A small electric tourist train with commentary that loops through Beaune's old town and past its vineyards.
€290for a half-day wine tour starting here, up to 4 guests
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The Visiotrain is a small electric tourist train that gives a commented tour of Beaune in about 35 to 40 minutes. It leaves from the rue de l'Hôtel-Dieu and passes the main monuments of the old town, with a glimpse of the vineyards. It is a gentle way to get your bearings on arrival.
Take a seat in the panoramic carriages and follow the commentary as the train winds through the old streets, past the main monuments and fine old mansions. The route also offers a view of the vineyards on the edge of town. It suits families, older travellers and anyone who wants an overview before exploring on foot. The whole loop takes about 35 to 40 minutes. The commentary follows named stops. After the Hôtel-Dieu and the Collégiale Notre-Dame come the 14th-century belfry and the statues of the mathematician Gaspard Monge, born in Beaune and one of the founders of the École polytechnique, and of Étienne-Jules Marey, whose photographic gun broke movement down into still images. The loop continues past the Square des Lions, the vineyards of the Montagne de Beaune, the Pont des Oies, where the Bouzaize slips under the town, and the Maison du Colombier, a Renaissance house with a hexagonal turret that was once the monks' mill.
The Visiotrain was designed as another way to discover Beaune, a town whose charm lies in the lanes behind its ring of ramparts. The route winds past old houses, Renaissance mansions and the main monuments of the historic centre. A commentary in several languages, including French, English, German and Dutch, explains the history of the town and its wine heritage along the way.
In October the train leaves at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:45, 14:45, 15:45 and 16:45, and only in the afternoon on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Checked on on the official site.
Allow about 40 minutes. The train runs every day from April to the end of October, with departures through the day from the rue de l'Hôtel-Dieu, opposite the Hospices. It is a good first activity, before visiting the Hôtel-Dieu or walking the ramparts. Tickets, sold at the departure point, cost €10 for adults and €6 for children aged 3 to 12, and under-3s ride free; booking is not needed, except that groups of 12 or more are advised to book. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Beaune's market days, the first train leaves in the afternoon.
What to combine with Visiotrain on the same day, nearest first.
For the visit, allow 35 to 40 minutes.
Did you know? The Visiotrain is fully electric, and its route passes the Square des Lions, a public promenade laid out in 1765 on the old Saint-Martin bastion of the ramparts.
Sources
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests
