What to do in Burgundy

Burgundy is less about grand châteaux than small cellars, muddy boots and winemakers who pour you something extraordinary straight from the barrel. Follow the Route des Grands Crus from Gevrey-Chambertin through Vosne-Romanée to Chassagne-Montrachet, tasting the Côte de Nuits' reds and the Côte de Beaune's great whites, or potter between vineyards by e-bike. Food matters just as much. Shop the market with a local chef before cooking a gourmet lunch, hunt Burgundy truffles with a grower (and a very keen dog), or drift south to the Beaujolais for cheese and wine. Autumn is our favourite, when the harvest comes in and the vines turn copper and gold. Book early. The best cellars fit about six.