|
Springtime in France
The four of us are travelling the world again - our destination, France. On this trip, we will skip Paris, a city we love very much, to explore parts of the country we haven't experienced before. Our too-short trip, limited by demands back home, will take us from Lyon to the Loire Valley. While in France, we will wander among city streets, visit smaller towns and villages, tour castles and gardens, enjoy food and drink, and converse with locals.
Please join us on our 11-day journey across a few slices of France. |
Yes, please!
|
First stop: Lyon
We arrived in Lyon following a transatlantic flight via London Heathrow. As Lyon was our first port of entry in the Schengen zone, which covers most of the European Union and a handful of other European countries, we went through immigration here. Europe is weeks into implementing its new entry and exit system, which involves having your photo and fingerprints taken. This is no different than what many countries around the world already do, and even for the four of us, it only took a couple of minutes. The wait in line was maybe 10 minutes, so not bad at all. Perhaps the wait time may have been longer if our entry point was Paris Charles de Gaulle. From the airport we travelled by taxi to Presqu'Ile in the city center of Lyon. The ride costs 85 euros; we assumed we were overcharged. As it was still early afternoon, our hotel rooms were not ready so we simply dropped off our bags and started exploring the city on foot. Lyon is situated where the Saone and Rhone rivers merge. This was an important trading center dating back to Roman times. Today the city is much larger, the third largest in France, and spills out over a wide area. Its city center core is on Presqu'Ile, which means nearly an island or peninsula, with the two rivers on each side and meeting at the tip of the peninsula. On each side of the peninsula is more of the city, including the old quarter on the right bank of the Saone and the newer district on the left back of the Rhone. For our first afternoon in the city, we walked around the central core, mostly getting exercise, taking in the scenery, and enjoying coffee at a couple of the very atmospheric cafes lining the pedestrianized streets. We began our walk at Place Bellecour, one of the city's central public squares, wandered a farmers market at Place Carnot, and walked past landmarks such as City Hall and the Opera House. Much of the center city as these two landmarks were of traditional 19th century French styles. We also visited the Paul Bocuse Food Hall, inspired by the world-renown Michelin-starred French chef, on the left bank of the Rhone; his namesake shop is one of dozens within the hall. This area is not too far from Lyon's main train station and is home to a few modern skyscrapers. The streets of Lyon were lively but not too busy. We almost exclusively heard French on the streets and didn't have many if any tourists from elsewhere. This is unlike Paris where these days we hear more other languages than French. Other than cafes, we dined at Le Bouchon des Cordeliers. Bouchons are a Lyonnais tradition. These are small restaurants serving 4 to 5 main dishes, a handful of appetizers, and some desserts. Le Bouchon des Cordeliers is a cozy place tucked away on a side street. Every table was full, with a couple of tables of English speakers and the rest French. We dined on some of Lyon's specialties such as quenelle, a fish cake served in sauce; sausages; and duck. The food was delicious. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5d36d4d03e.jpg Tower on Place Bellecour https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d34f9b93bc.jpg Statue of Louis XIV on Place Bellecour https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f7dfcf093a.jpg Bartholdi Fountain on Place des Terreaux https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b5e12b6996.jpg Lyon City Hall https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9e50235f48.jpg Lyon Opera House https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2d4017ab3f.jpg Paul Bocuse Fresco and Adjacent Food Hall https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec7e7b2ab7.jpg Rhone River Landscape |
Following with great interest, thanks tripplanner001.
Lyon is such an elegant city, I wonder if the traboules are still open to public access? Its been a while since we visited. |
Adelaidean, welcome. It's great to see you here. We took some notes from one of your trips to France, in particular Burgundy.
