Two regions that were merged administratively but have always belonged together in spirit: the vine-covered limestone slopes of Burgundy to the west and the wilder, more vertical landscape of Franche-Comté to the east, where the Jura mountains run towards Switzerland and the cheese and wine traditions are entirely their own. The Côte d'Or between Dijon and Beaune is one of the most studied strips of agricultural land on earth, its grand cru vineyards producing pinot noir and chardonnay that set the benchmark for both varieties worldwide. Dijon is an underestimated city of considerable elegance. Beaune is smaller and organises itself almost entirely around the pleasure of eating and drinking well. The Jura, with its resinous vin jaune, its comté aged in mountain caves, and its waterfalls dropping through beech forest, is the less visited and frequently more rewarding half of the equation.



