If Burgundy is France’s most revered wine region, then Beaune is its beating heart. This small, walled town at the centre of the Côte d’Or has been the commercial capital of Burgundy wine for centuries, and it remains the place where most wine tours in the region begin and end.
The town itself is gorgeous — compact enough to walk in an afternoon, with cobblestone streets, ancient cellars, and wine shops on practically every corner. But the real draw is the Hospices de Beaune, the 15th-century charity hospital with its stunning polychrome tiled roof. Founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, the Hospices still raises money through its annual wine auction every November — the most famous charity wine auction in the world, and a reliable barometer of Burgundy’s market.
For wine lovers, Beaune is ideally positioned. The town’s own vineyards include several Premier Crus, and a short drive in either direction takes you to the Grand Cru villages of the Côte de Nuits to the north (Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny) or the great white wine villages of the Côte de Beaune to the south (Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet).
We recommend Beaune as a base for anyone touring Burgundy. The town has excellent hotels and restaurants for its size, there are dozens of domaines within walking distance that welcome visitors, and the famous negociant houses — Bouchard Père et Fils, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Jadot — all have tasting rooms in town. You could spend a week here without running out of wines to try.