Dijon Wine Tours in Autumn: the Harvest and the Hospices Sale
The short answer. Autumn is when the Côte turns gold. The harvest starts when the grapes are ripe, with no fixed date. The 166th Hospices de Beaune sale is on Sunday 15 November 2026, with a weekend of tastings from Friday 13. Dijon averages 16 °C in October and 10 °C in November, and the sights shorten their hours from 1 October and 1 November.
September to November is when the Côte changes colour and the wine year turns. The vines go gold and rust, the grapes come in, and Beaune holds the Hospices' wine auction. If you are planning Dijon Wine booking for the autumn, this is what changes, month by month.
What is autumn like on the Côte?
September still feels like summer: Dijon averages highs of 21.7 °C and 191 hours of sunshine. October cools to 16.1 °C with 118 hours of sun, and November to 9.7 °C with 66. Bring a layer for the mornings from October.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rain days | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 21.7 °C | 11.0 °C | 56.4 mm | 7.9 | 191 h |
| October | 16.1 °C | 7.6 °C | 73.6 mm | 9.8 | 118 h |
| November | 9.7 °C | 3.3 °C | 77.6 mm | 11.1 | 66 h |
These are Météo-France's normals for Dijon-Longvic, 1991 to 2020. November is the wettest month of the year, and October the third. Plan at least one indoor afternoon.
What does the harvest change?
There is no fixed date for the harvest. Each domain picks when its own parcels are ripe, so the start moves from year to year. No official date is published in advance.
The harvest is working time for every estate on the Côte. If one domain matters to you, name it when you book and ask the operator whether it is receiving visitors that week.
Good to know. The Climats of Burgundy, 1,247 named vineyard plots on the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, were listed by UNESCO in 2015, together with the historic centre of Dijon. The harvest is when you see why each plot has its own name. More on the vineyards page.
When is the Hospices de Beaune sale in 2026?
The 166th sale is on Sunday 15 November 2026. The Hospices' estate sells its wine at auction by tradition on the third Sunday of November, and the festivities run from Friday 13 to Sunday 15. The estate farms 60 hectares.
The auction itself is for professionals; visitors do not bid. The weekend around it is open to everyone, with tastings across Beaune. The time of the 2026 auction is not published yet, so check Beaune Tourisme before you plan the Sunday.
How do you reach the sale weekend from Dijon?
By a day tour that spends its middle in Beaune. The Ophorus day gives you three and a half hours there, between a tasting in Gevrey-Chambertin and a third winery near Meursault. The À La Française day that meets at Saint-Bénigne can also be joined at the Hospices de Beaune at 11 am, if you sleep in Beaune.
A private day collects you at your hotel in Dijon or Beaune, and the day is shaped around you. On the sale weekend, that flexibility is worth more than usual. See private wine tours from Dijon.
What is the weather like in October and November?
Cool, and often grey. October averages 9.8 days of rain and a low of 7.6 °C; November 11.1 days and 3.3 °C. Dijon averages a frost on about one night in October and six or seven in November. Rain in the vines means mud on the paths.
Dress in layers you can take off in the minivan. Wear shoes with grip for the vineyard walks, and bring a waterproof. The full year is on the weather page, and the seasons on when to visit.
Which hours shorten from 1 October and 1 November?
| Place | Until the switch | After the switch |
|---|---|---|
| Clos de Vougeot | To 31 October: 9:30 am to 6 pm | From 1 November: 10 am to 5 pm |
| The Cité's ticket desk | To 30 September: 9:30 am to 7:30 pm daily | From 1 October: weekdays 11 am to 5:30 pm, weekends 10 am to 5:30 pm |
| Tourist office desk at the Cité | To 30 September: 9:30 am to 7:30 pm daily | From 1 October: weekdays 11 am to 7 pm, weekends 10 am to 7 pm |
The Clos de Vougeot's desk closes half an hour before the doors, at 5:30 pm in October and 4:30 pm from November. Its English guided tours stay at 11:30 am and 3:30 pm, EUR 15, booked ahead. The main tourist office at 11 rue des Forges keeps the same hours through the autumn.
How cold are the cellars?
