tdiddy23

I am planning 4 nights in Burgundy Nov 10-14 this year.

Have been using Michelin green guide and had planned day trip to south burgundy, and 1 day up to Vezelay and Fontaney abbey + maybe a chateau.

However have run into a few small issues. Nov 11 was hoping to have full day to do Vezelay + Fontaney but now cannot start until noon as signed up for wine tour that we are keen to do and that was the only day that works for it.

Chateau's all seem to close after Nov 11th.

So a few quick questions:

1. How is Vezelay at night? Would it be interesting to walk around at that time or bad idea?
2. Are any of the following chateau's worth seeing 'from the outside' (ie are there gates that you wouldn't even be able to see anything?) Tanalay, Ancy-le-franc, Cormatin, Bazoches if we cannot squeeze them in before closing Nov 11th?

thanks for your help!

rhon

We were in Burgundy at a similar time in 2012. The days were quite cool and getting shorter. The main reason to go to Vezelay is to visit the cathedral, so you would need to check opening times [ how late ] at that time of year. It is over 100kms from Beaune to Vezelay - Michelin gives a time of at least 1.5 hours one way.

We visited Bazoches on the last day it was open for the year in 2012. From memory, there is a long tree-lined drive up to it, but cannot remember if there were gates. While it is not as sumptuous as some other chateaux, we enjoyed it and found it interesting because we have seen a lot of Vauban's work around France and it was his home.

Cormatin is beside the main road through the village, but it does have a wall and I did not really pay attention to how much could be seen as we were going in to visit. You also need to know that some close for a couple of hours over lunch. Cormatin does.

We like the area south of Givry through to the Maconais region. If you drive down the D981 through Buxy on the way to Cormatin, you will pass the Chateau de Sercy on the right. It is lovely with a lake in front. There is a spot to stop to take photos. One day we stopped , there were gorgeous ducks floating on the lake.

There also some lovely villages in this region . Places such as Chapaize [ wonderful church], Brancion, St Gengoux le National, Cluny. If you go far enough, it is worth the climb to the top of the Roche de Solutre for great views.

Bon voyage.

pariswat

Hello

Pay attention that 11/11 is a bank holiday in France.
It is considered as a sunday at least.

Mvg.

tdiddy23

Thanks for the heads up about bank holiday


Seems Vezelay cathedral is closed at 5pm for tourists (but upon for mass). Was going to drive out to Fonteney abbey over lunch, maybe visit ancy-le-franc briefly and swing over to walk around Vezelay around dinner time... but could just skip Vezelay if its not going to be worth it without a visit inside the church (the town itself looked pretty but pics can be deceiving). It will already be a long day.

I guess we can always drive by Cormatin later in the week on our way back from MAconais region, hopefully we will be able to see some of the chateau from the outside.

rhon

You mentioned the Michelin green guide, but do you have
http://www.viamichelin.com/ for trip planning. It gives approximate times [ no allowance for stops or delays ], routes , tolls. According to Michelin,
Beaune to Abbaye de Fontenay is about 100kms.
Fontenay to Vezelay is about 80 kms. Then the return trip to Beaune is another 100+kms. It is a lot for an afternoon in winter when you take time spent there into account. And as pariswat has said, it is Armistice day.
Vezelay is pretty but no more charming than lots of other places, and as I said , the main reason is to visit the Cathedral. Noyers is a pretty village closer to Fontenay or even Semur en Auxois which is quite attractive viewed from the other side of the river as you drive across the bridge.