Jura and Burgundy are two neighbouring regions of France that couldn’t feel more different - and that’s exactly why they work so well together.
In Jura, we found quiet storybook villages that felt like a mix of the French countryside and the Swiss Alps. Days naturally turned into picnic adventures with warm baguettes, Comté cheese, and barely any tourists.
Then came Burgundy, France’s most famous and most complex wine region. Basing ourselves in Beaune made it much easier to explore.
We spent time in Chardonnay-focused villages to the south and prestigious Pinot Noir sites to the north, mixing cellar visits, vineyard lunches, and dinners in the medieval centre.
If you love wine, cheese, scenic drives and exploring historic villages, this 5 day Jura and Burgundy road trip itinerary is for you.
5 Day Jura and Burgundy ItineraryDay 1: Take a scenic drive through Haut-Jura to Arbois, Jura's wine capital. Day 2: Explore Jura's Comté capital, enjoy a hilltop picnic in Château-Chalon and unwind in Arbois. Day 3: Explore Beaune, Burgundy's wine capital Day 4: Discover Burgundy wines in Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits Day 5: Travel day from Beaune |
5 Day Jura and Burgundy Road Trip
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Arbois makes an ideal first base for this road trip.
It’s Jura’s oldest wine town, compact and easy to navigate, with tasting rooms, restaurants, and a cute main square. It felt so charming with the river running through it.
Pick up your rental car at Lyon Airport and head towards Arbois, but skip the fastest route.
Instead, drive through the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura, passing through Saint-Claude and Morbier.
This scenic drive winds through deep forests, mountain valleys, and small alpine villages, and the stretch along the D436 towards Les Rousses feels like the French version of the Swiss Alps.
Stop in Saint-Claude, a mountain town historically built around a monastery and later known for artisan pipe-making.
This area is also where Bleu de Gex comes from - a mild, creamy blue cheese made with local mountain milk.
We stopped at Fromagerie de Montbrillant along the way to pick up a roadside cheese snack.
From Lyon Airport, the scenic route to Arbois is a 3 hour drive. 🚗 Compare car rental rates.Check into your stay in Arbois
Our stay at La Closerie des Capucines in Arbois
Explore Arbois
🍫 Spend some time sitting in the square, watching everyday town life unfold. We picked up chocolates from Édouard Hirsinger, a long-standing Meilleur Ouvrier de France chocolatier, and enjoyed them outside.
🧵 Don't miss La Fabrik, a small shop featuring ceramics, textiles, and jewellery by local artisans.
🍷 Pop into one of Arbois' wine tasting rooms. They are clustered around the centre, visits are relaxed, and reservations aren’t required. We had a fun and informative tasting at Vins Stéphane Tissot.
Jura wines are defined by two main styles: ouillée and sous voile.
Ouillée wines are made in the classic way, with barrels topped up during ageing to keep them fresh and clean.
Sous voile wines are left untopped, allowing a natural yeast layer to form, which gives them Jura’s signature funky character - nutty, savoury, and lightly oxidative. Vin Jaune is the most iconic example of this style.
It’s not for everyone, but tasting it here helps you understand what makes Jura’s wine culture so unique.
Enjoy alpine comfort food at La Finette
Bubbling Comté fondue at La Finette in Arbois
For dinner, head to La Finette, a traditional Jura tavern opened in 1961.
After years of eating Swiss fondue, we were especially excited to try a bubbling Comté version here. It was rich and so delicious.
Comté is Jura’s most famous cheese, often compared to Gruyère, but it’s typically nuttier and more complex.
Their French onion soup, topped with lots of Comté cheese, is also a treat.
Reservations are recommended.
Day 2: Explore Comté country, picnic in Château-Chalon, and unwind in Arbois
After breakfast, drive 10-minutes to Poligny, the historic heart of Comté cheese.
Visit the Comte Museum in Poligny
We didn’t expect La Maison du Comté to be as fun as it was.
