Immersion Kit:
Get to Know Burgundy

B&R Staff

Regional Director,
France

At The Slow Road we pride ourselves on getting in deep and up close. If knowledge of a region is power, access is authenticity—and we’ve spent decades forging the relationships that grant us both.

But the road, like so many of life’s great pleasures, is better shared. So allow me to shed some light on Burgundy, B&R’s second home, and still my first and only.

Burgundy: A (Brief) Introduction

Renowned for its wine, food and history, the countryside of France’s Burgundy region ranks among the most beautiful and varied landscapes in the country, laden with thousands of miles of quiet, paved roads—perfect for biking.

At the heart of the Burgundian vineyards lies Beaune, a well-preserved medieval jewel that owes its history and development to wine. Home to the region’s leading wine négociants, Beaune’s foundations form a maze of tunnels used for cellaring wine. Its ancient ramparts have been converted to wine cellars, giving rise to the observation that Beaune is defended with bulwarks of bottles.

For centuries, this wealthy, charming town was the capital of the dukes of Burgundy. Beginning with the Capetian and continuing through the Valois dukes, Beaune was the site of Burgundy’s parliament. Nicolas Rolin, one of the most famous chancellors of Parliament, commissioned the most imposing edifice in town—the Hôtel Dieu (or Hospices).

Burgundy Cuisine

From oeufs en meurette to boeuf Bourguignon, it should come as no shock that many of Burgundy’s signature dishes list wine as a key ingredient. Other staples, like escargots a la Bourguignon and saupiquet, feature the rich sauces for which French cuisine is well known.

Burgundy Cheese

While the region’s wines have provided it with a well-deserved reputation for excellence, its cheeses are not to be overlooked. We’ve included a few of our favourites below.

L’Époisses
One of the most pungent raw cow’s milk cheeses, it usually has been washed with Marc de Bourgogne. At its best, it is so runny it has to be served on a plate. The best can be found at the Laiterie de la Côte in Brochon.

L’ami du Chambertin
A pleasant raw cow’s milk cheese very similar to l’Époisses and also washed with Marc de Bourgogne. Created by Raymond Gaugry in 1950.

Amour de Nuits
From Côte de Nuits, this delicious fresh cow’s milk cheese is creamy and very salty. It looks like a young l’Époisses with its orange-coloured rind, but is milder.