Burgundy, or Bourgogne to the French, is a prosperous region famous for its excellent wines, hearty cuisine, vibrant history and distinctive architecture.  Situated in the centre of the country, the region considers itself the heart of France, and it's easy to see why. Burgundy offers an enticing combination of history, culture and a predominantly rural landscape – things that attract many Britons to this classically French existence. Benjamin Haas of Burgundy4u confirms that "the French way-of-life is still very much here". He suggests that Burgundy has avoided some of the harsher transformations of modernisation, concluding that "if you want to be part of a traditional French way of life you should come to Burgundy".

This predominantly agricultural area of France is renowned for the vineyards that bring prosperity to the region. "It is civilised countryside", says Haas. "Agriculture keeps the regional economy vibrant." But, although agriculture defines the character of Burgundy, large towns are always in close proximity. The ducal cities of Dijon and Beaune, the many beautiful châteaux and the Romanesque churches augment the area's strong historical ambience. The area is known locally as 'the real France'. Allen Walkey of Simply Burgundy agrees: Brits who are attracted to the region will likely be seeking an 'authentic' slice of France. "Those looking to be close to the sea will have a long way to drive from Burgundy", he explains. "However, those looking for rural countryside at its best with undulating landscapes, villages and market towns with outstanding period architecture and local markets alive with local farmers selling their produce would do well to look to Burgundy."

Unlike many of the other regions in France, the four departments that make up Burgundy comprise of a patchwork of landscapes, as valleys and plains give way to uplands and mountains. The Côte-D'Or, an area renowned for the wine of the same name, is located in the north-east of Burgundy. The landscape is mountainous, with lush green countryside and numerous forests and lakes. Land in the south-west of the department has been designated protected national parkland. The Côte-d'Or vineyard region stretches from Dijon to Santenay, and Beaune, where the Charlamagne once owned vineyards, is the de facto capital of the area's wine production.

To many visitors and residents, the vineyards of Burgundy represent the essence of the region throughout the year. Jenny Kearton of VEF observes that "the vines embody the changing seasons, from the thin bowed sticks during cold, bright winters, to the carpet of leaves bursting with their purple or green treasure in the late summer sun, when temperatures can climb to the high 20s. When the fruit is harvested, the vine leaves slowly turn bright red, orange and gold in October, framed more often than not by a brilliant blue sky. The beauty of the region is breathtaking; to the locals it is simply paradise." There are two main rivers running through the department: the Saone which flows from south to east, and the Siene, which originates in the centre of the department and flows through Paris to the sea. For those who love water travel, there is also a canal network that makes for a fun and relaxing way to discover the region's delights during the warm summer months.

The city of Dijon is the capital of both the region and the department. In the 11th century the Dukes of Burgundy made Dijon their capital and by the 15th century the city was recognised as a centre of the European art scene. The echoes of past glories can be seen in the city's distinguished architecture and numerous galleries and museums. The most famous product to come out of this fine old city is Dijon mustard, but there is more to the culinary scene than this. As Kearton observes, Dijon is a city of "fascinating architecture and great restaurants: eating out in Burgundy is an absolute must as well as a sheer pleasure."

The department of Nievre, with its varied landscape, is especially appealing to hikers and nature lovers. To the east lie the picturesque Morvan mountains, the centre and north is made up of a limestone plateau, and to the south-west lie extensive plains around the river valleys of the Loire and Allier rivers. The capital of the department is the city of Nevers, an intriguingly charming town that has been largely overlooked by foreign tourists. This lends the town a gentler pace, but doesn't mean that there aren't attractions to be found by those who look for them. The Cathedral of St-Cyr and St-Juilette, the final resting place of St-Bernadette, is an interesting place to visit, while the imposing Palais Ducal, a 16th-century building adjoining the medieval towers, provides a fascinating excursion.
 
Typical of the smaller market towns and villages dotted throughout the department is the attractive hillside town of Clamecy, which is located in the north of the department overlooking the River Yonne. Thanks to the prosperity brought with an active logging industry in the 16th century, the town is home to some beautiful and varied architecture and a quaint city centre overlooking the narrow streets winding down the hillside.

The southernmost of Burgundy's departments, Saone-et-Loire, is surrounded by three mountain ranges: the Jura, the Morvan and the Massif Central. The western side of the department is marked by a relatively flat landscape, while the east is home to its imposing peaks and in the north is a national park, home to extensive woodland and lakes and canals, which provide a range of outdoor activities, on both land and water. Autun in the north of the department makes a good base from which to visit the national park. The town is distinguished by its Romanesque architecture that speaks of the area's rich history.

The capital of the department, Macon, lies in the south near to the border with the Rhône-Alpes. It is located in the heart of the Maconnais, an area that yields high-quality grapes and wines. The department is famous for the distinctive white Charollais cattle that originate from the agricultural town of the same name just north-west of Macon. The town is distinguished by the opulent architecture that fills the town centre, the legacy of the counts of Charollais who made the town their home in days gone by.

The final and most northerly of the departments is Yonne, an agricultural area with traditional rural towns dotted across plains. Historically, the department was popular with pilgrims and a destination of choice when the French royalty wanted to escape the hectic Parisian pace of life. Nowadays, it still draws people who want to leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city, attracting commuters who travel into Paris for work each day. One such commuter town is Sens, a pleasant town with wide boulevards, peaceful promenades and grand buildings.
 
The departmental capital is Auxerre, further south along the Yonne River. The city is popular with those who enjoy water sports and sailing as it has a port for pleasure craft and yachts. Nearby lies the wine-making village of Chablis, a sleepy little town with a relaxed atmosphere. There is very much a mall town feel to Chablis: everything is closed on Mondays and shops shut between 12 and 3pm the rest of the week.

Burgundy's central location means that access is easy, with the A6 Autoroute from Paris, excellent motorway links down from Calais and up into Germany, TGV links and flights to Dijon and Lyon. At present there are no budget airlines servicing the area, but according to Haas this can be seen as "a positive as well as a negative force as it encourages another kind of tourism, we don't get weekenders who fly in for the discos. We don't get mass tourism". Indeed, to many the real attraction of Burgundy is the conspicuous absence of Brits. Frances McKay of Francophiles Ltd, confirms that the French atmosphere and access to transportation links are the main attractions for international buyers. "There seem to be two types of buyer," says McKay: "the ones looking for old fashioned France and those who want access to the rest of Europe." According to McKay, although "there are quite a few British buyers, it is not the most popular area in France, which is perhaps one of its appeals." This does not only mean that French culture remains intact, but also that property prices have not been adversely affected by an influx of foreign capital and there are still properties for renovation to be found. As Kearton says, "because the area is relatively undiscovered you'll find that house prices are very affordable and with prices increasing 14 per cent in 2005 now is a great time to invest."

The most expensive areas in the region are the wine growing areas, where land is at a premium. The cities have also experienced a boom in the past three years, but in the country side land is at its cheapest.  For example, Haas suggests that in Dijon for 140,000 euros you could expect to get a one-bedroom apartment, but in a wine village you could find a two-bedroom apartment; in Nolay or Couches, smaller agricultural villages, you could buy a three-bedroom house with some attached land, or in the Morvan regional park you could get a stone farmhouse with one-acre of land. If you are looking for a home away from home, then this probably isn't the place for you, but if you want to become immersed in the French way of life you need look no further than Burgundy.

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For further information:
Burgundy4u 
Francophiles Ltd 
VEF Ltd 
Simply Burgundy

Article first published in January 2006