself and runs through wonderful countryside and vineyards and although there is one steep climb, this provides great views of the valley villages below, before eventually reaching the wine village of Pommard. The walk is dog friendly. This is stage 2 of the Route des Grands Crus.

A peaceful walk where Mont Rome seems to play hide and seek with hikers. The paths run alongside small streams and the few tarmac sections do not spoil the enjoyment. There is only one small climb, just to keep you in shape.

This is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Vallée des Vaux, just a stone's throw from Chalon. The Falaises de Château Beau and the Croix de Theu are the highlights of the walk, offering sweeping views from their summits and forming part of the scenery throughout the route.

For this hike, I had fun making this trail around the crosses and other statues in the Vallée des Vaux. Useful for discovering the beauty of the landscape.

A beautiful hike through villages and their prestigious vineyards, pleasant paths through the woods, over stubble fields and along balconies. Ideally to be done at the very beginning of autumn to enjoy the colours of the vineyards.

At first glance, this is a peaceful hike through the vineyards, but it gains altitude with the charming, stony paths of the Montagne d'Auxey.

This stage 3 in the overall Route des Grands Crus Burgundy series. This dog friendly walk runs from Pommard centre up into the hills through vineyards and woods and then finishes down in the outskirts of Beaune in the delightful Park de la Bouzaise. There is an option for an easy circular return if needed.