Cool whatever the month: the Côte de Beaune cellar on the e-bike day sits at about 14 °C. In November that is warmer than outside. The difference is the time you spend there: an autumn day on the Côte moves from a cold car park to a cool cellar to a warm lunch.
A light jumper is enough underground. The seated tastings in town are the easiest wine you can do on a wet November evening: an hour or 90 minutes under a vault, a short walk from your hotel. They are on wine tastings in Dijon.
How early should you book autumn tours?
As soon as your dates are fixed. The shared days take eight people at most, the vintage van six, and the sale weekend fills Beaune. Most fares refund in full if you cancel 24 hours ahead, so booking early costs you little.
Two fares are stricter. The two-day private tour refunds in full only 6 or more days ahead. The city bike ride cannot be refunded at all. Everything else is on the 24-hour rule.
Which day suits an autumn visit best?
On a cold or wet day, pick the one that keeps you indoors longest. The À La Française day from Saint-Bénigne spends two hours at a Puligny-Montrachet winery and two in the Meursault cellars, with lunch in the fare, so most of your day is under a roof. It costs $254 and is back in Dijon at 5 pm.
If you want the Clos de Vougeot, book the À La Française private day. It collects you at your hotel in Dijon or Beaune at 9 am, pays your entry for an hour inside the château, then pours eight wines at two family estates. Lunch in Beaune is at your own cost. The fare is $680 a person, and it needs two to book.
On a dry, bright day, the vines are the reason to be out. That is the day for a bike, or for the Ophorus day's three wineries from Gevrey-Chambertin to Meursault.
What should you pack for an autumn wine day?
- A warm layer for the cellars and the early start, and a waterproof for the vineyard stops.
- Shoes with grip. The paths between the rows turn to mud after rain.
- Water. Several fares leave it out, both e-bike days included.
- Money for lunch on the days that stop in Beaune at your own cost, and for any bottles you want to carry home.
- A bag for bottles. Wrap them in a jumper for the train.
Are the bike days worth it in autumn?
In September and early October, yes: the days are mild and the vines are at their best. Later in the season, weigh the forecast. On the Côte de Beaune e-bike day, bad weather can move you into a minivan at the last minute, and the tastings still run.
The Côte de Nuits e-bike day from 78 rue Monge rides from Gevrey-Chambertin past the Clos de Vougeot to the Romanée-Conti vineyard and an hour in Nuits-Saint-Georges, with lunch in a restaurant. Take a water bottle, gloves and a layer. Both are on dijon bike wine tour.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for a Dijon wine tour?
When is the grape harvest in Burgundy?
Can visitors bid at the Hospices de Beaune sale?
When should you book a tour for the sale weekend?
What should I wear on a wine tour?
Can I visit the Clos de Vougeot?
What happens on a bike tour if it rains?
Where do these facts come from?
Sight hours, prices and dates come from the official pages below. Everything about a tour comes from its own booking page. Check both before you travel, because both change.
- Domaine des Hospices de Beaune: the Pièce de Charité and the 166th sale
- Beaune Tourisme: the 2026 wine sale weekend
- Météo-France: fiche climatologique, Dijon-Longvic, 1991-2020
- Château du Clos de Vougeot: visits
- The Cité de la gastronomie, Dijon: plan your visit
- Destination Dijon: the tourist office
- UNESCO World Heritage: The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy
Tours for an autumn day on the Côte
From Dijon: Full day the most of Burgundy with lunch
From Saint-Bénigne church at 9:45 am to the white-wine villages: two hours at a Puligny-Montrachet winery, two in the Meursault cellars, lunch in the fare, and back in Dijon at 5 pm.
From $254 per person
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Private day tour in Burgundy : Côte de Beaune & Côte de Nuits
A private day from your Dijon or Beaune hotel at 9 am: an hour inside the Clos de Vougeot with the entry paid, eight wines at two family estates, and lunch in Beaune at your cost.
From $680 per person
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1 Day E-Bike and wine tour in Cote de Nuits from Dijon
An e-bike day from 78 rue Monge at 9:30 am: a Gevrey-Chambertin cellar, the ride past the Clos de Vougeot to the Romanée-Conti vineyard, an hour in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and lunch in the fare.
From $579 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: Dates fixed? Compare every autumn day on Dijon Wine Tours.