Leaving aside for the moment some of
the world's most sensational wines (and the heavenly Epoisses), why Burgundy?
Where and What Burgundy? is a useful place to begin. It's in the heart of France - between Paris and Lyon -
and is roughly heart-shaped. It has the UNESCO World Heritage Site of medieval Vézelay - the hilltop
village that was the European starting point for the crusades. The region is rich with Romanesque churches,
cathedrals and great abbeys (Fontenay, Pontigny, Cluny) There are also many Roman remains including a
theatre at Autun and close by, the pre-Roman city of Bibracte whose inhabitants, one day, decided they didn't
like it anymore and left en masse. Dijon is the capital of Burgundy - famous for its noble houses, fine arts
museum and mustard. But Beaune is the prettiest, with its tiles, towers and turrets.
In fact there are tiles, towers and turrets all over the place attached to excellent 'chateaux forts' and fortified
houses ('La Rochepot', Bazoches, Cormatin).
If you get fed up with all that heritage then Burgundy's wild place is the Morvan National Park - half a
million acres of forests, lakes and dark hills. Those Celts got everywhere. They were responsible for the
name (it means Black Mountain) and for the erection of huge, mysterious granite stones (comme d'habitude).
The Aedui tribe from the Morvan knew how to have a good time and enthusiastically resisted the Romans who,
in return, probably swiped much of their gold. When they weren't at it with the Romans they had a go at the
Arverni of the Massif Central. When they were being peaceful they were a race of poet-musicians and
creative metal-workers. Last century the Morvan kept Paris supplied with wood, water and wet-nurses.
Now it's a centre for 'the nature' - horse-riding, walking, cycling, water-sports and leisure generally.
THE CLIMATE
My first recollection of Burgundy was in April. I had driven overnight from a Brittany in the grip of a ferocious
rainstorm. I woke early in the Morvan and walked out onto a lawn dotted with violets in the bright sunshine.
Burgundy enjoys a climate which is more continental than western maritime regions. There is rainfall
enough to keep everything lush, but in the Spring and Summer it tends to be hot and dry, and in the winter
it gets cold. There is snow frequently on high ground. Autumn is considered to be the most beautiful season.
It feels very, very different from England.
HOW EASY IS IT TO GET TO BURGUNDY?
Easier than you could imagine. What would you say to 6 hours travel from London? That means you can
get there even for a short break.
You can go from London with Eurostar to Lille (3 hours) and catch a direct TGV to Burgundy (Montbard (2 hours)
and Dijon (2.5 hours)) via Disneyland.
Paris is only 100 minutes away from Dijon on the Paris-Lyon TGV.
Check out the amazing train network to Burgundy from England on www.eurostar.com and from Lille and
Paris on www.sncf.fr
If you want to go by car then EuroTunnel puts you down by the A26 autoroute which bypasses Paris. After a
very easy few hours you are in Burgundy. If you prefer to take the ferry the roads from the other ports
(Boulogne, Dieppe, Le Havre) are also very good.
Tournus
This abbey is one of France's most
impressive Romanesque structures. See the narthex, gallery, and
crypt dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Tournus also
offers great antique shopping.
Beaune
Beaune, the capital of Burgundy, boasts many
treasures including the Hospices de Beaune, both a masterpiece of
Flemish-Burgundian architecture and famous for its polychrome roof
tiles, "Ward for the Poor," "Last Judgment" polyptych by Roger van
der Weyden, and magnificent tapestries. Every year on the third
Sunday in November, a world-famous wine auction is held in the
hospital vineyards. Another stop should be the city's Wine Museum,
housed in the former private residence of the Dukes of
Burgundy.
Dijon
Dijon is exceptionally rich in art treasures
and historic buildings, a product of its days as the independent
capital of the Flemish-Burgundian State ruled by the Dukes of
Burgundy. Worth seeing are the Palace of the Dukes and the
States-General of Burgundy, the Burgundian-style Gothic Notre-Dame
church, the Renaissance Saint-Michael church, the Renaissance
mansions, and the Fine Arts Museum.
Fontenay
Fontenay Abbey, founded in 1118 by St.
Bernard, is remarkably well preserved - a perfect example of
Cistercian architecture. Note the twin arches of its cloisters, the
chapterhouse, and the dormitory. This abbey has been classified
"World Heritage" by UNESCO.
Vezelay
In the Middle Ages, Vezelay was one of
France's great pilgrimage sites. In 1146, St. Bernard preached here
in favor of the Second Crusade, and it was in 1190 that
Philippe-Auguste and Richard the Lion-Hearted met before setting out
on the Third Crusade.
Auxerre
Among the notable sites of this medieval
city are the 13th to 16th-C. St. Etienne Cathedral (13th-C. choir,
magnificent stained-glass windows, Romanesque crypt with the famous
fresco "Christ on Horseback"), the 12th to 14th-C. Saint-Germain
Abbey and its Carolingian crypts with the earliest known frescoes
(9th-C.), and the 15th-C. Clock
Tower.
