My 6 most beautiful panoramasaround Beaune in Burgundy

Côtes de Beaune and Hautes-Côtes de Beaune

Top of scenic overlooks

Here I am, dressed for summer but with my shoes on, to guide you through the superb panoramas of the Pays Beaunois. Hop! Let’s get some height, you won’t regret it! The viewpoints I suggest have some features in common: you can see from above, there’s often an orientation table to help you get your bearings, you can stay longer to enjoy the site, or opt for a picnic or a hike. In all cases, take care of the site and leave it clean!

On the program...

01. Three Cross Mountain

or Mont de Sène

Situated above Santenay, you can get there by taking the road towards Nolay. At a place called Les Louchardes (located just before entering Nolay), turn left onto the small road towards Dezize-lès-Maranges, continue to the hamlet of Borgy, there turn left onto the Route des Trois Croix, continue then park your vehicle, you’re there!

This 521-meter-high mountain is covered with limestone lawns typical of the Côte de Beaune with protected flora such as the Orchis Singe and the Inule des Montagnes. Classified as a nature park since 1993, so don’t pick up anything, just enjoy with your eyes.

Here you have a 360° view overlooking the southern Côte de Beaune to the east and the prestigious vineyards of Santenay, a rambling village dotted with glazed tile roofs. On a clear day, you can see Mont Blanc – and that’s no joke! To the south, you can make out the Maranges vineyards, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Clunisois, dominated by Mont-Saint-Vincent, and to the west, Morvan.

Discover the circuit

©View Three Crosses Santenay|Images Et Associes;

My good plan

I come here with a picnic basket, and the serenity of the place and the 360° view make it worth taking your time, and… if you want to take a nice panoramic photo, this is the place to do it! There’s also a lovely loop to discover on foot, circuit no. 26, marked in yellow.

2. La Chaume des Buis in Nolay

For a family outing

In the village of Nolay, head for Aubigny-la-Ronce, Bligny-sur-Ouche on the D33. Cross the hamlet of Cirey, go 100 meters and on your right before a bend, take a discreet road indicated by a ‘ferme auberge’ sign.

Two viewpoints open up, the first on the right at the foot of the Vierge Notre-Dame-de-la-délivrance, erected on the cliffs in 1945 in gratitude for the liberation of the town in 1944 and in memory of the victims of the war. This is a beautiful viewpoint: from east to west, your gaze embraces this landscape made up of hills and valleys, Nolay, the Maranges and Cozanne valleys, Monts Juliard and Sène…

A second panorama is revealed by continuing straight on the road you’ve taken. Here, you can buy vegetables from the garden as well as organic pig in an exceptional setting with a magnificent panorama.

My good plan

Continue along the path to the Chaume des Buis farm, where Karine sells terrines from free-range pigs. If you go late in the evening, I’ve seen some unforgettable sunsets from here!

3. Orches and Saint-Romain-le-Haut

Leaving Nolay for Beaune, you pass La Rochepot, in the middle of the village, take the D111D towards Baubigny. You’re bound to take a look at the château, which is currently closed to visitors. But don’t miss this imposing edifice, standing proud with its glazed tile roof. Cross Evelle and continue towards Orches, staying on the higher road. Do not enter Orches, but at the cross in Orches, take the road on the left and turn left 50 metres further on. This path leads to an orientation table. The view is magnificent, and from here too… hihihi… you can see Mont Blanc on a clear day!

If you’re a hiker, take the sentier des Roches to the rhythm of the oh! ah! as you discover vineyards at the foot of steep cliffs, and viewpoints revealing the Côte d’Or landscape of forests, vineyards and rocky hills. This 15 km trail can also be halved for family outings! Good to know: the trails around Beaune are all looped and marked in yellow. Thanks to the “Balades en Bourgogne” app, you can vary the pleasures and gradients.

©Cliff Walk Hautes Cotes De Beaune Family|Kaptura

©baubigny-rando-panneau|atlierphotomuzard

You’ve got it, Burgundy on foot: you’ve got to earn it! If you don’t want to walk, run or unearth nooks and crannies inaccessible by car, get back in your vehicle and retrace your steps to the Croix d’Orches, cross this hamlet nestled beneath the cliffs to reach Saint-Romain-le-Haut. You’ll find a pretty square with a 15th-century parish church.