The visit walks you through Comté-making from the cows grazing in the Jura hills to the ageing cellars, with a short theatre presentation, scent quizzes, and a cheese tasting at the end.
One detail that stuck with us was how Comté changes with the seasons - deeper and more golden in summer when cows eat grass and wildflowers, and paler in winter when they switch to hay.
Enjoy a slow coffee in Poligny's main square
Afterwards, we headed straight to the main square for a coffee. Poligny felt calm and local. Sitting in the square was a nice reset before continuing on.
Gather your picnic ingredients in Poligny
From there, we wandered through town to build a picnic: cheese from the fromagerie, saucisson from the deli, and a baguette still warm from the boulangerie.
You'll see a lot of fromageries lining the main square. We picked up three different ages of Comté and a Morbier, the local cheese with the thin ash line running through the centre.
Enjoy your picnic with a view at Château-Chalon
Drive up to Château-Chalon, one of the most striking villages in Jura and the birthplace of Vin Jaune.
Bring your picnic to the Château-Chalon viewpoint and use the wide stone ledge as your table, with vineyards and the valley unfolding below.
After your picnic, explore the village and stop for ice cream in the garden at La Maison d’Eusebia.
Spend a relaxing evening in Arbois
Return to Arbois and enjoy the garden space at your hotel until sunset. In the evening, walk back into town, choose a restaurant at the square, and settle in to watch the surroundings.
See our full list of 11 Fun Things to Do in Jura.
Day 3: Explore Beaune - Burgundy's wine capital
The drive from Arbois to Beaune takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. It’s an easy, scenic transition day, moving from Jura’s quieter countryside into the heart of Burgundy’s wine world.
Burgundy can feel mysterious at first. It produces some of the world’s most sought-after Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but its complexity comes from how fragmented the vineyards are, with tiny plots and big differences in status just metres apart.
Beaune is an ideal base for exploring the region, sitting between the prestigious red wines of the Côte de Nuits and the white wines of the Côte de Beaune.
Staying in the wine capital for a few days will allow you to ease into Burgundy’s complexity.
Stay at a 14th-century estate inside the historic centre
Our room at Le Clos Sainte Marguerite
Despite being so central, it felt quiet and private, with character-filled rooms featuring exposed beams, stone floors, and antique details.
The whole stay felt relaxed and personal, and very much part of Beaune rather than a place designed just for visitors.
The owners are closely connected to the local food and wine scene, which adds another layer to staying here.
🛏️ Browse more stays in BeauneExplore, shop, and stop for a glass
Beaune's medieval streets
Spend the afternoon wandering Beaune’s historic streets.
We stopped for a glass of wine in the garden at Caveau de Dégustation Vins de Bourgogne du Domaine Loubet-Dewailly, tucked beside Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune.
The centre is also great for shopping. Don’t miss Athenaeum, our favourite stop for detailed wine maps, books, and fun wine-related finds.
If you’re visiting on a Saturday, the market at Halles de Beaune is worth a look.
Tour the cellars at Joseph Drouhin
In the afternoon, book a cellar tour and tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin.
Founded in 1880, it's one of Burgundy’s most respected wine houses and one of the few prestigious producers offering bookable visits.
The tour takes you through ancient cellar tunnels beneath Beaune, followed by a tasting that often includes Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines.
It was one of our favourite experiences in Beaune and gave us a much clearer understanding of Burgundy.
Dine at Bistrot Rosette and people-watch
Beaune’s historic centre is made for outdoor dining and people-watching. Reservations are important, especially in warmer months.
Bistrot Rosette ended up being our favourite spot in the centre, both for the atmosphere and the food. The menu focuses on fresh Burgundian dishes with a modern touch.
See our full list 12 Unique Things to Do in Beaune.
Day 4: Discover Burgundy wines in Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits
Today you'll see both sides of Burgundy’s wine region.
You’ll start your day south of Beaune in the Côte de Beaune, known for its Chardonnay and relaxed wine villages, before heading north into the Côte de Nuits, where Burgundy’s most celebrated red wines and historic vineyards are found.
