Côte-d'Or is a department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in the heart of Burgundy, rich in history and heritage. It is known for its Romanesque and Gothic art, and its cuisine and lifestyle.
Cities
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- 1 Dijon — capital of the region, former power-base of the Dukes of Burgundy, loaded with history in each corner of its downtown streets
- 2 Aiserey — small commune with a castle
- 3 Beaune — capital of the Dukes of Burgundy after Dijon, a well-to-do city that features the beautiful Hôtel-Dieu with the Polyptych of the Apocalypse by Rogier van der Weyden
- 4 Châtillon-sur-Seine — known for its 12th-century churches, flowers and the beauty of the surrounding area
- 5 Époisses — a small village, best known for its cheese; it also has its own château
- 6 Saulieu — a small town that features the Gothic Saint-Andoche Basilica
- 7 Semur-en-Auxois — a walled medieval town in the heart of the Côte-d'Or, on the banks of the Armançon, which has a striking skyline and a beautiful collegiate church
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Forêts National Park – France's newest national park (since 2021), and the first in lowland forests
Understand
[edit]Côte-d'Or is located at a European crossroads. A welcoming land and a centre of influence thanks to the most diverse civilisations and populations that have lived there. It is railway and road hub where Roman roads and trade routes intersected.
The Côte-d'Or owes its name to the colour that, in autumn, sets the vines planted on its hillsides ablaze. It is famous for the exceptional character of its wines.
Get in
[edit]The Côte-d'Or is well served by rail with 3 TGV station: Montbard (1 hour from Paris), Dijon, and Beaune
Motorways provide direct access from Lille, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Besançon, Nancy, Mulhouse, Strasbourg, the Alps, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Spain, etc.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]In Dijon, the highlights are Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy-Museum of Fine Arts, the churches of Notre-Dame and Saint-Michel, the Saint-Bénigne Cathedral, the Archaeological Museum, and the Museum of Burgundian Life and Sacred Art.
Visitors come to Beaune to see the Hôtel-Dieu-hospices de Beaune, the Notre-Dame collegiate church, the Hôtel de la Rochepot, its Museum of Fine Arts, and its rampart circuit.
Fontenay Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Marmagne.
The Notre-Dame de Cîteaux abbey is the cradle of the Cistercian order.
The department has many medieval chateaux.
Do
[edit]The annual Dijon-Auxonne-Dijon cycle race has been held since 1899, making it the oldest amateur event still held in France.