Burgundy and Lyon with Philip Tessier

Bienvenue to Lyon! We’ll meet at our hotel and kick off the adventure with a walk in the city guided by a local guide. We’ll trace the hidden traboules and ochre courtyards of Vieux Lyon, where Renaissance facades lean toward cobbled lanes polished by time. Along the way, we’ll pause for one of the city’s small obsessions: pink pralines folded into delicate pastries, their almond crunch giving way to caramelized sugar.

Back at the hotel, the evening begins beneath the soaring dome of a cocktail bar, where travelers, chefs, and locals have gathered for generations. After, we will sit down for dinner in a beloved bouchon to experience Lyon at its most convivial. Copper pots gleam against wood-paneled walls and the menu leans unapologetically rich. Imagine slow-braised meats, quenelles folded with cream, and deep red wines poured generously into small glasses. It’s the perfect way to start an incredible week together.

After a traditional Lyonnaise breakfast, we’ll make our way to the world’s most storied gourmet market: Les Halles Paul Bocuse. Named after Lyon’s revered chef, this hall is a foodie’s haven. We’ll mingle with locals as we peruse fresh cheeses, foraged mushrooms, and even the odd table of antiques, tasting our way through its fifty-odd stalls. Together with our guide, we’ll move from counter to counter tasting regional cheeses, charcuterie, pastries, and warm slices of brioche pulled fresh from the oven.

After time to wander the market at your own pace the rest of the afternoon is yours to do as you wish before we regroup for an unforgettable dinner this evening. 

Tonight is devoted to a name inseparable from modern French gastronomy: Paul Bocuse. At his legendary L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, we’ll sit down to six courses with wine pairings, experiencing the precise technique and deep respect for French culinary tradition that have defined this restaurant for generations.

Today, we make our way from Lyon to Beaune, but not without a few stops along the way. The first is Beaujolais, called the “little French Tuscany,” and today is all about learning why. First, we follow our ingredients to their source at the open-air market in Montmerle-sur-Saône. Stalls offer a glimpse into what is growing, ripening, and being made nearby before we continue our visits with local producers until lunch. Afterward, we’ll head to Georges Blanc’s Village Blanc and sit down for a four-course lunch with wine before we turn north toward Beaune.

The evening is left intentionally open because Beaune rewards wandering. Perhaps a glass of Pinot Noir beneath stone arches or late dinner tucked inside a candlelit cellar is on the agenda as the pace of Burgundy begins to settle in.

Today, we experience Burgundy on two wheels, as we set out by e-bike through the vineyards of the Côte de Beaune. After a 5-wine tasting including two Grand Crus, lunch keeps us close to the landscape with a picnic, naturally accompanied by local wine.

Our ride continues to Meursault, where four more wines offer another perspective on the Côte de Beaune. By the time we return to Beaune, the afternoon is deliberately left open. Wander the historic center, settle into a café or simply return to the hotel and rest after a day spent among the vines.

For dinner, we step into the kitchen for a hands-on cooking class. The afternoon sun shines just beyond the windows as sauces simmer and pastry browns in the oven. It’s a meal that reflects the region itself: measured, generous, deeply tied to place.

Our day begins just outside Beaune in search of one of Burgundy’s most elusive ingredients. Alongside a trained Lagotto dog and local hosts, we’ll walk the truffle grounds learning how climate, soil, and patience shape these intensely aromatic treasures hidden beneath the earth. Back at the estate, slices of fresh truffle appear beside mature cheeses and older vintages poured from the cellar, including wines that have spent more than a decade evolving in bottle. Nearby, we’ll continue our epicurean afternoon by enjoying a family-style lunch at La Rôtisserie du Chambertin with thoughtfully chosen wine pairings.

Our bellies full and hearts happy, we’ll return to Beaune where the evening is yours to embellish. Might we suggest another cellar dinner, perhaps, or simply a slow walk beneath the city’s lantern-lit streets.

This morning, we get to know Beaune through its market and the shop of renowned cheesemonger Alain Hess, where local producers offer a delicious introduction to Burgundy’s agricultural traditions. We’ll also step inside the centuries-old Hospices de Beaune before the rest of the day becomes your own, with lunch and an open afternoon to follow whatever catches your attention.

We’ll reconvene in the evening in the vaulted tunnels of a well-known winemaker’s centuries-old cellar. Millions of bottles rest quietly in the dark while our sommelier guides us through the maze of underground passageways before we sit down to enjoy five courses of sublime French cuisine paired with wines so exquisite we may never want to leave.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. We’ll bid adieu to each other and make our way to the airport.