Bike through Côte de Beaune to a vineyard lunch
Bike south of Beaune through vineyard-lined paths and quiet villages. The route is gentle and scenic, and e-bikes make the ride feel effortless. We rented ours from Bourgogne Randonnées.
Plan to stop for lunch at Clos du Moulin aux Moines, one of Burgundy’s oldest estates, founded by monks in the 10th century.
From spring through mid-October, a seasonal pop-up restaurant takes over the courtyard.
We ordered slow-cooked ribs, a refreshing glass of white and enjoyed the sunny vineyard views.
It's just under a 30 minute bike ride from the centre of Beaune.
Discover Meursault’s signature Chardonnay
From Clos du Moulin aux Moines, it’s just a 4 minute ride into Meursault, one of Burgundy’s key Chardonnay villages.
The village is relaxed, with stone houses, quiet streets, and a few outdoor cafes clustered around the centre.
We stopped at La Maison des Vins, where small Coravin pours made it easy to try a few Mersault wines and get a sense of the style without overcommitting.
Discover Burgundy's prestigious Pinot Noir in Côte de Nuits
In the afternoon, drive north from Beaune into the Côte de Nuits, home to some of Burgundy’s most prestigious red wines.
If you’re able to arrange it, a cellar visit with a local winemaker is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in Burgundy.
Most wineries here aren’t open to the public, and tastings usually require emailing ahead rather than booking online. When it works out, it feels far more personal than a formal tasting.
Our visit involved tasting wines from tiny vineyard parcels and talking through family history and decisions that shape each bottle. It was, without question, our favourite experience in Burgundy.
🍇 Top Tip: If booking a winery visit is high on your list, avoid travelling during harvest, when winemakers are extremely busy, and visits are much harder to secure.
Another great option is booking a tasting at La Grande Cave de Vougeot, a historic building with 17th-century wine cellars beneath the village of Vougeot. This was one of the most educational tastings we did in Burgundy.
The guided format explains appellations and classifications side by side, without feeling intimidating.
Tastings typically range from €22–28 and can be booked online.
Put Burgundy’s vineyard logic into context
Continue on to Château du Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy's most historic wine site. Built in the 12th century by Cistercian monks, it's set among some of Burgundy’s most prized Grand Cru vineyards.
Walking through the grounds and cellars helps explain how Burgundy’s vineyard system was shaped - and why small plots can carry such weight.
You can either book a self-guided tour, guided-tour or tasting experience at the chateau.
Dine at local favourite, Caves Madeleine
We kept hearing about Caves Madeleine from locals. Tucked just outside the historic centre, it’s a warm, understated restaurant serving contemporary French dishes that follow the seasons.
The wine list is a big part of the draw, built around close relationships with local producers and well chosen Burgundies that pair naturally with the food.
It’s also recommended by the Michelin Guide.
If you’re staying at Le Clos Sainte Marguerite, the owners can often help secure a reservation, as they also own the restaurant. Just be sure to ask early - tables book out quickly.Day 5: Travel day from Beaune
Enjoy a final walk through Beaune, then drop off your rental car at Dijon Airport (30 min drive) or Lyon Airport (2 hr drive) and fly to your next destination.
Get started on booking your trip to France
- 🛏️ Book your accommodation: in Beaune and Arbois.
- 🚗 Car rental: see DiscoverCars to compare car rental prices across different companies.
- 🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).
Don't forget about travel insurance
👩⚕️ For affordable travel insurance: go with SafetyWing - it's budget-friendly and you can even buy it while abroad, but note the max medical coverage is $250,000 USD. 🏥 For comprehensive travel insurance: go with World Nomads - it's more expensive, but the max emergency medical coverage is $5-10 million, depending on the plan.Don't miss our other France travel guides:
- 7 Day Paris and Provence Itinerary
- 3 Day Provence Itinerary
- 7 Most Charming Luberon Villages to Visit
- How to Spend 1 Day in Paris
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