Treasures of Burgundy Deluxe / 8 days

Day 1 Arrival
You arrive in Auxerre, a Town of Art and History, which has preserved an exceptional architectural heritage through the ages: St Etienne's Cathedral, a model of Gothic elegance, St Germain's Abbey, a virtually intact monastic complex with its 9th-century crypts, one of which contains one of the oldest wall paintings discovered in France.

Day 2 Auxerre - Chablis 38 km
Leave Auxerre and head for Pontigny. Small forest roads lead the way to the Cistercian church. It is one of the last witnesses to the great intellectual movement of the Cistercians. After visiting the abbey, cycle through the Chablis wine region. This is the largest single-appellation white wine area in France. The programme includes a tasting in a typical wine cellar. You stay in a charming 4-star hotel.

Day 3 Chablis - Noyers- sur-Serein - Nitry 34 km
After visiting Chablis, you leave the town. The route continues along the Serein Valley, passing through some superb villages in the south of the Chablis vineyards and the medieval village of Noyers-sur-Serein with its Museum of Naïve Art. Noyers has preserved its fortifications and timber-framed houses. You then drive on to Nitry, where you stay in a picturesque hotel, built in an old 19th-century farmhouse.

Day 4 Nitry - Avallon 55 km
You cross the "terre plaine" plateau with its fields as far as the eye can see and discover the landscapes of the Avallonnais. After a stop in the medieval village of Montréal, you arrive in Avallon via the Vallée du Cousin and discover this pretty town perched on a rocky outcrop.

Day 5 Avallon - Vézelay 23 km
Passing through small villages and secondary roads, you reach today's destination, Vézelay. One of the finest views in Burgundy awaits you behind the Basilica of Sainte Madeleine, a masterpiece of Romanesque art and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Middle Ages, Vézelay was a major pilgrimage site and stop-off point on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela.

Day 6 Vézelay - Escolives-Ste-Camille 48 km
After a beautiful climb through the Bois de la Madeleine to reach the Yonne valley, you follow this river all day, as well as the Canal du Nivernais. You will pass through some very pretty places, including Châtel-Censoir, Le Saussois with its rock-climbing crags, Mailly la Ville and Vincelles. Your day's journey ends in Escolives Ste Camille, very close to an archaeological site, and you are welcomed to a wine estate where you will also find your charming bed and breakfast.

Day 7 Escolives - Auxerre 33 km
Burgundy is known as the "table d'eau" of France. The rivers are interconnected by an extraordinary system of canals. You ride alongside the water and then leave this landscape behind to pass through the wine-growing villages of the Auxerrois region: Irancy, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, Bailly. In Bailly, you enter the "Centre of the Earth", a huge cellar where the famous Crémant de Bourgogne is made, which you have the pleasure of tasting. You will then make your way to Auxerre along the Canal du Nivernais.

Day 8 Departure