ANUJ, you're welcome. Yes, the traboules were open, which we enjoyed very much. Lyon is such a wonderful city to visit; we could imagine living here. From Roman Theaters to 19th Century Silk Workshops On our first full day in Lyon, we headed over the old quarter and Fourviere Hill, located on the right bank of the Saone River. Fourviere Hill was one of the sites settled by the Romans and possibly others before them. We travelled by funicular to the top of the hill, where we visited Notre Dame Basilica and a Gallo-Roman archaeological site. Built in the 1800s over previous iterations of a Catholic church, we were wowed by Notre Dame. The church is a temple to Mary through and through. There are exquisite jewel-like mosaics and other art depicting stories of the life on Mary along the walls of both sides of the nave. The colors and style of the images make the church feel almost Byzantine although it is entirely Catholic. Each of the scenes popped as if the artwork was coming alive. We truly enjoyed visiting this stunning basilica. On top of an adjoining much older chapel is a gold statue of Mary, overlooking the church and the city of Lyon. Around the back are gorgeous views of the city below. Close by is the site of a large part of the Gallo-Roman settlement called Lugdunum, which was a typically Roman city complete with theaters, odeons, and other important buildings. While so much lay in ruins, much of the two theaters have been restored. It was as impressive as some of the ruins we've seen in Rome itself. Wandering the site was a joy. We imagined what it may have been like two thousand years ago. The adjoining museum is also well worth a visit, if nothing else for the spectacular mosaics on display. After our visit on Fourviere Hill, we rode the funicular down to the old quarter where we wanted the small lanes and passageways. Some of the passageways, called traboules in French, leading to centuries-old apartment buildings are hidden behind discreet doors. We also ate lunch at a very traditional Lyonnais bouchon, Les Ventres Jaunes. Similar to Le Bouchon des Cordeliers, the limited menu was amazing. We enjoyed sausages, the finest-cooked chicken, and baked camembert with potatoes. While touristy, we would recommend a visit to the old quarter (Vieux Lyon) on any trip to the city. From the old quarter, we crossed back over the Saone and made our way north to the Croix-Rousse neighborhood of Lyon, situated on a hill overlooking the peninsula. The area was once home to silk producers and weavers as well as artisans of a few other crafts. The pastel-colored buildings are now home to boutiques, restaurants, and other stores selling everyday needs. The neighborhood retains much of its working-class feel and charm. Croix-Rousse may be accessed by the city's convenient Metro system, although we traveled to and from by foot. We ended the day with some pizza at a place near the Saone River and enjoyed an evening stroll along its bank, watching the lights come on and illuminate the city's landmarks. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e635c03aff.jpg Fourviere HIll as Seen from Place Bellecour https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0cb49b9846.jpg Place des Jacobins https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e256b1b45.jpg Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...add05df023.jpg Mosaic at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...355fe2063a.jpg Altar at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c0033f729b.jpg Another Mosaic at Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c2eb89fbe8.jpg View of Lyon from Notre Dame Basilica https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e513621bcf.jpg Statue of Mary https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d3850d49f7.jpg Roman Theater https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f3209d8d1.jpg Roman Era Mosaic Floor https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1743535ee1.jpg Roman Era Mosaic Floor https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5d1e1ff24.jpg Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7ed9fd1e0.jpg Traboule Apartments https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...625c85c409.jpg Traboule Apartments https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8647b9ab82.jpg Vieux Lyon Streetscape https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76475a0339.jpg Along the Saone River https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...391510ebb6.jpg Lyon Fresco https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c82a0d4593.jpg Croix-Rousse Street https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4689d7b560.jpg Public Square in Croix-Rousse https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...55e3a141d0.jpg Fourviere Hill at Night |
|
bilboburgler, thanks for the information.
Vienne This morning we took an excursion to the nearby city of Vienne, also dating back to Roman times. We travelled by train from Lyon to Vienne, about a 30-minute ride. We explored Vienne on foot, starting with the Cathedral of St. Maurice, situated by the Rhone River. The cathedral is stately but austere, resembling a Protestant church. From here we crossed the Rhone to the left bank, where we visited the remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement. There is not much that survived the period but the museum is mosaic galore. We enjoyed viewing the mosaics on display, especially the mosaic depicting the four seasons. Returning to the other side of the Rhone, we wandered around the city, passing a much-intact Roman temple to Augustus and Livia, the City Hall, and an odeon. We also climbed above Vienne for a bird's eye view of the city, the Rhone, and the surrounding hills. In all, we spent about five hours in Vienne, including a light lunch break. The Confluence We were back in Lyon by mid-afternoon. After a rest back at our hotel, we enjoyed a walk along the left bank of the Saone, from Place Bellecour all the way to the tip of the peninsula where the Saone and Rhone meet. Along the way we enjoyed admiring the classical French buildings as well as the contemporary structures in the new Confluence neighborhood. We were really glad to have taken the stroll. We ate dinner at Brasserie Georges, a 190-year-old institution near Perrache train station. The restaurant is huge and somewhat touristy although we heard many of the restaurant goers speaking French among one another. On offer were Lyonnais as well as French classics along with a few German options. We ordered beef and fish; everything was well prepared and in rich, butter-heavy sauces we expected from a French restaurant. For dessert, we had Baked Alaska (known as a Norwegian omelet in French), which seemed to be the most popular choice among diners. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8873807b9e.jpg Cathedral of St. Maurice https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c90349da05.jpg Bridge over the Rhone River https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d8a2583140.jpg Gallo-Roman Ruins https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cf637f6196.jpg Castle Overlooking Vienne and the Rhone River https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ece49a5e57.jpg Temple of Augustus and Livia https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b31075074.jpg Roman Theater https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cfb26de700.jpg Lyon along the Saone River https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a5f12d673.jpg Riverwalk along the Saone River https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73c756de54.jpg Building in Confluence https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...576c37d341.jpg Bridge over the Saone near the Confluence https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c8252e88fe.jpg Confluence Point https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ba16d8ff6.jpg Museum of the Confluence |
I love that Bartholdi statue, so I felt compelled to look it up. There is a female chariot driver and the horses represent the four great rivers of France. What a sense of drama.
