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Combe Lavaux–Jean Roland Nature Reserve (Réserve naturelle de la Combe Lavaux - Jean Roland)

Limestone cliffs, dry grassland and ravine forest just above the grand cru vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin.

  • Nature and viewpoint
  • 32 min from Beaune
  • Allow 2 to 3 hours
  • Gevrey-Chambertin

€115one way from Beaune with a private driver

Book a driver here 
Réserve naturelle de la Combe Lavaux - Jean Roland
Photo: François de Dijon, CC BY-SA 3.0

At a glance

Location 25 km north of Beaune · Côte de Nuits
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Getting there

Private driver from Beaune: 32 min by road (31 km), €115 one way for the whole car.

Or add it to our half-day wine tour plus one hour, €360.

Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →

About the place

Behind Gevrey-Chambertin, the slope of the Côte opens into a deep, wooded valley called the Combe Lavaux. Since 2004 it has been a national nature reserve, shared with neighbouring Brochon. Cliffs, scree, dry grassland and ravine forest sit side by side, and marked paths lead from the edge of the vineyards into wild country.

What you will see

An interpretation trail explores the combe, and a network of walking and mountain-bike paths crosses the reserve. You climb from the edge of the vineyards through the forest, then out onto open grassland and the rocky rims above the valley, which offer wide views over the vines. Keep dogs on a lead, stay on the marked paths and leave the plants where they grow.

History

The reserve was created by decree on 10 December 2004 and covers about 500 hectares on the communes of Gevrey-Chambertin and Brochon. It was the first nature reserve in the Côte-d'Or. It is named after Jean Roland, a naturalist from Dijon who led the national federation of nature reserves and died in 2004. The local community of communes manages it with the national forestry office.

The combe is a classic valley of the Côte, cut into limestone and running from east to west. Its slopes face north and south, which creates a mosaic of habitats with both mountain and Mediterranean influences. The tourist office counts more than 500 species of flowering plants, making it a major botanical site in Burgundy. The rocky cliffs shelter the peregrine falcon.

Planning your visit

Tips for your visit

From Gevrey-Chambertin, take the D31 towards Chambœuf and park at the entrance to the forest, or start from Brochon. Wear walking shoes and carry water in summer. Prefectoral rules control climbing, mountain biking and motor vehicles in the reserve, so follow the signs. Your driver can drop you at one end and collect you at the other. Check the official website for access information.

Around here

What to combine with Combe Lavaux–Jean Roland Nature Reserve on the same day, nearest first.

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Questions

Combe Lavaux–Jean Roland Nature Reserve is about 32 min from Beaune by road (31 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €115 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.

Did you know? Combe Lavaux became the first nature reserve in the Côte-d'Or in 2004. Its opposing slopes mix mountain and Mediterranean influences within a single valley.

Sources

Combe Lavaux–Jean Roland Nature Reserve with a private driver

€115 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests

Book a driver here