Above: Gardens at La Borde in Leugny

Map of Burgundy Belmond barge cruises include transfers to and from Paris, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to strike out into the countryside. I never tire of driving along the back roads of France, and I find the sculpted landscapes of Burgundy especially appealing. Allées of poplars and plane trees give way to well-tended pastures and views to distant castles and compact villages. Burgundy’s most famous department, the Côte d’Or, is home to some of the world’s most coveted wines, and I currently recommend several hotels in the region. But Burgundy stretches far beyond the “slope of gold,” so I set out to see what other hideaways I could discover.

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