Beaune has a train station in the city center. You can take a direct train from Lyon to this station. However, you will need to make your own way to your hotel by taking a taxi, bus, or foot.
How many hours does it take to get from Lyon to Beaune?
It doesn't usually take too long to get from Lyon to Beaune. The bus takes the longest, at almost 2.5 hours. The train and a private car service can complete the trip in just over 1.5 hours, which means you can make it a day trip.
Is Beaune worth visiting?
If you want a fairytale escape and to visit a small French city known for having some of the best wine on earth, you'll want to visit Beaune. Depending on when you decide to visit, you can enjoy an affordable holiday. Just plan to spend three to four days in the city to enjoy all the main attractions.
Where should you stop when driving from Lyon to Beaune?
When you're driving from Lyon to Beaune, you can stop and sightsee along the way since there are many amazing places worth visiting. For example, there's the 12th-century monastic complex known as Saint-Philibert de Tournus, the 1,000-year-old Chalon Cathedral, and the medieval castle of La Rochepot Chateau.
How do I get from Lyon to Beaune, France?
To get from Beaune to France, you can drive with a private car service like Daytrip or book a bus or train trip. While there are direct trains, Daytrip is even more convenient, and can actually be cheaper for groups. It's also the only option if you want to do some sightseeing in Burgundy!
Does Beaune have an airport?
Beaune does not have an airport, which means you won't be able to fly directly from Lyons to Beaune. Because the train or a car service can get you there in under 2 hours, there's no reason to fly.
Every year, the fairytale town of Beaune attracts thousands of visitors with its quaint historical sights and small-town charm. As a beautiful walled town in the middle of Burgundy, France, with an expansive wine-making history, it's easy to imagine why it's on your travel list. Wine connoisseurs, history aficionados, and those looking for a cozy small town to explore will want to drive from Lyon to Beaune with Daytrip.
With Daytrip, you'll get to leave behind the staggeringly beautiful architectural delights and delicious local gastronomy of Lyon for a quaint adventure filled with wanderings through vineyards and taste-testing French wines. Plus, Daytrip's local professional English-speaking drivers will also help you explore a few of the amazing attractions found along the way.
For example, you can enrich your door-to-door private car service by stopping at the Sanctuaire d'Ars to learn more about the generous work of St. John Vianney. Or head to the Chalon Cathedral, where more than 1,000 years of art and architecture have been collected. For a look at Burgundian luxury, you can take a tour of the beautifully restored La Rochepot Chateau.
And don't be afraid to ask questions during your trip about the places you want to visit! We might not be tour guides, but our drivers are happy to share their extensive local knowledge before dropping you off in Beaune, where you can begin your fairytale escapades through ancient alleyways and hole-in-the-wall cafes.
About Beaune
Beaune is a lively city in France and the capital of Burgundy. It is near Dijon and Lyon and is a popular getaway location for those who want to explore the French countryside. For most people, Beaune is an attractive holiday spot because of its perfect pairing of wine tourism and culture. Grand architecture, stunning museums, underground wine cellars, and gorgeously gothic historic buildings line its streets.
Beaune has been settled since prehistoric times and prospered under Roman rule. The Romans used it for viticulture and cattle, a tradition that has continued to this day. During the 3rd and 4th centuries, it became the seat for a count under Charlemagne and was fortified with ramparts to protect against Germanic invasions. These ramparts are still seen today during a walk through the magnificent city. Around the late 1600s, the town entered a period of decline, but by the 18th century, thanks to the wine trade, its fortunes were revived.
A simple walk through the city showcases Beaune's position as one of Burgandy's biggest and most influential wine centers. Wine producers offer tours throughout the city and the surrounding vineyards that are temptation traps for wine lovers who enjoy learning more about their favorite vintages.
Besides wine rooms and vineyards, Beaune has a wealth of medieval monuments and cute churches dating back to the 13th and 15th centuries, including the iconic Hospices de Beaune. Then there are the renowned restaurants serving decadent Burgundian dishes. All you need to do is research a few of the food critic reviews of the restaurants found in Beaune, and you'll see that we aren't lying. Ultimately, with its combination of culinary delights, cultural heritage, historical significance, and exceptional wine, it's a compelling destination for all travelers looking to experience the very best of Burgundy.
From Lyon to Beaune: travel tips
If you're considering traveling from Lyon to Beaune, you'll want to brush up on a few local travel tips that could make or break your travel experience. We've listed a few of the best travel tips to follow when planning this exciting journey.
Carry cash
France hasn't embraced contactless card payments with the same tenacity as other places in Europe. This means that there are many places where you won't be able to pay for things with cards when traveling from Lyon to Beaune. For example, many public transportation stations still expect you to buy tickets and other items with cash.
That's why, regardless of whether you're renting a car, traveling by bus or train, or using a private car service like Daytrip, you should carry cash to pay for any purchases you might have along the way. Not only will this ensure you get to buy the souvenirs or snacks you have your eye on, but you'll also avoid the often sky-high minimum spends for those paying with cards.
Driving yourself can be expensive
Driving yourself from Lyos to France can be tempting but we urge against this idea as it can be incredibly expensive. This is especially true if you plan on driving on motorways where you'll encounter exorbitant toll road fees that cost the same if not more than your fuel.
So, when traveling the distance of 96 miles (156 km) from Lyon to Beaune it's often best to choose an alternative and cheaper form of transportation like Daytrip or the bus or train depending on your travel preferences.
