Cycle Champagne & Burgundy – Premium Adventure

The adventure begins in Reims, an intoxicating city of pretty boulevards. We gather for the first time this evening over a welcome dinner, a great chance to get to know each other a little and discuss the adventures to come. Stay: Hotel de la Paix (or similar) (D).

We ease into the trip with a cultural tour around Reims, exploring the fascinating art and history of the city, and visiting the grand Notre Dame Cathedral, a Unesco-listed gothic masterpiece where Charles VII was crowned with Joan of Arc next to him. We then transfer (40 minutes) to the starting point of our first cycling stage, hopping onto the saddle to pedal between pretty wine villages, such as Oeuilly and Fleury la Rivière.

We track small vineyard-lined roads enjoying views of the Marne Valley as we go. Our end point is Hautvillers, where the Benedictine monk – and champagne maestro – Dom Pérignon worked in the abbey cellar. It's then to our hotel in Epernay, where we can relax and toast to our first cycling day. Stay: Hôtel Jean Moët (or similar) (B/L).

The day kicks off at the pretty church of Chavot-Courcourt, isolated in the heart of the vineyards. From here, we cycle along the Côte des Blancs, part of the Champagne region known as the cradle of Chardonnay, where we admire a sea of vineyards. Along the way, we pass traditional villages, elegantly nestled between vineyards and forests: Avize, Cramant and Mesnil-sur-Oger among them. We take time to stop at one of the wine estates for a guided tour before sampling their sparkling drinks. It's then back to our Epernay hotel to relax. Stay: Hôtel Jean Moët (or similar) (B/L).

We leave Epernay today, driving to Beaune, which is ranked as one of the prettiest towns in France. After about three hours on the road, we reach Dijon, capital of the Burgundy region, where we have free time to visit the historic centre to admire the many private mansions built here between the 15th and 18th centuries. We then hop back into the vehicle for a 30-minute ride to Beaune. Here we have free time at the 15th-century Hospices de Beaune, which was initially built to care for the poor people of Burgundy, but now stands as an architectural masterpiece with a storybook gothic style and a standout glazed-tile roof. Stay: Hôtel des Remparts (or similar) (B).

We get back on the bikes today for a cycling exploration of the prestigious Côte de Nuits wine region. It's well known in the wine community for producing the Grands Vins de Bourgogne – those considered the highest quality in the region – and particularly its red wines: Chambolle Musigny, Vosne Romanée and the most expensive wine in Burgundy, Romanée Conti. We can visit the Château du Clos de Vougeot, an impossibly picturesque Renaissance-style chateau and one-time wine farm, and the village of Nuits Saint Georges where we stop for a wine tasting. Stay: Hôtel des Remparts (or similar) (B/L).

On our final day of cycling, we track the VéloVoie bike trail through the Côte de Beaune wine region, taking in renowned vineyards such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Pommard. We end in style, crossing the beautiful Burgundy countryside to end in Beaune. Stay: Hôtel des Remparts (or similar) (B/L/D).

The adventure comes to an end after breakfast. Bid a fond farewell to each other and begin your return journey home (B).