Backroads

Amid this evocative château-dotted landscape, it's apropos that we treat you like royalty. Linger in lavishly decorated guest room, bask by the swimming pool or meander through formal gardens at our luxurious châteaux-cum-hotels. At the charming antique-filled Hôtel Le Cep, you'll feel like one of the ducs de Bourgogne while feasting on hearty Burgundian cooking—peasant fare elevated to high art, such as escargots bourguignonne (snails in hot garlic butter) and coq au vin (rooster stewed in red wine). In the Loire Valley, delight in romantic river views as you savor the refined regional creations of Le Choiseul's young Michelin-starred chef, Pascal Bouvier.

We take you to the perfect caves (cellars) for tasting, learning about, and picking up a bottle or two of the local lifeblood. Sample Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits wines during private tours in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. See the winemaking process at Clos de Vougeot. Taste the famed dry whites of Chablis and, in the Loire Valley, swirl the superb chenin blancs of Vouvray and Sancerre. Celebrated Burgundy vintner Alex Gambal invites us into his private winery for an intimate tour and barrel tasting. A votre santé!

No trip to Beaune would be complete without a visit to the Hôtel Dieu, a charity hospital founded by chancellor Nicolas Rolin in 1443. With its flamboyant Flemish roof tiles and distinctive Gothic architecture, it's one of Burgundy's most iconic landmarks. A highlight of our private tour is the graphic polyptych of the Last Judgment, which Rolin commissioned. View its intense imagery in exacting detail with the aid of our guide's magnifying glass—note the wildflowers underfoot of do-gooders on their way to the Pearly Gates.

Whether formidable, romantic or downright ostentatious, châteaux dot the Loire Valley in such abundance you'll swear you've entered a fairy tale. Marvel at the grandiose Château de Chambord, considered the very picture of Renaissance extravagance. Admire the Château de Villandry and its strikingly beautiful geometric gardens. And soak up the glamorous ambience of Chenonceau—the ultimate pleasure palace—which spans the River Cher and bursts with tapestries, paintings and even stained-glass windows in the chapel.

Through the eyes of our knowledgeable local guides, gain a rich perspective on French history - in settings where it actually unfolded. At Clos Lucé, the plush digs where Leonardo da Vinci spent the final years of his life, walk in the footsteps of the genius and view models of his creations. Tour the exquisite Château de Chenonceau - former retreat for Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de'Medici and Mary, Queen of Scots - and view the room from which Catherine presumed to reign over France following the death of her husband, King Henry II.