I have a few questions about the logistics of touring Côte-d’Or in Burgundy, (more specifically, Côtes de Nuits area) without a car or bike. First of all, can it be done? I.e., by walking and by rail? We’ll be travelling from Dijon and we don’t need to go all the way to Beaune, although it would be nice to visit again if possible. I’m thinking of staying in Nuits-Saint-Georges, but anywhere between there and Gevery-Chambertin is fine since all the wineries we’re interested in are located between the two. I only picked Nuits-Saint-Georges because it seemed to have the most substantive tourist facilities.
And can anyone recommend any wineries that accept walk-ins? What we’ve done before was to contact the individual wineries to set up appointments but that was haphazard and time consuming. Besides, I understand the best chateaus will not accommodate public tours, (unless they’re willing to buy cases of their wine). We only have from the afternoon of one day to about 1 or 2pm the next, so we’re not interested in an organized wine tour.
I’d be grateful for any tips, advice or suggestions.
I have travelled it but can be of little help: it was 30+ years ago, and my early teen brain was much affected by fine Burgundy throughout - so memories are hazy. We did it by bicycle, I remember busses but not many trains. We stopped at many a chateau, and were universally welcomed warmly - but we were a group of young teens in good spirits, and this was 30 years ago. I remember the Hotel Dieu as being interesting, but it’s in Beaune so you have likely already visited. My biggest takeaways were that apparently non-Parisian French people are ok with shitting in a hole in the ground, and that they are fantastically nice and friendly. These things may have changed in the intervening decades. All this, while useless in answering your op, at least answers the question in your second post.
I was there last year on a booze run (and returned with the maximum 96 litres allowed). There are lots of small, interesting villages. Pretty much every vigneron will allow you to knock on the door, but you are expected to buy. Being on foot will make this difficult for you. And bluntly, after you’ve seen a few wine-processing facilities, you’ve seen them all. I would urge you to hire bicycles.