While our boat docked near the riverside town of Macon overnight, we opted to take a tour today of the small town of Beaune about an hour’s drive away. Located in the centre of the Burgundy winemaking region in France, Beaune is surrounded by some of the world’s most famous wine villages.
Beaune is nestled inside medieval ramparts and was once the seat of the warlike dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century. Because of its historical importance in wine production, the town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015 as part of Climats, terroirs of Burgundy site. A climat in winemaking is a specifically named and demarcated single vineyard plot in Burgundy that possesses a unique combination of soil, slope, exposure and microclimate. There are over 42 Premier Cru climats in Beaune alone.
Not to be missed in the city centre, is the Hotel-Dieu-Hospices de Beaune. Perfectly preserved since the end of the Middle Ages, this hospice was built in 1443 by the Chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy. By the end of the Hundred Years’ War, three quarters of Beaune’s inhabitants were destitute. The Chancellor and his wife decided to create a hospital for the poor and endowed it with an annual income. It operated from 1443 to the early 1970s before coming a museum. It is considered to be a jewel of Burgundian medieval architecture.
After stopping for a delicious baguette for lunch at one of the many restaurants, we headed to meet our guides for our next adventure. Gilles and Bernard were going to take us on a tour outside of the town in a retro sidecar.
What a fun way to take in the views of the nearby vineyards and present an opportunity to practise my limited French. It’s times like this when I wished my command of the French language was much better. Luckily Gilles spoke enough English to be able to share some info with us. We stopped at a few spots along the way to enjoy the views and learn a bit more about winemaking here. At the last stop, Gilles made each of us a local cocktail called Kir which is made with a splash of crème de cassis and topped with a crisp white wine. He served this along with some fresh cheese buns baked by his wife called (“les goureres”). Sitting at a picnic table on this beautiful sunny day tasting these local delicacies added to this unique experience.
After Gilles and Bernard dropped us back in the city centre, we had just enough time to take a quick walk around Beaune before heading back to the boat.
A few more pics of Beaune.
Leave a Reply