Beaune

Wine is sunlight, held together by water. -Galileo

Beaune is a beautiful old walled city in the heart of the Burgandy region of France. It's called the capital of Burgandy wines. We only had one night there, so we tried to squeeze a lot in! We visited the Hospices de Beaune, the Bouchard Aîné & Fils cellar for a wine tasting, and, after dinner, wandered around town to see the Trail of Light, in which beautiful images are projected on different monuments around the city after dark.

Wine Country

What a treat to visit the cellar belonging to a family who has been in Burgandy, making wine since 1750. We were led through various rooms, experiencing the history and the flavors, and all the sensory experiences of a region that takes its wine very, very seriously.

The Hospices de Beaune is a gothic site that was a hospital foundation serving the poor in the Middle Ages. We enjoyed a self-guided tour explaining the hospital's mission and work, that showed us around the grounds. Because of its renowned vineyard, it's also called the Wine-Maker's Hospital.

The Trail of Light

During the summer season, Beaune puts on a spectacular show when the sun goes down. 30 monuments around town, including the Hospices de Beaune, have animated scenery projected on their walls. Depending on the site, there may be historic images, changing seasons, growing gardens, animals, or religious figures shimmering, moving and impressing the night crowd. In some locations, you can enjoy dinner or a glass of wine on a patio while you watch.

lightsbeaune.MOV

For our first French dinner, we found a crowded outdoor street with many happy lingerers and tucked into salad nicoise, a perfectly sauced beef dish with noodles and finished with espressos and creme brulee. Classic. And, in the morning, our hotel provided the biggest croissants with crunchy exteriors and steaming, soft interiors to go with our cappuccinos.

Beautiful Beaune

Accomodations

Hotel des Tonneliers

46, Rue Thiers, 21200 Beaune - France

Tel: +33 3 80 24 06 34

hotel.des.tonneliers@orange.fr

This unusual hotel was full of luxury. The rooms are large and the bathrooms clean and bright. You will find white, fluffy robes and a Nespresso machine waiting!

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