Burgundy wine capital — the Hôtel-Dieu's polychrome roof tiles and Pinot Noir vineyards
Beaune is the undisputed capital of Burgundy wine — a compact medieval walled town surrounded by Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards stretching north to Gevrey-Chambertin and south to Puligny-Montrachet. The town itself is dominated by the Hôtel-Dieu, a 15th-century charitable hospital with one of the most photographed roofs in France — polychrome glazed tiles in geometric patterns. Every November the Hospices de Beaune wine auction sets global Burgundy prices in what is called 'the greatest charity sale in the world.'
Beaune was the historical capital of the Duchy of Burgundy and residence of the Dukes before Dijon took that role. Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Burgundy, built the Hôtel-Dieu in 1443 as a hospital for the poor; it functioned as such until 1971. The wine auction he founded to fund it has been held every November for over 600 years and is the oldest continuously operating charity auction in the world. The town's medieval ramparts are almost entirely intact and are walkable as a public promenade.