Day 1: Besancon for 5 nights

Meet & greet private transfer from Besancon train station to hotel

1 double room, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Le  Sauvage***

Hôtel Le Sauvage, formerly the Clarisses Monestary, is located in the historic district of Besançon, 1,641 feet from the citadel’s ancient walls. It offers views of the tree-lined park, the medieval walls, the city and the Doubs Valley. All of the rooms feature parquet flooring and a private bathroom with a bath or shower. They also have a flat-screen TV, telephone and a desk. Some rooms offer a view of the citadel. Breakfast is served every morning in the dining area, on the terrace or can be brought to your guest room upon request. You can also relax on the west-facing terrace with a drink from the bar. Hôtel Le Sauvage is a 10-minute walk from the Musée du Temps and just 1.2 miles from Besancon Viotte Train Station. Shops and restaurants can be found within a 10-minute walk. Private parking is available at a surcharge and free WiFi internet access is provided.

Day 2: Arbois wine region

Full day private guided tour of Arbois wine region

You will head to the “wine capital” of the region, Arbois, nestled in a valley surrounded by vineyards. You will enjoy several tastings in Domaine André et Mireille Tissot shop in Arbois and learn about the region’s distinctive “yellow wine”.  Then, we will drive on the small road out of Arbois sign-posted Montigny-les-Arsures. En route stop at a viewpoint marked on the right, involving a 5-minute climb up a hill. Great view of Arbois and the vineyards. You will then visit Jacques Puffeney in Montigny-les-Arsures Drive back through Arbois to Pupillin for lunch at Restaurant Le Grapiot. Walk the Chemin des Vignes in Arbois. Shop at Hirsinger Chocolatier and meet one of France’s best chocolate makers, a third generation chocolatier. Shop at the Cave du Comté next door to stock up on cheese and local sausages

Day 3: Besancon

3 hour private walking tour of Besancon

Explore on foot with your guide the religious district and learn about the clock-making history of the town with stops at the 19th century Astronomical Clock and the Museum of Time housed in the handsomely renovated Granvelle Manorwith.  Pass by the city’s Roman Triumphal Arch and other Roman remains located next to the cathedral,  Victor Hugo’s birthplace and museum (author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame) and the Theater designed by the famous architect Ledoux.

Rest of the day at leisure

Explore Besançon on own: visit the citadel, take a hike up to a fort overlooking the city, stroll around the river.

Day 4: Hike in the mountains

Full day hiking and meet a cheese maker

Travel through green mountainous landscapes and pine forests.  Stop in mountainside village. Hike with your guide along a tiny portion of the famous GR5 hiking route and be rewarded by a breathtaking view from atop a limestone cliff with sweeping views over Switzerland.   This one of the longest and most beautiful routes in Western Europe which begins at Hoek van Holland on the North Sea, and ends in Southern France at the Mediterranean.

After the hike, we rewarded by a visit to a family creamery that makes alpine cheeses and welcomes tourists. See the equipment used to make the cheese, watch a video about the process, taste cheese samples, and shop in their boutique. Then hop back in the van to savor a local lunch in a rustic mountainside farmhouse.  Taste meats grilled over an open flame.

Before returning to Besancon, visit a 19th-century fortress that has been turned into a maturing cellar for the pride of the region: Comté cheese. We will also make a stop at an “eagle nest” medieval castle perched near the Swiss border. You will take a guided tour of this historic monument to visit its fortifications, towers, and dungeon. The guide will bring color to the unfurnished castle with explanations on its defensive features and stories about the famous prisoners who were interned there.

Day 5: Beaune

Full day private guided tour to Beaune

The charming and historic medieval town of Beaune is Burgundy’s wine capital and is the focus of your gourmet wine tour!  You will discover this charming wine capital with your guide who will take you to taste chardonnay & pinot noir at two of the most prestigious wineries in Beaune.  In addition, there will be a privately guided visit to the famous 15C Hospices de Beaune (important in Burgundy’s wine history) and an excellent 3 course lunch at a notable 1* Michelin restaurant in the heart of Beaune.

Day 6: Departure

Private transfer from hotel to Besancon train station