Day trip from Beaune to Arbois?

Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum
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Looking for tasting visit and lunch recommendations with Jura wines by the glass. And any other suggestions. Thank you.

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A visit to Arbois is fairly simple as the village is really small. My recommendation would be to visit the Tissot store and then have lunch at Le Bistronome. If you want to really visit and taste then you gotta move a bit. Again, Tissot(Stephane) is amazing as he really excels in all styles. If you’re feeling experimental then there’s so many more to visit, so just say and there’s plenty of nerds here on the board who can help.

If you’re outside the main season, then many places only open very briefly, so check in advance.
Bistrot des Tournelles has a wonderful selection of wines, which are somewhat conservative in their form, but truly unqiue still, and they serve some food.
Bistrot des Claquets is the hang-around spot for the young jura wine crowd, and only now and then is lunch served. You’ll find ‘special’ wines on the shelves along with razor sharp local gems.

For cheese I’d just stop by Essencia. At least in Arbois there’s a fixed selection of wines so you don’t need to deal with the grumpiest shop owner in France, who’s in Essencias Poligny branch.

It’s a beautiful little place.

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Royal Saltworks in d’Arc et Senans are worth a visit

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Thanks. Not looking to do a deep or nerdy dive. This will be first plunge into Jura wine waters. Looking for a good tasting day introduction to the wine styles of the region. We want to lean into the whites. I was thinking three categories : fresher , oxidative leaning, and extreme. Le Bistronome for lunch seems to have a good selection of BTG wines .
BTW we will be in Beaune the first week of June.

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You’re welcome.
Yes, then I think that Stephane Tissot would be the best bet. I think when Stephane does tastings he likes to open everything, so you’ll get to try every category you just listed.
If I have to put in an option then I’d say Damien Courbet, who’s much more focused on whites. He collaborates with David Croix.
Oh and speaking to the timing— June is as fine as any. Maybe some will be on vacation and some won’t.

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Bistronome is a great choice for lunch. Benefit of Bistrot des Tournelles is that it is situated right on the river and could be very nice to eat outdoors there in June.

Stephane Tissot’s was the best tastiing room experience we had, and agree that should hit all of your categories. Rolet and Domaine de la Pinte are on the next block - you can hit those in quick succession if you are looking to taste a few different producers.

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There is a very good Japanese restaurant in Dole with plenty to drink: Iida-Ya.
Highly recommended.

Not as far as Arbois, FYI.

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It might be worth it to try for a visit at Overnoy-Houillon. An email and a follow-up phone call to reach Anne Houillon who can communicate in English helped set up our very cordial and short fun time tasting with Pierre and Anne. Emmanuel was out on a road show trip.

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Stephane Tissot booked for a morning tasting, before lunch at Bistronome. Both of these look promising. Thanks for these recs.
Hoping to also do an afternoon tasting somewhere with an emphasis on the fresher, ouille style. I think I will find the other styles “interesting”, but I don’t picture Jacqueline giving them much of a chance.

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If I were you I’d install myself at Bistrot des Tournelles after dinner and relax. If you really want to visit more;
Inside Arbois 2 minutes walk from Bistronome: Gerard Villet
Pupillin which is 30 minutes walk from Arbois: Renardiere & Cellier Saint Benoit.
Or an hour away by foot or 5 by car: Lucien Aviet

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I’ll also throw in a suggestion to make it to the town of Poligny, a mere 12 minute drive from Arbois centre, home of the ComtĂ© cheese and the fine town square where the wine-and-deli store of Racines Essences de Terre is located.

Most noteworthy restaurant we ate at in Arbois was Le Balance de Mets which sadly had closed during the pandemic. But you can research for a possible reincarnation or any other fine restaurant that offers the region’s most popular and iconic dish of Poulet au Vin Jaune et Morille, a dish that transcends the ordinary braised-stewed chicken dish, imo.

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For sure. The trip is worth it for the 42 mois Comté. Makes a lactose intolerant like me be with happy cramps.

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Maybe something like this?

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Luis writes some great articles from the Jura, with plenty of good tips and things to see and do.

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Plan to fill in our Arbois day with a walk after lunch up to Domaine de la Pinte via chemins through the vines. Taste some wines, walk back admiring the views. About 30 to 40 minutes walking each way. A good day trip “on paper”. Thanks for all the suggestions.

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Lovely! Curious to hear from you when you’re done.

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