Vintage Burgundy & Beaujolais: Gourmet gardens, gastronomy & fine wines

6 days | £3995 per person with flights | 12 - 17 September 2027

Gourmet gardens, gastronomy & fine wines

Mid-September sees the rolling hills of Beaujolais clad in golden leaves as the grape harvest is gathered in. The region’s gardens also bask in late summer sunshine, offering a burst of colour to enliven formal hedging and topiary. We meet an internationally renowned floral artist in her own delightful garden, clink glasses with wine-producing garden owners, enjoy the hospitality of a whole village in a rarely-visited private garden and discover both traditional and contemporary Burgundian cuisine at every destination. Kirsty Fergusson and Marion Mako are your hosts for this exceptional tour and have selected two fine hotels offering superb accommodation: Hotel Le Cep in the historic centre of Beaune and Hotel de l’Abbaye, a delightful retreat in Lyon’s quietest, leafiest quarter.

Day to day Itinerary

Day 1

Depart London for our flight to Lyon. We travel to Beaune to Hôtel Le Cep in Beaune where you are welcomed with a wine tasting and dinner.

Day 2

This morning we visit The Château de Lantilly, known as the Château des Cent Fenètres which enjoys an exceptional view of the Laumes valley and Alésia. We will have a tour of the gardens here with a staff member. After stopping for an included lunch, we make our way to the beautiful Val d’Ouche where we discover a special private garden with its charming terraced potager. Return to Hôtel Le Cep for an included dinner together in Beaune.

Day 3

This morning we begin with an orientation walk in Dijon taking in Le Jardin de l’Arquebuse in the heart of the town, a public garden with intricate display gardens exploring sustainable food production. Our transport will then take us to Jardin de la Clochette where will enjoy a picnic lunch before being given an introduction to the garden with the garden owners. Both Marie Francoise and Jean Luc Poirier trained in horticulture, and he ran a market garden. They also both worked with special educational needs children, and the garden was a respite for them from this. Our next journey takes us to Bèze where we will have a visit to both Le Jardin du Petit Lavoir and the adjoining garden of the Abbaye de Bèze. Before making our way back to Beaune, we stop at Chateau de Pommard where we will enjoy time spent in the garden followed by a private wine tasting experience. We will return to Beaune for a free evening.

Day 4

Start the day visiting Château de Cormatin, the most sumptuous, privately owned chateau in Burgundy, with its fine reconstruction of a Renaissance garden complete with wide moats, boxwood parterres, green theatre, potager and a maze. Lunch is included in the village followed by a visit to La Chateau de Berzé-le-Châtel. The garden of Berzé is a heritage that has been preserved, transformed and enriched over the years thanks to the skilful hand of the gardeners who have shaped it to the taste of the successive owners. There are two distinct types: the French gardens located in the continuity of the central alley and the vegetable gardens in the lower courtyard of the castle. We will travel to our hotel base for the next two nights, in Lyon with time to settle in before enjoying dinner together at the hotel.

Day 5

The morning will be spent Château de la Chaize, which is beautifully situated in the Beaujolais rolling hills and dates to 12th century, surrounded by an extensive wine estate. The original château was replaced in the 17th century, and André Le Notre (gardener to the king) was entrusted with designing the surrounding gardens. After a tour of the estate and exploration of the wine cellar we will make our way to the hillside gardens of La Rejonière created and planted by Cristiana Gouverneyre for her floral artist workshops. It is a sustainable garden of all kinds of plants including roses grown for creating floral art. We are invited to lunch on arrival before our garden tour and workshop, led by Cristiana. We make our way back to Hotel de l’Abbaye for dinner together.

Day 6

Check out of Hotel de l’Abbaye to visit La Belle Allemande, this secret garden perched on the Croix-Rousse hill, a living treasure that few know, but that all who have seen it will never forget. Immaculate planting, design and horticultural standards make this a garden to remember. Following our garden visit and a light lunch here, we return to Lyon Airport for our return flight to London.

Hotel Le Cep

Hotel Le Cep feels less like checking into a hotel and more like being handed the keys to a particularly beautiful corner of old Burgundy. Behind its discreet façade, a selection of historic buildings, hidden courtyards and characterful rooms unfolds. Its intimate atmosphere, refined service and distinctive sense of place create a stay that feels far removed from the ordinary. Wine, food and Burgundy’s slower way of life are woven naturally into the experience, it's the perfect base for travellers who prefer personality and historic charm over uniformity.

Hotel de l' Abbaye

Hôtel de l’Abbaye offers a quiet retreat, tucked into a setting that feels pleasantly removed from the city’s rush. Guests can enjoy easy access to Lyon’s renowned restaurants, cultural attractions and vibrant neighbourhoods. The hotel’s warm service and intimate feel add to its appeal, while its location also makes it a convenient base for exploring the beautiful parks, gardens and châteaux Lyon has to offer.

With Flights: £3995

Join Direct: £3845

Single Supp: £695

Deposit: £450

Departure Dates:

12 - 17 September 2027

Duration:

5 nights / 6 days

Your Holiday Includes:

Return flights (Economy class) from London to Lyon
Three nights’ bed and breakfast at Hotel Le Cep
Two nights' bed and breakfast at Hotel de l' Abbaye
Private coach transfers and excursions
Four evening meals and five lunches
Guided visits to the sites listed in the programme
Services of the tour host and a tour leader
Detailed programme and garden notes
All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff

Tour Host & Leader

Kirsty Fergusson

Kirsty exchanged a career in academia (she has a PhD specialising in French philosopher-novelists) for a life in gardening. Trained at Capel Manor, she was head gardener at Mapperton in Dorset during the early nineties, where a series of fortunate encounters opened the door to garden writing. As well as writing a weekly column for The Express, for many years she was a frequent contributor to Gardens Illustrated, House and Garden, Country Life, The Times, The Telegraph and The Independent. In 2003 she moved to SW France, where she continues to explore the possibilities of her own (very forgiving) garden - when not travelling, writing or leading tours.

Marion Mako

After giving up a ‘safe’ job to train as a garden designer, Marion cut her horticultural teeth at the fabulous Special Plants nursery run by Derry Watkins. Following this, she completed an MA in Garden History at the University of Bristol. The historical, architectural and garden knowledge gained from this course has informed, shaped and enriched Marion’s work ever since. As all of Marion’s gardens are a work in progress, her learning and development continues, enhanced by the people she meets through research, tours, talks and design work.

Travel Information
The price does not include extras at the hotels or travel insurance.

Please note that Boxwood Tours use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.