At the end of the rocky spur stands a cross. From here, a magnificent panorama opens up: the village of Saint-Romain-le-Bas and the cliff cirque of Baubigny. Saint-Romain-le-Haut is situated on a limestone spur in the middle of a beautiful hemicycle of cliffs. You can admire its well-preserved habitat, its roofs and its typical stone houses, rebuilt during the Revolution with stones from the Château de la Rochepot, which was transformed at the time into a huge quarry. Since then, it has been rebuilt to the delight of the eye.

My good plan

If you can, visit the church of Saint-Romain-le-Haut, original in its sobriety and design. The entrance is higher than the choir, so you have to climb down some steps to get there. Opposite the church is a porch surmounted by a triangle, the symbol of the trinity. This is a house where nuns used to live and teach their children.

4. Frétille Oratory

in Pernand-Vergelesses

From Beaune, take the D18 towards Savigny-lès-Beaune, then follow signs for Pernand-Vergelesses. Built amphitheatrically around the Cortons hill, the village is overlooked by the protective silhouette of Notre Dame d’Espérance. Accessible by car from the village center, the Oratoire de Frétille offers a splendid panorama of the vineyards. The oratory is located on a plot of land between the “Sur Frétille” woods and the “Sous Frétille” vineyards. From here, you can admire a landscape of vineyards, with small roads winding through the plots. Raise your head and admire the Butte de Corton, the forest-capped mound that ripens nectars on its slopes whose names make us dream: Corton Charlemagne (my favorite wine…), Corton Clos du Roy…

If you can come or return to visit these places in autumn, know that their magic is multiplied by 10! Then, if you want to extend your pleasure, this territory is criss-crossed with hiking trails through breathtaking scenery.

One last thing, with your picnic, buy a bottle and enjoy a glass. Seeing vineyards as far as the eye can see can leave you with a dry palate…

My little anecdote

A village at the bottom of the Butte de Corton on the east side is called Aloxe-Corton. Beware, the Burgundian causer is de rigueur, so say “we’re in Alosse” and you’ll be mistaken for a Burgundian!

©virgin-mountain|Beaune Tourisme - Francis Vauban

©vue-banc-montagne-beaune|Beaune Tourisme - Francis Vauban

©ete-montagne-beaune|Beaune Tourisme - Francis Vauban

©foret-montagne-beaune|Beaune Tourisme - Francis Vauban

5. The Virgin of the Montagne de Beaune

The Vierge de la Montagne was erected as a tribute to the liberators of Beaune, which was liberated on September 8, 1944. La Montagne, sitting on the vineyards, is a green lung, at an altitude of 385 meters. You’ll pass through the “Grèves” and “Bressandes” premiers crus… you can take this beautiful circuit from the Parc de la Bouzaize in Beaune, where there’s a parking lot, or from La Vierge, which saves you a long climb. Follow the “Montagne de Beaune” signs, marked in yellow.

A reading of the town of Beaune is in order, so have fun locating the Hospices de Beaune thanks to its glazed tile roofs and imagining the transfer of patients in 1971 from the hospices to the new Philippe Le Bon hospital, visible on the north/east side (blue buildings). Or try to guess which plots are planted with Chardonnay grapes for the whites and Pinot Noir grapes for the reds. Here’s a hint: in autumn, Chardonnay leaves turn from green to golden yellow, and Pinot Noir leaves from green to coppery red.

Note also the walls, low walls and cabotes that so enhance this winegrowing landscape.

My good plan

Starting from the Parc de la Bouzaize, follow circuit n°12 which guides you through climates with evocative names such as Clos des Mouches… If you’re a fan of running, the Parc de la Bouzaize is the starting point for some of our best running spots.

6. La Combe à la Vieille in Bouilland

Accessible by following the signposts of the Tour de la Vallée du Rhoin hike, you’ll discover several panoramic views, including the Combe à la Vieille. The climbing cliffs overlook the pretty village of Bouilland and the Rhoin Valley. At the end of your walk, why not take a little tour of this village, nestling at the bottom of this green valley, with its double impluvium washhouse, its fountain and its typical Hautes-Côtes stone houses!

©Hiking Couple Cliff High Cotes De Beaune|Beaune Tourisme - Studio Piffaut

Discover

Our hiking trails

In Beaune and the Pays Beaunois, if the views are a feast for the eyes, you’ll be delighted by the hiking trails. We have an abundance of circuits for all levels: solo, family, great adventurer, beginner… Each circuit is full of surprises and beautiful discoveries. So don’t wait any longer and get out there!

In search of

the best aromas