Côte de Nuits wine tours that pass by Clos de Vougeot
What "passes by Clos de Vougeot" means
The clos covers about fifty hectares in one piece, surrounded by walls, on a gentle slope below the château. From the D974, you can see the wall and the roof; from the vineyard paths, you see the building set in the middle of the plot, and this is the photo everyone takes home. Guides stop here because it is the place where you can instantly understand what a Burgundian climat is: a wall, a single name, over eighty owners inside. The top of the clos, near the château, is considered the best terroir; the bottom, towards the road, flatter and more clayey, is the most irregular.
What it will not do: open the gate. To do that, you need the château ticket, or lunch at La Table de Léonce, the only GetYourGuide option that includes entry.
The four tours, explained clearly
The full-day tour from Beaune, fourteen tastings
Eight and a half hours, maximum eight people, in English, departure at 6 bd Perpreuil in front of the Beaune tourist office, return around 17 h 45. Three tasting stops: a domain near Beaune where Saint-Aubin, Meursault, and Corton-Charlemagne are discussed, a cellar in Nuits-Saint-Georges with the winemaker, a shop in Chambolle-Musigny. Fourteen wines, from village to grand cru. Photo stops at Clos de Vougeot and Romanée-Conti. Air-conditioned minibus. Lunch is not included. Rated 4.9 out of 311 reviews, and it often sells out. Jean-François mentioned tasting a Clos de Vougeot there — it happens, but it is not promised.
The 2 h 30 guided walk in the vineyards
Same departure point in Beaune, twenty minutes by van, then forty-five minutes walking between Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot, Bonnes Mares, and Chambertin. Cellar visit with a winemaker, one hour of comparative tasting of six wines, twenty minutes return. French and English, eight people. The operator has been working in Burgundy wine tourism since 1985. Rated 4.6 out of 125 reviews: Kassadi, from the United States, found it "perfect for beginners". This is the only tour where you really walk along the clos.
The half-day tour from Dijon
Five hours, eight people, English and French, meeting point on the bus lane near the "Sizzle & Chill" kiosk in Dijon — arrive five minutes early, the driver waits a maximum of ten minutes. The departure is only confirmed with at least four participants. Route des Grands Crus with Romanée-Conti, Clos de Vougeot, Chambertin, and Montrachet mentioned along the way, five to seven wines including a premier cru white, then two hours of free time in Beaune. Wheelchair accessible. The rating, 4.4, is the lowest of our six options: the recurring criticism is about the two hours of free time, considered long by some, and the time spent in the car. The guides, however, are praised in almost all reviews — Elsa, Marie, Léonie.
The half-day Côte de Beaune tour with a stop at the clos
Four hours, departure from Dijon, Route des Grands Crus with a stop in front of Château du Clos de Vougeot, then two domain visits with tastings of premier and grand crus. Small group. Rated 4.8 out of 41 reviews, a still modest volume, and I do not have verified details on the exact meeting point or the precise number of wines: confirm when booking.
Editor's choiceFrom Beaune: day in Burgundy with 14 tastings
ShortestCôte de Nuits: guided walk through the vineyards (2 h 30)
From DijonFrom Dijon: half-day tasting, Côte de Nuits & Beaune
Grand crusFrom Dijon: Côte de Beaune, half-day with a stop at Clos de Vougeot
How to choose among the four
What works
- You are staying in Beaune and have the whole day: the full-day tour with fourteen tastings is the most comprehensive and best-rated.
- You are staying in Beaune and have an afternoon: the 2 h 30 walk is the only one where you walk between the plots.
- You are staying in Dijon without a car: the two half-day tours departing from Dijon save you the train trip.
- You want a winemaker in front of you: both the walk and the full-day tour from Beaune include a cellar visit.
Good to know
- None of these four tours enter the château.
- Tasting a Clos de Vougeot depends on the domain visited that day.
- The full-day tour from Beaune is in English only.
- Lunch is not included in any of the four.
- The half-day tour from Dijon only departs with a minimum of four participants.
The harvest usually falls in late August or September. The vineyards are active, the light is beautiful, but the estates are in high demand, and some cellar tours are shorter than usual. Spring and autumn outside of harvest season remain my two favorite times: see the best time to visit.
Combining a tour and the château in the same day
It’s possible if you visit the château first. It opens at 9:30 from April to October, at 10:00 from November to March; allow one hour for a self-guided visit, one and a half to two hours with a guided tour and the gift shop. Tours departing from Beaune leave in the morning, which doesn’t leave enough time: it’s better to book your tour on one day and the château on another, or visit the château in the afternoon after a half-day from Dijon. The page how to get there details the TER train and the D974 road, and the château visit covers the rest.
To read the tours in detail before choosing: the review of the 2 h 30 walk, the review of the half-day from Dijon, or the comparison of the six options. And if it’s the wine itself that interests you, the page on the grand cru explains the upper and lower parts of the clos.
Frequently asked questions
Do you taste Clos de Vougeot wine during these tours?
It’s not guaranteed. Over eighty estates share the clos, and each tour visits the cellars it works with; some groups taste the wine, others don’t. What is certain is the stop in front of the clos and the explanation of the terroir. See Clos de Vougeot wine.
Which tour departs from Dijon?
Two: the half-day Côte de Nuits and Beaune (five hours, minimum four participants) and the half-day Côte de Beaune (four hours), which passes by the clos. Without a car from Dijon, this is the simplest option; otherwise, the TER train serves Vougeot, see how to get there.
How much does a vineyard tour cost?
The price depends on the duration, the number of tastings, and the season, and it changes from one day to the next: we do not display it. The daily rate and remaining spots are shown in the booking module above. First, compare the options on the comparison page.
Can you do the Route des Grands Crus without a tour?
Yes, by car via the D974: Dijon, Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, about twenty kilometers and twenty-five to thirty minutes. But the driver cannot taste, which explains much of the success of these tours.