Learn to navigate the varying opening hours
When traveling through France, you'll need to navigate the varying opening hours of stores and attractions, especially when traveling from Lyons to Beaune, which are not the biggest cities in the country. For example, post offices close at lunchtime regardless of the day of the week, and attractions and shops in rural or smaller towns are often closed between Sunday and Tuesday.
Not to mention that seasonal opening times are also a thing in France, with many restaurants, accommodations, and attractions having more limited hours or closing entirely outside of the travel season. So keep this in mind when planning your trip.
How to get from Lyon to Beaune
Since there is no airport in Beaune and the nearest one is more than 40 miles away, you won't be able to fly from Lyon to Beaune. But don't worryâthere are a few other ways you can travel from one French city to the next. Have a look below to learn more about your transportation options.
From Lyon to Beaune by bus
The bus is the slowest way to travel from Lyon to Beaune, but it is also the most affordable. Typically, a bus ride between these two cities takes about two hours and 20 minutes, and a ticket costs between $18 and $33.
The most popular bus booked is Flixbus, with a bus leaving every four hours and the cheapest tickets on offer. There is also SNCF, with buses leaving every hour, and BlaBlaCar Bus, with slightly pricier tickets and a more questionable reputation.
From Lyon to Beaune by train
The direct train is slightly faster than a bus trip, and they have nicer onboard amenities. However, like the bus, there are no sightseeing stops to indulge your curiosities. The train lines offering trips include SNFC and TGV inOui, with the latter offering trips twice daily and the former every hour.
Since both train lines offer direct trips, it only takes about an hour and 40 minutes to get from Lyon to Beaune, but ticket prices can vary vastly depending on when you travel, with prices as low as $29 or as high as $70.
From Lyon to Beaune by private car transfer service
A door-to-door car trip with a private transfer service like Daytrip is one of the easiest, fastest, most cost-effective, and time-efficient ways to travel from Lyon to Beaune. With Daytrip, you can choose when you want to travel according to your needs and add sightseeing stops to castles or towns along the way!
You'll travel comfortably in a modern vehicle and the direct trip only takes about an hour and 45 minutes, depending on your exact pickup and destination. Daytripâs private car service from Lyon to Beaune costs as little as $58 per seat, and is the best choice if you prioritize comfort and convenience, or want to experience more of France!
Things to do when you get to Beaune
You might not know what to do when you get to Beaune, and we can't blame you. As a somewhat whimsical town that is a hidden gem, there aren't extensive guides on the region with credible information. Fortunately, we've got you covered with a list of the best things to do after driving from Lyon to Beaune.
HĂŽtel-Dieu Museum - Hospices de Beaune
The HĂŽtel-Dieu Museum, formerly the Hospices de Beaune, was built by Nicolas Rolin, the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife in 1443. Since the Middle Ages, it has served as a hospital and home and has been an important medieval institution even when it fell into decline during the French Revolution.
It's since become one of France's most beloved monuments, with its polychrome roofs, Gothic architecture, and beautiful gardens. Besides its architectural appeal, the museum offers an audio guide for those who walk through its doors. The guide will tell you its history from the 15th century to the present day, and you'll get to see the reconstructed hospice treatment area, which gives you a glimpse into what life was like and why the institution was so important.
Parc de la Bouzaize
Those who want to spend time outdoors in Beaune and enjoy the scenery should plan a picnic at Parc de la Bouzaize. This park is one of the most beautiful in the city, home to ancient trees, green grass, and a series of ponds, streams, and river tributaries adding to its serene atmosphere. It's the perfect place for a baguette, cheese, and burgundy.
If you're visiting during the summer, pack a swimsuit to cool off in one of the inviting bodies of water while you take in the whimsical nature surrounding you.
Both dainty and pretty and moody and inviting, Beaune belongs on postcards and is worth exploringâeven if only for a little while. But when should you visit Beaune? Honestly, there is no season when Beaune doesn't shine, making it a place many want to visit when touring France, especially those driving from Lyon to Beaune.
However, the best time to visit Beaune is in the spring or fall since this is when Beaune and much of Burgundy flourish and are most enticing. During these months, you can expect sunshine, blue skies, pleasant temperatures, blooming flowers in the spring, and fresh wine in the fall.
Yet, you can also visit during the summer in June and August when the weather is even better, but you'll need to contend with large crowds and pricey accommodation, but it might be worth it for all you can see and do.
If you don't mind clouds and cooler temperatures, you can visit during the winter, when the city becomes a winter wonderland. On cold winter mornings, you can wander through alleyways as the fog sweeps across the land, tentatively sipping your hot chocolate and taking a bite out of an authentic French pastry.
Visitez ces sites en chemin
Sanctuaire d'Ars
Learn about the generous work of St. John Vianney in the museum and shrine housed in a Romantic basilica. Â Doing God's WorkÂ
Saint-Philibert de Tournus
Towering above Tournus, this 12th century monastic complex is the only one left of its kind in Europe, thanks in part to its heavy-duty construction. The Last of its KindÂ
Chalon Cathedral
1000 years of art and architecture have been amassed in this historic cathedral. A Sacred SamplerÂ
La Rochepot Chateau
This medieval castle was lovingly restored to its Burgundian glory after being destroyed in the French Revolution. A Passion ProjectÂ