|
great photos, baked alaska, that takes me back
|
Your descriptions and photos are becoming a fun way to join you on a
dazzling trip through our favorite country. Looking forward to more. |
I’m in! Looking forward to more!
|
shelemm, the fountain is awesome, isn't it? We passed through the square on a couple of different occasions and stopped to admire each time. Now that you mention it, the water flows do resemble river flows.
bilboburgler, I've had Baked Alaska only one other time. It's well-known but not a common item. TPAYT, thank you. Any particular part of France you enjoy most? Before this trip, we've been to Paris on several occasions and Chamonix once, so most of the country remains unexplored for us. joannyc, welcome. Burgundian Dijon Today we reluctantly left Lyon for Dijon, the centuries-old capital of Burgundy. As such, we awoke early and ate breakfast at our hotel. The offering was simple but good, with made-to-order eggs. As we're in France, we went for the obligatory omelet, which was oh-so-good. From our hotel, we took a taxi to the main train station, Part Dieu, located on the east side of the city. We travelled by high-speed TGV train to Dijon, an one-hour ride. Upon arrival in Dijon, we walked to our hotel near the train station, dropped off our bags, and went exploring. Dijon was love at first sight. The beautiful traditional French architecture, the lively atmosphere, and the charm of the city really spoke to us. We began our exploration at William Gate, near the western end of the city's center core. From here, we strolled along pedestrianized Rue de la Liberte, a shopping street, to Liberation Square and the Ducal Palace. For centuries, Burgundy was an independent country led by hieratierary dukes. The Ducal Palace was their office and residence, and therefore the political epicenter of Burgundy. We wandered the palace grounds and visited the part of the palace that is open to visitors, the section that houses the Museum of Fine Arts today. The museum houses a fantastic collection of art, spanning from ancient Egypt and Greece to the modern day. I especially enjoyed the art from the 14th century to the 19th century, although a handful of galleries from this period were closed for display rotations. From here we wandered the back streets and alleyways behind the palace to the north. The streets here are lined with half-timbered buildings that would feel right at home in Germany although there are distinctly Burgundian touches to it. The ground floor of these buildings today house boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. Ambling about these streets brought us back to an early time. We imagined we were here during ducal times. We also visited the very unique Church of Notre Dame and the main cathedral of Dijon. The Church of Notre Dame is fronted by 51 gargoyles lined close together in three rows. As such it really stands out in a way we've never seen before. It must be an awesome sight standing across from it on a rainy day seeing the water spill out of the mouths of the gargoyles; I wonder if there is a waterfall effect of sorts. The inside of the church was beautiful but doesn't stand out against other church the way the front facade does. The cathedral not too far away was also beautiful but quite austere for a Catholic house of worship. Our last stop of the day was the City of Gastronomy and Wine towards the southern end of the city center. The complex houses a museum to French gastronomy as well as a collection of boutiques offering the trademark Dijon mustard as well as other condiments, food, and wines. We could enjoy wine tasting here, but did not opt for it this afternoon. We returned to our hotel to check into our rooms, freshen up and rest a bit, and treated ourselves to a 3.5-hour dinner at William Frachot, a 2 Michelin-star restaurant just down the street from our hotel. The 5-course meal was fantastic in every way and we had a wonderful evening celebrating a personal milestone. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...81b7c0f762.jpg Rue de la Liberte https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fde40ec4c.jpg Place Francois Rude https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d0022070ff.jpg Ducal Palace https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f18c58a359.jpg One of the Back Streets North of the Ducal Palace https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bafb958fa2.jpg Notre Dame https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47d8c2b7d0.jpg Cathedral |
I was looking forward to your rake on Dijon. We only spent a short day and night there and it was raining. We’d like to return and do it up well.
