On the road

Burgundy-Franche-Comté region

Departments: Côte d'Or, Doubs, Jura, Nièvre, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne, Territoire de Belfort

Population: 2.8 million

Prefecture: Dijon

Area: 47,784 km²

Specialities: Burgundy and Maconnais wines, Jura wines, cheeses (Comté, Mont d'Or, Morbier, Bleu de Gex, Cancoillotte), beef bourguignon, Bresse poultry, kir.

Sports clubs: FGC Sochaux, AJ Auxerre, FC Gueugnon (football), Elan Sportif Chalonnais, JDA Dijon (basketball), Jeanne d'Arc Dijon (handball)

Competitions: motor racing at the Dijon-Prenois circuit, Franck Pineau cycle race in Auxerre

Economy: automotive (Peugeot-Montbéliard), Alstom, General Electric (rail), steel, mining, parachemistry, pharmaceuticals, electronics, plastics, paper, mechanical and automotive industries, agriculture (cereals, beet, cattle farming, cheese). Forestry. Watchmaking. Tourism.

Festivals: Eurockéennes in Belfort, Beaune Hospices Charity Auction, Grandes Heures de Cluny, Rencontres Musicales of Vézelay, Ecrans de l'Aventure (Adventure Screens) in Dijon, Dijon International and Gastronomic Fair, Fenêtres sur Courts in Dijon. Courbet Bicentennial. Besançon Early Music Festival.

Tourist attractions: Fontenay Abbey, Vézelay Basilica, Notre-Dame-du-Haut Chapel in Ronchamp, Burgundy vineyards, Besançon Citadel, Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon, Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, Autun Cathedral, Guédelon Castle, Hospices de Beaune, Citadel and Lion of Belfort, Cluny Abbey, Ballon d'Alsace, Solutré Rock.

Websites and social media: www.bourgognefranchecomte.fr

Km 1.8 – Fuissé (Pop. 340)

The jewel in the crown of Pouilly-Fuissé, to which the village gave its name by combining it with that of the nearby hamlet of Pouilly.

Pouilly-Fuissé is a white wine with a controlled designation of origin produced in the communes of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson in Saône-et-Loire, about ten kilometres west of Mâcon. Pouilly-Fuissé is the oldest, most renowned and most expensive communal appellation in the Mâconnais vineyard; in terms of production, it is the most exported wine from the Burgundy vineyard. The area claimed under the appellation in 2023 is 759 hectares, including 159 hectares of premier cru. A bright pale golden colour characterises this white Burgundy, generally known as the 'king of the Mâconnais'.

Construction: 10th, 15th and 16th centuries.

History and characteristics: this historic residence features numerous medieval remains: its 10th-century foundations, its unusual 15th-century tower flanked by two yew trees trimmed into the shape of bottles, and its Renaissance porch are the most remarkable features. It is also an important wine estate: Château de Fuissé is one of the leading estates in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation. The estate has been owned by the Vincent family since 1862 and has been run by them for five generations.

Km 8.7 – Solutré-Pouilly (Pop. 330)

Dominated by the private Château de Pouilly, with its medieval appearance (late 15th century), Solutré is known for its Solutré rock, the site of an annual pilgrimage by former President François Mitterrand, and for its prehistoric remains, which gave the commune its name to an Upper Palaeolithic culture, the Solutrean (23,000 to 18,000 BC).

Solutré rock

The Solutré rock is a limestone escarpment overlooking the commune of Solutré- Pouilly. A listed site and Grand Site de France, it owes its fame to several remarkable features: a rare geological phenomenon in this region and the eponymous prehistoric site of a Palaeolithic culture (the Solutrean), its summit, which rises to 493 metres, is home to a specific environment, the calcareous grasslands of the Mâconnais, with their unique flora and fauna. Occupied by humans for at least 55,000 years, it is also the birthplace of Pouilly-Fuissé, a renowned white wine. It was brought to public attention in the 1980s by the annual climb of President François Mitterrand accompanied by numerous friends.

Solutré Prehistory Museum

The museum displays the site's collections at the location where they were discovered, as well as models reconstructing hunting scenes and temporary exhibitions on topics related to archaeology, prehistory and ethnography, which have more recently incorporated contemporary art. The museum displays collections from one of the largest prehistoric sites in Europe, Solutré, which gave its name to an archaeological culture, the Solutrean.

