With 500 miles of Voies Vertes® (marked bike paths and greenways) and Véloroutes (safe, clearlymarked, on-road bike itineraries), Burgundy is a paradise for two-wheelers. In fact, the travel magazine AFAR identified Burgundy as the best vineyard bicycle-tourism destination in the world, and not just because of the wines.
Of course, the famous “Burgundy by Bike” routes do pass through world-renowned vineyards and are flanked by cellars and wine houses, each one an invitations to stop for a snack and a tipple, but there are also paths along the canals and rivers and in the shadows of castles. Wherever you go, it's all at your own pace and in a way that permits discovery of a whole different Burgundy.
A Full Barrel of Wine (and Other) Roads
Many of the small roads crisscrossing Burgundy belong to the region's six established "wine roads." Clearly signposted along all 155 miles of vineyards, these bike-friendly roads lead through the incomparable mix of villages and vineyards that make Burgundy unique.
Further off the beaten track, however, is another host of labeled itineraries for short- and long-distance cyclists. Some routes parallel Burgundy's great canals (see more about this below), while others take in its gastronomic and cultural wonders along the paths traced by old rail lines. Right from Beaune, for example, the wine capital of Burgundy, the Vineyard Way traverses the centers of prestigious wine villages like Pommard, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. Or between Cluny and Mâcon, France's first rail-trail (called a voie verte) passes through the one-mile Tunnel du Bois Clair, a former rail tunnel now seasonally open to cycle tourists.
For the stout of heart, there's even a European route that crosses Burgundy: Eurovélo 6 connects Nantes to Budapest. Within Burgundy, it runs from Nevers to Chalon-Sur-Saône and then along the banks of the Saône River to Saint-Jean-de-Losne.
Biking Along the Waterways
Burgundy has an extensive network of intersecting waterways. These include the Nivernais Canal, the Canal du Centre, the Canal Latéral à la Loire (channel alongside the Loire), the Burgundy Canal and the Saône River. Running alongside each one are towpaths, once used by horses and usually car-free, that have been restored and upgraded to meet the needs of modern two-wheelers.
A Full Pack of Maps
With the Bourgogne à vélo (Burgundy by Bike) map, the Tour de Bourgogne à vélo par les voies vertes (Bike Tour of Burgundy by Greenways) topoguide and even the Vélibook for the Burgundy Canal, cycle tourists have all the necessary maps to go anywhere in Burgundy.
Accueil Vélo
Accueil Vélo (Cyclists Welcome) is a national brand making it easy to identify places that know how to take care of two-wheelers. The green logo with a little cyclist on it is a guarantee of a high-quality welcome and services adapted to cycle tourists' needs.
Burgundy by Electric Bike
If pedaling up the hills is, for the moment, too great a challenge, why not rent an electric bike? With the extra lift it provides, even the most scenic routes, complete with views of the castles, vineyards and canals, are no longer out of reach.
Unmissable Event: Vélotour
The Burgundy bike event not to be missed is Vélotour, taking place in Dijon in early September. This is your chance to pedal through museums, libraries and more. It's a different and revealing way to experience the city.
For all the information you need about biking in Burgundy, www.burgundy-by-bike.com is the cycle tourists' best friend, complete with maps, itineraries, lists of nearby services and lots of useful information.