Thanks for asking about our favorites. We are going to Paris for the 15th time in early October for just a few days, then TGV to The Riviera for a week of fun. Always enjoy all the towns on The Riviera. Also spent time in The Loire, which was wonderful, but I think my favorite (outside of Paris) was a week in Sarlat and The Dordogne. |
So glad to happen upon your report this morning! We spent five nights in Lyon just over a year ago and loved it. We had a fabulous apartment with views across the Saône toward Fourvière Hill. The Lyonnaise Fresco in your photo above was right around the corner from it.
Enjoy the rest of your trip! I'll be interested to see your photos from the Loire Valley. That was one of our early trips to Europe, in 1998 (I think), and we haven't been back to that area since. |
Hi, tripplanner001. My late DH and I had to cut short our trip to Lyon, and we never made it to Dijon so your report and photos are much appreciated!
|
TPAYT, thank you for sharing your thoughts. We are very much enjoying Dijon. The major sights in Dijon could be seen in 1 to 2 days depending on your pace, but there's plenty to explore throughout Burgundy. We are using Dijon as a base for a few day trips. Haven't made our way to Provence or the French Riviera yet, but it's on our list.
ms_go, five nights in Lyons sounds fabulous. Was it part of a longer trip? TDudette, thank you. I'm glad I'm able to share parts of France with you. Art, Mustard, and Wine Today we took a day trip to Beaune, also in Burgundy. We travel by train from Dijon to Beaune. In Beaune, we visited the outstanding Hotel Dieu, a hospital and hospice for the poor built in the 15th century. The massive building is surrounded by a large interior courtyard. The roof is covered throughout with colorful glazed tiles. We toured the facility, learning about hospital life for Burgundian patients back in the day as well as the lives of the nuns and other caretakers who were employed at the facility. Among the rooms open to the public, our favorite was the chapel with a typical medieval altarpiece. We also stopped in Notre Dame Basilica but did not linger as Sunday mass was in session. Beaune is a very small city; the other place of interest to tourists is a walk along the city's ramparts, although we didn't feel like it today. We then made out way out of Beaune's city walls towards the southwest. A narrow strip of land from Dijon to Lyon is responsible for most of Burgundy's winemaking tradition. We visited the Cote de Beaune section. This region is known for making only two types of wine - chardonnay and pilot noise. Before we went wine tasting, we visited a mustard factory just outside of Beaune's city wall. The one hour tour of the Fallot factory was educational, and we purchased some artisans mustards on our way out. We tasted wine at two houses, Chateau de Pommard and Château de Meursault. We traveled by Uber from Fallot to the village center of the village of Pommard to have a light lunch and walk around before heading to the winery. In the village is a church, a handful of restaurants, and homes. We ate lunch at one of the few establishments open today as it was a Sunday and most public-facing establishments were closed. At Pommard, we sampled 4 wines, 3 red and 1 white. From there we Ubered again - to Meursault. As the number of drivers are fewer, it was a 20 minute wait for someone to pick us up. At Meursault, we toured the wine cellars dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries before a tasting of 7 wines, 4 red and 3 white. We enjoyed the wines at Meursault more. We thought about eating dinner in Beaune tonight but opted to return to Dijon for our evening meal as the last train back is around 9:00 PM. We chose Le Pré aux Clercs, on Liberation Square opposite the Ducal Palace. We dined on a selection of French dishes - onion tart, duck, chicken, and steak tartare - all very good. We are still looking for a place that serves some of the Burgundian classics such as boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin but haven't located it yet in Dijon, whereas Beaune had these items on the menu at many of the restaurants. Not really complaining, though, as everything we've eaten has been very good. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd5f50fab3.jpg Beaune City Fortifications https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a2e712bbb.jpg Street in Beaune's Historic Quarter https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...960e5c7cad.jpg Hotel Dieu https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...21c79a26e6.jpg Sleeping Quarters in Hotel Dieu https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ea048b991.jpg Altarpiece in Chapel at Hotel Dieu https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...154287d5b7.jpg Stained Glass Windows above Altarpiece at Hotel Dieu https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...384abf1471.jpg Pharmacy at Hotel Dieu https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d2bd8c3dd8.jpg Equipment at Fallot Mustard Factory https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f07a1e6fb.jpg Chateau de Pommard https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6059c41d69.jpg Garden at Chateau de Pommard https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...95eba1cb7a.jpg Chateau de Meursault https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0e4818d708.jpg Wine Barrels at Chateau de Meursault https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...153b02a91b.jpg Dijon's Ducal Palace at NIght |
Tripplanner001, I am so enjoying your informative narrative and photos. We visited France many times when our oldest daughter lived in Provence for 10 years. She and her family have since relocated to the Dallas area, so we haven't been back to France since 2022. I really miss it! We never had a chance to visit Lyon and Dijon so I really appreciate your report. We have been to the Loire Valley and other areas. I highly recommend visiting Provence and Dordogne if you return to France. I am sure the Riviera is nice, too. We did spend one night in Nice which wasn't nearly enough time. I had a 5-day trip planned to Nice in 2020, but obviously that trip didn't happen.