RHÔNE (69)

Population: 1.9 million (Lyon metropolitan area + department)

Prefecture: Lyon

Sub-prefecture: Villefranche-sur-Saône

Area: 3,249 km

Specialities: wine, agriculture, tourism. Wine growing: Beaujolais, Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Mont and Coteaux du Lyonnais. Charcuterie, including Bobosse andouillette. Cheeses. Fruit (Bessenay cherries). Calf's head with gribiche sauce on Mondays at the calf market in St Laurent de Chamousset / Tarare mousselines, etc.

Major sports clubs: Olympique Lyonnais (football), Lyon Olympique Universitaire (LOU, rugby), ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne (basketball). Major competitions: Women's Football World Cup, Run in Lyon

Festivals: Festival of Lights in Lyon, Nuits de Fourvières in Lyon, Lyon Biennale, Quais du polar in Lyon.

Tourist attractions: Festival of Lights, Old Lyon, La Croix-Rousse, Beaujolais vineyards.

Economy: high-tech industries, automotive (Berliet), chemicals, banking, universities, government, wine-growing.

Websites and social media: www.rhone.fr / www.rhonetourisme.com

Km 61.8 – Émeringes (Pop. 270)

Émeringes is depicted in a painting by Gustave Courbet (1819-1877). This painting entered the Mâcon museum in 1889, but it was not until 1937, during a restoration commissioned by the curator and painter Hugrel, that Gustave Courbet's signature was discovered. Courbet probably painted this work during a stay in Emeringes, where he had family ties.

Saône-et-Loire

Km 84.2 – Juliénas (Pop. 890)

The tour of Beaujolais wines continues in Juliénas, where the visit is not limited to wine tasting. The Maison de la Dîme, which belongs to one of the great names of Beaujolais, the Foillards, is worth a visit and is listed as a historic monument. As its name suggests, it was once used to collect taxes. Château de Juliénas, formerly owned by the lords of Beaujeu and, as you would expect, a wine-producing estate, is also of heritage interest, as is Château du Bois de la Salle, a former monastery that now houses the cooperative winery.

An AOC since 1938, Juliénas produces red wines made from Gamay grapes.

Juliénas has hosted the start of two stages of Paris-Nice in the past, the last one in 2016, which saw Nacer Bouhanni win in Romans-sur-Isère.

Construction: 17th century.

History and characteristics: its superbly preserved façade with galleries and arcades is reminiscent of Italian Renaissance houses. Until the Revolution, this beautiful residence was used to collect ecclesiastical tithes for the benefit of the Chapter of Saint-Vincent-les-Mâcon and the parish priest. The tithe corresponded to approximately 10 pc of the harvest. Here, winegrowers had to pay "one basket of grapes out of every twelve harvested". The restoration of Maison de la Dîme, owned by the Foillard family since the 19th century, was completed in 1986. A vineyard, in the Juliénas appellation, is still attached to the property.

Listed as: Historic Monument since 1926.

Km 91.4 – Le Moulin à Vent

Construction: 15th to 20th century.

History: the windmill was built towards the end of the 15th century on the hill of Poncié, located between the communes of Romanèche-Thorins and Chénas, to grind grain for the surrounding populations. It has undergone several restorations, the last of which dates back to 1999, when its sails were rebuilt identically by a carpenter and joiner who was a member of the Compagnons du Tour de France.

The name: this mill, which has become a symbol of the region, gave its name to one of the ten Beaujolais crus. Before 1936, this wine was sold under the name Romanèche-Thorins, which was once considered a Beaujolais cru. However, the name "moulin à vent" appeared unofficially at the end of the 18th century and was regulated in 1924. The name "moulin-à-vent" was definitively adopted when it was recognised by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) as an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) by the decree of 11 September 1936.

Listed as: historic monument in 1930.

Km 95.6 – Lancié (Pop. 1,100)

2 km away:

Construction: 11th to 15th century.

History: Among the châteaux in Beaujolais, the Château de Corcelles is exceptional in more than one respect. Nine centuries of history have been written here in the heart of the Beaujolais region. Built as a defensive fortress in the 11th century and modified over the centuries, particularly during the Renaissance, the château boasts remarkable architecture. Owned by the Richard family since 1984, it is also one of the Beaujolais region's leading wine estates.

A special feature is the 3.5-hectare park, surrounded by vineyards, which includes French gardens. Ancient trees give this unique site in Beaujolais its distinctive character. Although privately owned, the château is open to visitors.

Listed as: historic monument in 1927.

