Do it Yourself in Burgundy

Watching tutorials are fine, but nothing beats getting stuck in with your own two hands. Here are a few activities which will turn you into a proper Burgundian.

Make your own wine barrel

Following an introduction to the cooperage about how choosing different woods influences the wine, an ancient art of more than 2000 years, Frédéric Gillet puts you to the task of making your own 228 litre barrel. Using hammer and steel, you will tighten the coils yourelf! Located in Meursault Art des Tonneau where children’s activities are also available.

Art-de-tonneau.fr

Learn how to cut the vines

Travel to the vineyard of Pouilly-Fumé and the Château de Tracy for a day’s harvest by hand (a practice used by only two vineyards). Your day begins with a visit to the vignoble and the plot you will be harvesting. Here you will learn how to use the equipment, and be given a pruner and box to deposit your grapes. Your trainer will show you all the correct moves to be repeated with precision and patience! When this is finished you will visit the sorting table and the huge grape presses.

Chateau-de-tracy.com

Try your hand at printing

The center of Graphiquert Graphic of the Érange Bruyere in Parly en Puisaye invites you to learn the techniques use by the first printers and publishers by engraving. In the morning you will visit the workshops for engraving, typography and lithography, then, in the afternoon it’s time to experiment with your new skills!

La-metairie.fr

Hunt for Bungundy Truffles

Truffles are one of the most expensive and decadent ingredients in haute cuisine. In the domaine Rion in Vosne-Romanée you will learn how to find them, how to cook with them, how to preserve them, and you will even meet the best breed of dog in the world for truffle hunting, the Lagotto Romagnolo.

Domainerion.fr/visites

Build an Arch

Since 1997 the construction of this castles has been carried out using only the techniques available in the Middle Ages by a committed team of researchers and volunteers. You can join the team and learn how to build a stone archway. No experience is required!

Guedelon.fr

Build a mosaic

In Paray-le-Monial, in the heart of the ceramic valley, the canal ports allowed for the transport and production of tiles and mosaics. The mosaic season offers many courses to learn how to make a mosaic using local ceramic. The local village is also a place to see some of the work done by the masters of the discipline, perfect for getting some inspiration.

Maisondelamosaique.org