Hiking in Burgundy: Romanee Conti & Five-Star Camping in Beaune
Our third day hiking in Burgundy was much more chill than the first two. After a yummy breakfast in Morey Saint Denis, we strapped on our packs and continued down the Routes des Grands Crus towards Romanee Conti & Nuit Saint Georges.
We were giddy with excitement that we were finally going to pass through the famed Romanee Conti, where single bottles can run upwards of 1000 Euro. Slightly smelly, definitely sweaty, and in not-so-posh hiking clothes, we knew we didn't have a chance of getting into the winery...but we kinda hoped.
Well, they were clearly discerning hosts. Locked out behind wroght-iron gates controlled by a smug key pad, we had to settle for smooshing our faces up to the gate while optimistically punching in a few random combinations on the key pad. Regardless, it was super cool to see where the magic happened, and in true form, we found another, less restrictive, tasting salon for a mid-hike lip wetter.
We arrived in Nuit Saint Georges around noon and found a table at a busy restaurant with a decently priced prix fixe menu. The menu included a salade du pays (country salad with sautéed potatoes, lardons, eggs, and seasonal veggies), Boeuf Bourguignon, and an amazing flourless chocolate torte for dessert. I think all this food cost us something like 13 Euro.
Our plan was to stop in Nuit Saint Georges for lunch and then continue on foot into Beaune, but this section of the Route des Grands Crus was way busier than the sections before. We were forced into a small, overgrown ditch on the side of the road to avoid being blown over by speeding semi-trucks, and after three-too-many kilometers of this, we decided to take the bus to Beuane instead.
One of the only parts of this hike that we had semi-planned was to camp in Beaune. We read online about a 'five-star' campsite called Les Cent Vignes that offered showers, private campsites, and an onsite restaurant!
It was an easy walk to the campground from the bus stop, and thankfully we were able to reserve a space for two nights without a reservation. Note: the place was fully booked by the end of the day, so reservations are definitely recommended during high season and on weekends.
The campground cost only 19 Euro per night, was walking distance to the center of Beaune, and conveniently for us, just a kilometer or two from the GR route we planned to use for a day hike to Pommard and Volnay the next day. And the restaurant was stellar; it offered delicious food from 7 am to 9 pm, a fun selection of beers, and of course red, white and rose by the pitcher.
We had never stayed at a five-star campsite, nor even knew they existed, so needless to say we were excited and curious. Let me tell you, Les Cent Vignes delivered in spades. Everything from the staff, the location, the restaurant, to the facilities themselves surpassed our expectations and we highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable experience in Beaune.