Km 103.1 – Villié-Morgon (Pop. 2,130)

The sixth Beaujolais cru on this stage, Morgon takes its name from one of the two villages that merged to form the current locality. Produced from a unique terroir of decomposed rock and friable schist, it seduces with its fullness on the palate. It is one of the most powerful wines in Beaujolais.

Between two glasses of wine, architecture enthusiasts will appreciate the imposing stature of Château de Fontcrenne, now the village town hall. The Marquis de Saint-Amour had it built on the site of a former medieval castle in the 17th century. The property also has a beautiful animal park (birds, deer, etc.), which is open to the public.

Villié-Morgon has hosted several major cycling races, starting with the men's Tour de France, which stopped there in 1984 for a 51-km time trial to Villefranche, won by Laurent Fignon ahead of Sean Kelly, Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond. Another 50 km time trial took place in 2012 between Villié-Morgon and Bourg-en-Bresse, won by Bradley Wiggins, who went on to win the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. The Tour de l'Avenir has also stopped there twice. In 1980, Jeannie Longo was crowned French road champion there.

Km 119.7 – Régnié-Durette (Pop. 1,140)

The penultimate of the nine crus visited on this stage, Régnié is also the last of the ten Beaujolais crus, as the appellation was only created in 1988. Mainly produced in Régnié- Durette, Régnié also has a few acres in Lantignié. In the commune, Domaine de la Grange-Charton, owned by the Hospices de Beaujeu since 1806, has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1994 for its 19th-century buildings. Also listed is the Renaissance château of La Pierre, which is said to have withstood an attack by the formidable Baron des Adrets during the Wars of Religion.

The village hosted the 19th stage of the 2002 Tour de France, a 50-km time trial through the vineyards to Mâcon.

Km 129.5 – Mont Brouilly

Mont Brouilly has become a classic early season race since its inclusion in the Paris-Nice route in 2014 (victory in Belleville for Tom-Jelte Slagter), 2016 (stage cancelled due to snow), 2017 (time trial victory by Julian Alaphilippe), 2021 (victory by Primoz Roglic in Chiroubles) and 2024 (victory at the summit by Santiago Buitrago). The mountain is crowned by the Notre-Dame aux Raisins chapel, which is the destination of an annual pilgrimage on 8 September. It was built to protect the vineyard after hail, frost and powdery mildew ravaged it between 1850 and 1852. The first stone was laid in 1854 and the chapel was inaugurated in 1857. The altar bears the inscription "To Mary against powdery mildew" while the façade bears the inscription "To Mary, protector of Beaujolais".

Auvergne-Rhône Alpes region

Departments: Ain, Allier, Ardèche, Cantal, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône, Lyon Metropolis, Savoie, Haute-Savoie.

Population: 8 million

Prefecture: Lyon

Area: 69,711 km²

Specialities: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and Savoie wines, Lyon specialities (quenelles, cervelles de canut, saucisson, etc.), Auvergne potée, Savoy specialities (raclette, fondue, tartiflettes, diots, crozets), cheeses (Beaufort, Reblochon, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne, Salers, Saint-Nectaire, etc.), green lentils from Le Puy, waters (Evian, Thonon, Volvic), verbena, Chartreuse.

Sports clubs: Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint-Etienne, Clermont Foot 63, Grenoble Foot 38 (football). ASM Clermont, Lyon OU, FC Grenoble, Stade Aurillacois, US Oyonnax (rugby), ASVEL Villeurbanne (basketball), Chambéry (handball), Brûleurs de loup Grenoble, Pionniers de Chamonix (ice hockey)

Competitions: Women's Football World Cup, skiing competitions (Critérium de la Première Neige in Val d'Isère), Tour de France mountain passes, Critérium du Dauphiné.

Economy: (8th European region) cutting-edge industries, automotive (Berliet), metallurgy, rubber, plastics, chemicals, electronics, agri-food, textiles, digital, banking, universities, government, viticulture. Tyres (Michelin). Design. New technologies (Inovallée). Winter and summer tourism.

Festivals: Festival of Lights in Lyon / Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon / Quais du polar in Lyon / Design Biennial in Saint-Etienne / Classical Music Festival in La Chaise-Dieu

Tourist attractions: Old Lyon and Croix-Rousse, Puy-en-Velay Cathedral, Lake Annecy, Chambéry Castle, winter sports in Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie, Cantal, spa resorts, Auvergne volcanoes. Pont d'Arc Cave. Grignan Castle. Grenoble Bastille. Vulcania. Parc des Oiseaux.

Websites and social media: www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr