I like to tell you about a region that was my footprint when younger and visiting France. The trips are less now but nevertheless does not disminish the love of this region. Of course, now there is a new one that came back to be the old one,Bourgogne et Franche-Comté or the duchy and the county goes way back. I am talking of the region of Burgundy Franche Comté.
Let’s talk about a wonderful new region of old reliables. The region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (nowdays some have call simply the BFC) ; it is comprise of the two previous regions of Bourgogne and Franche-Comté and counts with 8 departments such as Côte d’Or , Doubs, Haute-Sâone, Jura, Niévre, Saône-et-Loire ,Yonne, and territory of Belfort. The biggest town is capital is Dijon but to even things up the regional council is at the second city Besançon.
The new region is a highway between Germany, Switzerland , Italy, the east of the ïle de France region, French Atlantic Coast on the west and also, the Benelux countries to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It is criss cross by the TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté as well as the fast speed lines of the LGV Rhin-Rhône and TGV Sud-Est. Several roads passes by here making an excellent road trip region with autoroutes such as A6, A31, A36, A38, A39, A77, and A406. The major airport of the region is the airport of Dole-Jura located between Dijon and Besançon; there are also many canals here such as Canal du Rhône au Rhin, Canal de Bourgogne, Canal du Centre, Canal du Nivernais, and Canal Latéral de Roanne à Digoin.
all in one transport
http://www.mobigo-bourgogne.com/bourgogne_en
https://www.ter.sncf.com/bourgogne-franche-comte
For the history buffs like me, the current territory was in the 5C part of the kingdom of the Burgondes (Burgundians) following the kingdom of the Merovian Burgundians. Under the Caroligians the treaty of Verdun of 843AD arrived at differentiating the Franc Burgundy from the Lower Burgundy; the origin of the duchy of Burgundy and another under the County of Burgundy that is Franche-Comté.Finally reunited in the 14C under the first House of Burgundy by the Valois Dukes in the Burgundians estates. Again the two provinces were separated in the 15C when the Duchy was annexed by Royal France while the County was annexed by the Habsburgs; the county finally was integrated in the Royal France in 1678 after the conquest by king Louis XIV with the surrender of Dole old capital of Franche-Comté whilte Besançon became the new capital. Therefore, the two Duchy of Burgundy and Franche-Comté were two very distinct provinces with their own capital ,Dijon,and Besançon. Now finally into one region but with the two strong cities exercising their prominent roles of old.
Unesco world heritage site in the new region are:
Abbey of Fontenay, Basilica of Vézelay, Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut de Ronchamp (created by Le Corbusier), the climate areas of the wine region of Burgundy, Citadelle de Besançon, the ducal palace of Burgundy, the royal salts of Arc-et-Senans as well as the salts of Salins-les-Bains; the prehistoric sites of the lake of Chalain and the Grand Lac de Clairvaux; on the road to St James (Santiago) the prieury of Notre Dame de La Charité-sur-Loire , and the Saint Jacques le Majeur Church of Asquins; the historical center of Dijon.
For tourist information on the new region we have the sites below.
https://www.bourgognefranchecomte.fr/Tourisme,1094,10091
https://heritage.bourgognefranchecomte.com/
http://www.burgundy-tourism.com/
As wines are very important, the most for me, especially in Burgundy, the main site for them in English is here :
https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/
Enjoy your week, mine is cruising ,from today full of meetings lol!! The modern blah blah : Cheers!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 