Yes indeed, if you read my blog you know my personal connection with Beaune early on in my wine aficionado career! This is an updated post as need to for the links and text and the importance of Beaune. Even if my burgundy wine tastes have whine down or change, it is still a world important wine region of France. Let me update you on Beaune and see my other post on it
Why not tell you about one of my favorite cities even if rather small it hold it’s charm of Burgundian style ! There are many to see in my belle France, but Beaune is another nice one. Beaune is a Burgundian city located in the department of Côte’d’Or 21 in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comte. It can be considered as the capital of the burgundy wines. It is ,also, a flower city with four flowers designation and winner of the Gold Medal at the National grand prize in the European floral entente of 2006. The city is recognized as one of Art and History designation in France.
Transports on getting there and around are plenty for a city this size is tops. It is a crossroad of many highways such as the A6 only 312 km from Paris and 157 km from Lyon giving birth to the highway A31 direction Dijon at 47 kms, Nancy at 258 kms, and Metz at 308 km, as well as the highway A36 direction to Besançon at 108 km and Mulhouse at 232 km. Two TGV lines runs by it such as the line Paris Gare de Lyon Dijon, and Châlon-sur-Saône and the line Dijon Lyon Marseille and Nice. Regional service is done on the TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
A bit of history as I like it.
Beaune was the residence of the dukes of Burgundy until the 14C. Duke Eudes III of Burgundy allows Beaune to exist as a city since 1203. The famous Hospices de Beaune, tells us that in 1422 Nicolas Rolin was named counselor by Duke Philippe the Good of Burgundy. He marries in 1421 Guigone de Salins that was part of the nobility of the Comte and founded the Hospices of Beaune in 1452 a new religious order was founded the sisters hospitaliers of Beaune .He ,also, ordered the polyptique painting of the Last Judgment by flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden for the Hospice.
The city went thru the revolts of Beaune in favor of Marie of Burgundy vs the King of France Louis XI, the war of religions ; the city was occupied in 1814 by the Austrians fighting Napoleon Ier. The department of the Côte-d’Or was created in 1790 during the French revolution as no 21. The Viti school of agro and vines was created here in 1884. During WWI Beaune is host to the American Expeditionary Force AEF and its 2 millions men in France. In 1918 , the American military hospital was built at the doors of the city with 20K beds one of the most important in Europe The military hospital is transform into an American University , the University of Beaune opened in 1919 with 15K military students and 600 teachers. In WWII , French troops of the 2nd regiment entered the city and liberated it finally on September 8 1944.
Some of the sites that I like, even thus only visited the city ,with the family stayed in gîtes down south by Buxy.
The auction sale of the Hospices of Beaune (see post) are done every year on the third Sunday of November and the first sale goes back to 1859. In 1934 the Confrérie des chevaliers du Tastevin creates the Trois Glorieuses, a cultural event that is now part of the auction of the Hospices of Beaune Between 1720 and 1750 the negotiators houses begins to see the day in Beaune with the first one been the Maison Champy followed by the Domaine Chanson Père & Fils. The tours and ramparts were done in 1477 and still there! Wines are at the center of the city it’s heartbeat goes with the harvest and the auction sale of the Hospices of Beaune, and the wonderful Trois Glorieuses. Only the charity piece is done with a candle is given the name of the auction of candles or enchéres à la chandelle.
Other things to see are the musée du vin de Bourgogne (house in the old palace of the Dukes 15-16C) , Musée des Beaux Arts (founded in 1850 with collection from the 12-20C), Musée Marey, Musée Dali, the Maison des Templiers end of rue Jacques de Molay, the lavoir on the Bouzaise river ,the halles de Beaune facing the hotel-dieu where the market is held on Saturdays and the the auction of the Hospices of Beaune are held.
Church of Saint-Baudèle is in old town near the source of the Belenin river that gives the name to the city. The first Church here is from the end of the 5C on the ruins of a temple to Apollo. It houses the relics of Saint Baudèle or aka Saint Boil that was a contemporary of Saint Martin, and was a soldier that was martyred in Nîmes around 395. Church of Saint-Flocel is outside the old town against the ramparts. The Church was dedicated in 965 ,and received the relics of Saint Flocel ,and Saint Herné in the presence of Duke Otton. Church of Notre Dame , texts tell us that the first Church was established in the old town from 976, the western portal of byzantine style of the current Church dates from the 12C. This last Church is the best in my opinion created by the daughters of Cluny around 1120 inspired by Saint Lazare in Autun.
The Hospices of Beaune (see post) as said were started in 1443 in the Hôtel Dieu we see today. The building has it’s now famous roof and a wonderful interior courtyard.
There are other nice things to see like the Hôtel de la Rochepot, on the place Monge dating from 1522 with a gothic façade and a gallery in three levels facing a belltower and the statue of Monge, the oldest of four children of Gaspart Monge creator of the geometry, founder of the school polytechnique and participate in the expedition to Egypt as well as been Prime Minister. You go on to the Place de la Halle in old city center with plenty of quaint stores and architecture delights. The ramparts going for 2 km with some private niches with some towers and bastions.
In wines one of the best AOC Beaune of the villages of the Côte-de-Beaune obtained in 1936. Between Savigny-lés-Beaune on the north and Pommard in the south with 42 premiers crus or 70% of the total vineyard producing each year about 15 500 hectoliters of wines on its 420 hectares. If you traveled along the Route 74 you will see heavens before you and of course a car is best. Really ,the area is split into the Côte de Nuits going from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Chenové and including Corgoloin; and the Côte de Beaune starting from Corgoloin and towards Beaune. The Côte de Nuits is known as the kidney of Burgundy due to its many taverns around with the center in the Place de la République. My favorite here is Joseph Faiveley. Then, you have the Hautes-Côtes-de-Nuits with white wines and aligoté white very good. Road goes down to Aloxe-Corton with Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils; and more affordable the Caves de la Reine Pédauque ; the Corton-Charlemagne region has my favorite chateau Corton-Grancey where Louis Latour ages its wines. Moving on to Pernand-Vergelesse and the Domaine Bonneau du Martray and Domaine Rapet Pére & Fils; getting to Savigny-Lés-Beaune and the castle and Maison Doudet-Naudin. At Chorey-Lés-Beaune, just north of Beaune you see another castle and the wines of Jacques Germain. (see posts).
The producers here are many , hard to chose really. However, over the years of indulging in the wines of the region we like best these: Bouchard Pére et Fils, domaine Albert Morot, Chanson pére & Fils, Patriarche Pére & Fils , Maison Louis Latour , Maison Louis Jadot ,and Maison Joseph Drouhin. Across from Patriarche and the Hôtel Dieu you have a wonderful place to taste them all and buy all kinds of local souvenirs, this is the Athenaeum de la Vigne et du Vin. webpage: https://www.athenaeum.com/
Another wonderful place that I can recommend is the wine store of Denis Perret, right in city center surrounded by many houses where you can taste wine too. webpage: http://www.denisperret.fr/fr/
Do not missed the Moutarderie Fallot, mustard traditionally done following the Dijon tradition. webpage: https://www.fallot.com/en/
And this is the city of Beaune on things to see: http://www.beaune.fr/spip.php?rubrique1#.X_9q3XZKjIU
The Beaune tourist office: https://www.beaune-tourism.com/
The Côte d’Or tourist office on the art de vivre of the area: https://www.cotedor-tourisme.com/bourgogne/art-de-vivre
There you go ,hope it helps plan your trip to the beautiful Beaune, Burgundy and the Wines routes, all wonderful in my belle France.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
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