Burgundy - Beaune

18-22 September

Sisters of Mercy

A journey of 169 miles took us to Beaune, one of the main wine centres in the Burgundy region, where we stayed at Les Cent Vins, a municipal site. The highlight of our stay here was undoubtedly the visit to the Hospices de Beaune (Hotel-Dieu). Commissioned in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin to treat the sick and the poor, the building remained a hospital until 1971, with various modifications throughout the years. For its entire existence the Hotel Dieu was home to an order of nuns, who cared for the patients. The Gothic building has stunning turrets and pitched rooftops, covered in multicoloured tiles. Apparently this type of roof is typical in Burgundy.

Armed with our audio guides we probably spent two hours there, admiring the Grande Salle, where the patients were treated and with a chapel at one end

and taking a look at the pharmacy and kitchens.

There are also tapestries to admire plus the Polyptych of the Last Judgement. This used to be located in the Grande Salle but it is now housed in a separate room, under ideal conditions for its preservation.

While in Beaune we cycled part of the Voie des Vignes (The Vineyard Trail) which runs from Beaune to Santenay.

This is a lovely ride, with vines covering the fields and slopes for miles around, and in every village the wine-producers open their “caves” for visits and tastings. We only got as far as Mersault, which is a beautiful village. Its town hall is crowned with another pretty roof and we sat near the fountain for a while to watch the world go by. We also read that there had been a hospital in Mersault to treat leprosy, which had collaborated with the Hotel Dieu in Beaune in 1760.

While in Beaune we also visited the Wine Museum and walked along the ramparts around the town.

Although this makes for a pleasant stroll, they are not especially stunning, actually being incorporated into the edge of the town, with residences and vehicular access. They certainly don't compare to the likes of Chester or York (mes apologies, Beaune!)