The Vineyard Trail, what a great idea!
Perfect for people who love cycling and also love wine, it could have been made for us.
The Véloroute (cycle route) provides the perfect way to immerse yourself in the vineyards, and stretches 35 km from Nolay to Beaune, in the heart of the vineyards.
Setting off from our campsite, once we had passed through the village we followed minor roads and vineyard paths used by winemakers and grape pickers, visibly tending the vines that we passed through, and as the vines are planted on the hillsides, we had uninterrupted views of the beautiful South Burgundy countryside to feast our eyes on as we pedalled. Along the way, we passed through a trail of pretty, welcoming villages: Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay and Pommard, some of the most famous (and expensive) wine producers in the world, each with a church, fountain, château or other such delight, as well as the cafés and wine bars where the produce of the local producers can be sampled. At each one we stopped to fill our water bottles and take in the views until we reached Beaune, where we treated ourself to a small glass of wine and a visit to Le Hospices de Beaune, a hospital foundation from the Middle Ages, and one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments - a beautiful building and an interesting and uplifting story so well worth the visit.
On the return journey, we stopped to sit in the shade in front of the church in Volay to eat a picnic before cycling back to Santenay and stopping off for a local tipple to celebrate completing the journey.
The route through the villages and vines is not flat, but it is not difficult and many people, young and old, were riding electric bicycles making the route very accessible.
Today, after a superb lunch and a lazy afternoon, we completed the path, travelling in the opposite direction towards Nolay, the route following a former railway line which is now a green way for cyclists and pedestrians.
We cycled slightly but steadily uphill for 10 km, enjoying the rolling hills of Maranges, vistas of the cliffs of Cormot and the medieval town of Nolay. At the end of the trip, we were rewarded with superb views of the Burgundy countryside From a viaduct, not to mention the 10 km back, downhill and freewheeling all the way back to Santenay. Marvellous!
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