Arrival of 150 guests the night before via various means – car, bus, train, air – for a relaxed standing buffet and plenty of good wine in the courtyard of the Hospices de Beaune. Privatized just for us with jazz band entertaining.

Hospices de Beaune. It was during the height of the power of the Dukes of Burgundy that Beaune's most famous monument was built. The beautiful Hôtel Dieu was constructed from 1443 to 1451 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of Duke Philip the Good. This unique monument contains one of the greatest Flemish Altarpieces from the Renaissance, Roger van der Weyden's Last Judgement.

Buffet breakfast this morning either in the vaulted wine cellar or out on the sunny terrace of the hotel's Renaissance courtyard.

A large choice of activities are arranged this morning:

• Golf at Levernois - - 36 holes to choose from as well as driving range and pitch and putt area.
• Wine Tasting at Domaine Rougeot in Meursault - One of the region's finest winemakers welcomes us into his home and down into his cellar for a tasting of grand cru burgundies, both white and red.
• Hiking in the Vineyards above Pommard – 5 miles following tiny vineyard trails with a tasting among the vines.
• Guided Visit of the Hospices de Beaune – The brightly-colored tile roof and the stunning altarpiece by Roger van de Weyden are worth the visit.
• Market Visit and Cooking Class with Laurent Parra – with this talented chef leading the way we shop among the hundreds of fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, bread and cheese stalls and then take our purchases into the kitchen for a hands-on lesson.

Regroup for lunch at Laurent Parra's restaurant, Le Conty where we enjoy the various specialties the cooking course has whipped up for us along with plenty of wine from the Rougeot tasting in Meursault.

Some time to shop, relax, prep for the big evening ahead. The town of Beaune is full of cultural sights, good shopping and innumerable wine cellars in which to taste.

Town of Beaune. By the time of the French Revolution in 1789, there were 11 monastic foundations in Beaune. While their vineyards were outside the city walls, their cellars, winemaking facilities and living quarters took up over 60% of the city proper. With the suppression of the monasteries in 1792, all the monastic buildings and lands were sold off at public auction. Each religious house was ready-made for the production and storage of wine and thus were born most of the large wine firms that now occupy the town. Beaune has a population of just over 22,000 but its prominence in the wine trade has drawn international visitors for centuries. Diplomats, bureaucrats, rock stars and wine lovers are always looking for a reason to come to Beaune and enjoy the good life.

With champagne in hand we board our designer buses en route for the Clos de Vougeot. But along the way we stop briefly in Aloxe-Corton, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-St-Georges to fill our glasses with different wines. The magical Clos de Vougeot is ours tonight – grand hall, music, speeches, gourmet dinner and fine wines from Burgundy await the Birthday Boy.

Clos de Vougeot. Taking its name from the tiny stream that runs down the Côte between Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot, this area has been settled and under continuous cultivation since the beginning of the 12th century. The commune has only one grand cru, the Clos de Vougeot, which is among the most famous of all wines. Contained within the enclosure of the Clos de Vougeot is its famous château begun by the Cistercian monks in the 12th century. Beginning in 1100 the monks began to receive gifts of land in this region and thus began their cultivation of the vine. By the 15th century, the vineyards were enclosed by a defensive wall which forms the modern enclosure today. In the 16th century, the present château was built. In 1789 the vineyards were confiscated from the monks by the state and sold off to the public. It is now home to the Confrérie de Chevaliers de Tastevin and a great place to have a party.

Hôtel Le Cep, Beaune.

Le Cep is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels group and its 65 rooms are located just behind the Hospices in the very heart of medieval Beaune. The hotel is composed of four 14th C townhouses surrounding a 16th C courtyard garden and a wonderful Renaissance staircase which is classified as a national historic monument.