This region was created in 2016 with the merger of the previous Burgundy and France-Comté Regions. Dijon is the largest city in the new Region. The long history of France illustrates the history of the Regions. This areas was one united under the 5th to 8th Century Kingdom of Burgundy. Later divided and over time, now reunited.
Located between Paris and Dijon, Auxerre is one of the towns with a Burgundy feel oozing out of every building in terms of character. Being located on the Yonne River, this was originally an active port, transferring wine from region to other areas of France. With the building of railways, being a commercial centre declined.
The impressive cathedral was built between 1215 and 1233. Final construction was completed many years later, around 1540. There are remarkable bas-reliefs on the three doorways that date from the 13th Century.
The Abbey of Saint-Germain includes cloisters from the 17th Century.
The character of the old town centre is marked by the old clock, built into an arch over one of streets.
Also to note, Chablis is about a 15 k drive from Auxerre, and Chablis is considered one of the top white wines of France.
photo: mytravellinglens.com
If you want to feel like you are having the "wine experience" go to Beaune. Located about 316 km from Paris, this is a town of wine. It is the wine-trading centre of Burgundy and rightfully does hold the distinction of being one of the "most charming towns" in France.
The Hôtel-Dieu dominates the centre of town, it is a mediaeval infirmary, and has been in continuous use as a hospital from 1443 to 1971. Part of it stills has a healthcare connection, being a home for the aged. There is a wonderful courtyard and the gazed-tile roof just stands out and you will recognize this building as one of the regularly photographed buildings of Burgundy.
We have some great meals are various restaurants on the various times we have stayed here. We experience a good lesson in this town. Beware of the wine tours. They are great, you will get to taste some very good French wine, but we got carried away and the tour, and returning to our hotel to sleep it off, wiped out a day. As we drove out of the town the next day, we heard ourselves saying: "we will have to come back and see more next time!"
photo: mytravellinglens.com
photo: mytravellinglens.com
photo: mytravellinglens.com
The Côte des Nuits is a noted wine region in the north of theCôte d'Or. This is the area that runs from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Dijon.
One of the more noted wines from this area is Pinot Noir although there are plenty of wines to select, and we enjoyed them all!
Six of the communities in this area prdouce Grand Cru. For touring, scenic views of enless vineyards. Little villages here and there.
On one of our trips through this area we drove from Beaune along the N74 towards Dijon. This was so that we would drive the Côte des Nuits.
But a few words about Burgundy and the wine appellation system as I have never really been able to follow it. But as we have traveled in France, and difference aspects become better known, some sense seems to be emerging!
Within Burgundy are areas for Chablis and Côte d'Or and of course the highest the Grands Crus. But across the Region there are different appellations and this get compounded with the terms Grands and Premiers Crus. Any individual vineyard can market many different wines. Part of this flows from the inheritance law of France. As when the owner of an estate dies, the law requires the estate to be divided between the beneficiaries, rather than passed on to one person. So this results in a number of new different estates all producing wine of different quality, but with a similar producer's name.
For wine from Burgundy the Grands and Premiers Crus make up about 12% of all the wine produced. The Grands Crus vineyards which can make some of the best wines are about forty in number and all are located in Chablis and the Côte d'Or. Only wines from these regions and the Côte Chalonnaise can carry the Premier Cru designation.
So getting on with the Côte de Nuits. The Côte d'Or has two main regions with the Côte de Nuits being in the north just south of Dijon -- ah you knew I was getting to Dijon!
So bring a little knowledge of wine to the area, and bring a camera, as if you are in Region in September, as we were, you will find your self-stopping for photos every fifteen minutes.
The town of the area is Nuits-St-Georges and this is a town know for its red wines. The appellations system for the Côte de Nuits is: Grands Crus are wines not required to bear a village name. For example, the wine from the Grand Cru Chambertin Clos de Bèze would not include the actual village name of Gevrey-Chambertin. A wine blended from several sites will be labeled as Premier Cru (versus Grand Cru). And a wine from an individual vineyard has the vineyard name -- Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Saint-Jacques.
The Dukes of Burgundy kept an estate in this area and the Cuverie des Ducs has two huge wine presses that date from the 13th to 15th Century. The Gevrey Château is open for visits in the morning and afternoon.
The Château Clos de Vougeot is also open for visits in the morning and afternoon. Remember, everything shuts down around noon until after two in the afternoon - that that time for a great lunch with a bottle of wine.
The Citadel of Besançon, dates back to the 17th century and is written up as being one of the the best fortresses to view in France. It is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town centre also has great sights.
This is a wine area, many of the small roads take you through vineyards and charming villages. The wine areas include Châblis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais.
The Abbey of Cluny (Saône-et-Loire), Cluniac Order. Oldest abbey, 910. Built in Romanesque style. Once the richest abbey in the Christian world because of its direct connection with the Vatican. That ended with the French Revolution and in 1810 and it was pulled down.
The Abbey of Notre Dame de Cîteaux (Côte d’Or), Cistercian Order founded in the 11th century, built in Gothic style.
The Abbey of Fontenay (Côte d’Or), founded in 1118, Cistercian Order, Romanesque style. Fontenay is an abbey-daughter of the Abbey of Clairvaux (Aube), which in turn is an abbey-daughter of Cîteaux. It is the best preserved and often used as a model to illustrate the typical plan of a Cistercian abbey.
There are 1,000 km of waterways built between the 17th and 19th centuries to transport all kinds of goods, from wood to ceramics. Canal du Nivernais transported wood to Paris while the Canal de Bourgogne was built to connect the Seine basin with the Rhône basin. This canal allows the connection between the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea, hence its nickname of the ‘Deux-Mers canal.’
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