This trip follows one of the most beautiful walking and cycling paths (‘Voies Vertes’) of Europe. It explores Southern Burgundy and goes through the landscapes of the Côte Chalonnaise on an old railway, passing quaint villages and historic castles, cycling along vineyards to the Cistercian Abbey of Cluny and then Mâcon. You will ride up the ‘Voie Bleue’ path along the majestic valley of the Saône river and go through Tournus and its abbey, a romanesque treasure.
One of the best parts of this scenic and historic route, is that almost 3 quarters of the cycling occurs on greenway paths and the rest is on small quiet shared-use roads. This makes for a very relaxing ride each day of the trip.
Tour Highlights:
• Exploring the famous vineyards of the Côte Chalonnaise
• Visiting the beautiful Cistercian Abbey of Cluny
• Riding along bicycle paths full of charm
You will arrive in Mâcon and check into the hotel (after 3pm). Mâcon is a former frontier between the
French Realm and the Holy German Empire (from 843 to 1600) and has an exceptionally beautiful old
town to explore.
Overnight in a 3* hotel in Mâcon; B&B. Dinner in restaurant.
Místo startu
Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France
15:00
You will leave Mâcon via the ‘Voie Bleue’ path. It follows the Saône river to Fleurville and the historic
castles of Marigny and Marfontaine. Paths and small roads will lead you to the beautiful Romanesque
Abbey of Tournus and a splendid old town with its unique streets and traboules (hidden passages that
cross buildings and connect streets to each other). Make sure to stop by the abbey of St Philibert, built
in the 11th century and truly a Romanesque architectural masterpiece.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Tournus; B&B. Dinner in restaurant.
You will cycle along the Saône river, before moving away from the calm flowing waters to pass through
Gigny. You’ll ride through the flood plain between the Saône and Grosne once out of this town. Further
along the ride, you’ll come by St Loup de Varennes, where Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, the inventor of
photography, lived. Then, there is St Rémy, where you’ll get back to the banks of the Saône until reaching
Chalon-sur-Saône.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Chalon-sur-Saône; half board.
You join the Voie Bleue from the town center, heading for the banks of the Saône. Passing through the
villages of Allériot and Verdun, you reach Beaune. Famous for its Hospices and wine cellars, it's an ideal
final destination for cycling and wine enthusiasts. Visit of the Hospices de Beaune included.
Overnight in a 3* hotel in Beaune; in B&B. Dinner in restaurant.
From Beaune to Santenay, Burgundy's “Voie des Vignes” officially winds its way between the most
famous appellations, Grands Crus de Pommard and Mersault, bounded by pretty stone walls. You can
visit the famous wine cellars during the day (not included in the price). From Santenay, join the voie
verte to follow the Canal du Centre to Chagny and Chalon-sur-Saône.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Chalon-sur-Saône; half board.
The cycling path (‘Voie Verte’) starts in the city and goes to the north-west towards Givry. It continues its
journey toward the southwest, leading you to the enchanting, fortified town of Buxy, nestled amidst the
picturesque vineyards of Cote Chalonnaise in the Burgundy region, encompassing renowned
appellations like Mercurey and Givry. As you traverse this celebrated vineyard landscape, your path will
lead you through the historic towns of St. Boll and St. Gengoux le National, characterized by their
medieval charm. Your next destination is in Cormatin, where you'll discover a magnificent 17th-century
castle, an intricate maze, and a charming ancient vegetable garden. The ‘Voie Verte’ will lead you to Taizé
(a monastic community) and, 13km/8.1mi further, to the beautiful Benedictine abbey of Cluny, founded in 910. By 1080, it was considered the most important monastic complex of Christianity.
Overnight in a 3* hotel in Cluny; B&B. Dinner in restaurant.
If you haven’t visited Cluny, take some time to do so before you leave on today’s shorter ride. Following
your visit to Cluny, you'll transition from the spiritual realm to immerse yourself in the poetic
romanticism of Alphonse de Lamartine. His formative years spent amidst this captivating landscape,
with its harmonious blend of nature, castles, and monuments, undoubtedly left an imprint on his
literary works. Along the way you’ll cross the longest cycling tunnel in Europe, lit and secured over
1.6km/1mi, which leads to the castle of Berzé le Chatel. A climb here rewards the rider with a wonderful
view over the Mâconnais vineyard district.
Overnight in a 3* hotel in Mâcon; B&B. Dinner in restaurant.
End of the tour after breakfast and checking out of the hotel ~10am.
Koncové místo
Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, France
10:00
In double bedrooms in B&B, in 3* hotels (4 nights) and 4* hotels (or equivalent) (3 nights) or in guesthouses with the same level of comfort.
Single rooms are subject to availability and require a supplement fee.
Please Note: In Europe, more and more hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses are refusing to take part in the starrating system, even establishments which were classified a year or two ago are now choosing to not take part. This doesn’t mean that they are of a lesser quality, in fact far from it. If we indicate that an accommodation is ‘3-star or equivalent to’ this means that the establishment may have chosen not to receive an official classification, but we believe the level of comfort provided is equal to that of a traditional 3-star establishment.
Flights are not included.
Grand Angle’s guide. The guide stay with the group throughout the trip.
Half board with breakfast and dinner + packed lunch.
Breakfast: included at accommodations.
► Supplements & Options
• Single Room Supplement : 510 €
• Hybrid Bike Rental : 275 €
• Electric Bike Rental : 375 €
• Extra night in Mâcon Hôtel, 3* in B&B: 85 € / pax in twin room, 135 € in single room
► Included in Trip Price
• Accommodation for 7 nights in double / twin rooms
• Full board
• Luggage transfers
• Supervision by a Grand Angle’s guide
• Visit of The Hospice de Beaune
• Tourist taxes
► Not Included in Trip Price
• Travel to/from Mâcon (flights, train, bus, etc.)
• Drinks
• Bike rental
• Transfers (Airport or otherwise)
• Personal expenses
• Entrance fees to tourist attractions
• Insurance
• Registration fees
• Everything that is not stated in the “Included in Trip Price” section
Luggage Transport
Clients only carry the essential things for the day (lunch/picnic, water & personal belongings) in a saddlebag/backpack. The rest of your travel luggage will be transported for you from hotel to hotel each day. Your luggage will arrive at the hotel in the evening. We ask you to limit your luggage to a maximum of 20kg/44lbs per person. Only one piece of luggage per person allowed.
Francie
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