Discover Burgundy & Alsace: Self-Launched Wine & Culture Adventure

Make your way to Auxerre independently from Paris. Take a direct train from Paris Bercy Bourgogne–Pays d'Auvergne to Auxerre Saint-Gervais (approximately 2 hours, from £15–25 booked via SNCF Connect). Check into your accommodation and spend the evening wandering the old town along the Yonne River — Saint-Étienne Cathedral is stunning at dusk. Grab dinner at one of the brasseries in the old quarter; a formule (set menu) will cost around £15–20 including wine.

🚌Train from Paris Bercy to Auxerre Saint-Gervais via SNCF Connect, ~£15–25

🛏Hôtel Le Maxime or similar 2-star hotel in central Auxerre (~£55–70/night)

• →Self-guided evening walk through Auxerre's half-timbered old town
• →Visit Saint-Étienne Cathedral (free entry)
• →Dinner at a local brasserie in the old quarter

Spend the morning exploring Auxerre on foot — pick up a free town map from the tourist office and visit the 15th-century clock tower and Saint-Germain Abbey (entry ~£5). Then take a local bus or join an independent day tour to Chablis (20 min, ~£3–5 by bus or taxi share). Book a tasting directly with Maison Brocard (biodynamic vineyard, tastings bookable at maisonbrocard.com, from ~£10pp) and enjoy a picnic with local cheeses and baguette from Auxerre market. In the afternoon, take a taxi or rideshare (~£15–20 shared) to the medieval hilltop town of Vézelay to explore the UNESCO-listed Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine (free entry, audioguide ~£4) before heading back to Auxerre.

🚌Local bus Auxerre–Chablis ~£3–5; taxi/rideshare to Vézelay and back ~£20–30 split

🛏Hôtel Le Maxime or similar 2-star hotel in central Auxerre (~£55–70/night)

• →Self-guided walking tour of Auxerre old city with tourist office map
• →Visit Saint-Germain Abbey (~£5)
• →Wine tasting at Maison Brocard, Chablis (~£10pp, book direct)
• →Picnic lunch with local produce from Auxerre market (~£8)
• →Visit Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Vézelay (free, audioguide ~£4)

Take a morning coach or train from Auxerre to Dijon (1h 30min, from ~£12 via SNCF). Check into your Dijon accommodation, then head out to explore the UNESCO-listed historic centre on foot. The Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, Notre-Dame Church and the medieval street of Rue de la Chouette are all free to wander. In the afternoon, take a short bus or taxi (~£10–15 each way) to Château du Clos de Vougeot — book a guided tour and three-wine tasting directly at closdevougeot.fr (~£15–20pp). Return to Dijon for dinner in the city.

🚌Train/coach Auxerre to Dijon ~£12; taxi to Clos de Vougeot and back ~£20–30

🛏Hôtel Chambellan or similar central Dijon budget hotel (~£60–80/night)

• →Self-guided walk through Dijon's UNESCO historic centre (free)
• →Visit Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy (free exterior, museum entry ~£6)
• →Guided tour and 3-wine tasting at Château du Clos de Vougeot (~£15–20pp, book at closdevougeot.fr)
• →Dinner in Dijon — try local speciality boeuf bourguignon (~£15–20)

Take the train from Dijon to Beaune (20 min, ~£6). The Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu) is one of France's greatest Gothic monuments — book your entry ticket directly online at hospices-de-beaune.com (~£10pp). Afterwards, grab a self-service lunch in Beaune's market square (~£10–12). For the truffle experience, Maison aux Mille Truffes near Beaune offers truffle hunting sessions with their trained dog — book directly via their website or by phone (~£25–35pp). Return to Dijon by train in the evening.

🚌Train Dijon–Beaune ~£6 return; local taxi to truffle farm ~£10–15 return

🛏Hôtel Chambellan or similar central Dijon budget hotel (~£60–80/night)

• →Guided visit to Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu) (~£10pp, book at hospices-de-beaune.com)
• →Lunch in Beaune market square (~£10–12)
• →Truffle hunting experience at Maison aux Mille Truffes (~£25–35pp, book direct)
• →Evening stroll around Beaune's medieval ramparts (free)

Check out of your Dijon hotel and take the TGV or regional train from Dijon to Colmar (1h 45min, from ~£20–35 via SNCF Connect — book in advance for best prices). Arrive mid-morning and check into your Colmar accommodation. Join a self-booked walking tour of the old town via GetYourGuide (~£12–15pp) covering the colourful half-timbered Rue des Têtes, the tanners' district, and Petite Venise. Book a canal boat ride through the Little Venice district independently at the jetty (punt trips run daily, ~£7–10pp for a 30-min ride). Spend the afternoon at leisure — the Unterlinden Museum (~£13) and the Bartholdi Museum (~£6) are both excellent options.

🚌Train Dijon to Colmar ~£20–35 (book ahead); local walking/tram in Colmar

🛏Hôtel Turenne or Ibis Colmar Centre or similar (~£65–85/night)

• →Train Dijon to Colmar (book in advance via SNCF Connect, ~£20–35)
• →Walking tour of Colmar old town via GetYourGuide (~£12–15pp)
• →Canal boat trip through Petite Venise (~£7–10pp, book at the jetty)
• →Optional: Unterlinden Museum (~£13) or Bartholdi Museum (~£6)
• →Explore Colmar Covered Market by the Lauch River (free)

Hire a car for the day (~£40–55 with fuel) or join a shared Alsace Wine Route day tour from Colmar via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£45–65pp including transport). First stop is Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, the largest castle in Alsace, perched dramatically on a hilltop (entry ~£10pp, book at haut-koenigsbourg.fr). Continue to the wine village of Kientzheim for a vineyard walk (~1.5 hrs, free) and a tasting at a local domaine (~£8–12pp). After lunch in Kientzheim (~£12–15), drive through the fairy-tale village of Riquewihr (stroll free), then on to Ribeauvillé to visit Maison Trimbach (tastings from ~£10pp, book via trimbachvin.fr). Celebrate with a farewell dinner back in Colmar this evening — splurge on an Alsatian tarte flambée and Riesling.

🚌Hire car for the day ~£40–55 (fuel included) OR shared Wine Route day tour via GetYourGuide ~£45–65pp

🛏Hôtel Turenne or Ibis Colmar Centre or similar (~£65–85/night)

• →Visit Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg (~£10pp, book at haut-koenigsbourg.fr)
• →Vineyard walk around Kientzheim (free)
• →Wine tasting at a Kientzheim domaine (~£8–12pp)
• →Stroll through medieval Riquewihr (free)
• →Wine tasting at Maison Trimbach, Ribeauvillé (~£10pp, book via trimbachvin.fr)
• →Farewell dinner in Colmar with tarte flambée and Riesling (~£20–25)

Enjoy a final breakfast in Colmar before making your own way home. Colmar station has direct trains to Gare de l'Est in Paris (approx 2h 20min, from ~£25–45 via SNCF Connect — book ahead). Alternatively, Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport is just 30 minutes away by shuttle bus (~£10) with connections across Europe. If time allows, grab a morning pastry at a boulangerie and do one last wander through Petite Venise before you depart.

🚌Train Colmar to Paris Gare de l'Est ~£25–45; or shuttle to Basel Airport ~£10

• →Final morning stroll through Petite Venise (free)
• →Breakfast at a local boulangerie (~£5–8)
• →Train Colmar to Paris Gare de l'Est (~£25–45, book in advance via SNCF Connect)