Lyon looks lovely, and I'm surprised that it is as modern as it is. Dijon looks stunning, and I think it would be love at first sight for me, too! I love the traditional French architecture. |
Originally Posted by tripplanner001
(Post 17718501)
ms_go, five nights in Lyons sounds fabulous. Was it part of a longer trip?
|
You are definitely making the most of seeing these lovely cities. I otherwise don't hear much about Dijon.
And I value more the idea of discovering traditional foods I don't have access to back home. So even if you don't get to your two classics, you'll actually learn more from exploring the unfamiliar. |
Continued praise, tripplanner001. Autocorrect made an awesome new wine: "pilot noise"...lol.
|
as well as pinot noir (which has multiple clones) they also make a little pinot gris to sneak into the pinot noir to help keep it light (but will always deny it)
|
KarenWoo, appreciate your thoughts on France. Will definitely put Provence and the Dordogne on our long list of places to visit. If you like traditional French architecture, you will enjoy both Lyon and Dijon - and Semur-en-Auxois (more on this below). Semur is what I picture some of the Provencal villages to look like.
ms_go, glad you've had a chance to sit different parts of France. There's so much to see and do here. I have to admit, though, that we haven't thought about Marseille much because of all the bad reviews. But you're piquing our interest. shelemm, you're right. This is why we decided to stay away from Paris on this trip. While we enjoy Paris and can keep going back, there's so much of France that we're interested in exploring. TDudette, LOL. Definitely autocorrect from pinot noir. I didn't see it until you point it out. bilboburgler, I definitely intended to say pinot noir along with chardonnay. Medieval Times Today we're riding the rails to Montbard, also in Burgundy, for a visit to Fontenay Abbey. There are two UNESCO-listed medieval abbeys in France, Vezelay and Fontenay; we chose Fontenay because it was closer to Dijon. Finding a taxi from Montbard to Fontenay Abbey provided difficult though. We first tried Uber, to no avail. We then asked the tourist information office for available taxis and were given a list of numbers. It took about 5 or 6 attempts to find out, with a 45 minute wait. According to our taxi driver, there is only a handful of vehicles in town and the vast majority of customers are people going to and from medical appointments. Such is the challenges of travelling in more remote areas at times, although this is not our typical experience when travelling in Europe. Fontenay was built in the 12th century by Cistercian monks, and one of the leading centers of knowledge during the Middle Ages. The setting of Fontenay is beautiful. The large stone buildings house a church, a dormitory, a hospital, ironworks, among other things. We toured the buildings and walked in the gardens. Unfortunately all the buildings except for the church is bare, so it didn't take much time to complete our visit, about 30 minutes in all. Although beautiful, I would not suggest a visit to Fontenay if you don't have a car and / or is along the way. The time and effort was not worth it. From Fontenay we phoned the same taxi driver who took us to the Abbey to take us to our next destination: the town of Semur-en-Auxois. Semur appealed to us when we were researching for this trip; it seemed to fulfill our mental image of a typical storybook French town. Semur was love at first sight. Stepping out of the taxi, we felt we were transported back in time. Aahhh! We grabbed a brochure of the town from the tourist information center and followed the well-laid out suggestion of a walking tour of the town. We enter via the massive Sauvigny and Guillier Gates, which led to Buffon Street. The street oozed with charm. Just around the corner is Notre Dame Church rising above all the other buildings on the square. The church features a long nave with a series of chapels along the left side leading to the altar. A couple of the chapels were dedicated to people of different trades such as butchers and craftspeople. One of the chapels were dedicated to American soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. The stained glass windows throughout the church, especially at the main altar, were outstanding. We enjoyed a typical long midday lunch at Aux Vieux Paves, on Buffon Street right around the corner from the church. It was one of the few places open in what is otherwise a very quiet town (many places are closed on Sundays and on Mondays throughout France), but the food is traditional Burgundian and very good. Yes, a couple of us ate beef bourgignon today. We seem to be the only tourists dining here as everyone else were couples and families speaking French. After our meal, we went on a walking tour of Semur-en-Auxois. We strolled the cobblestone streets, crossed its bridges, admired its ramparts including four towers, and took loads of photos. The entire town could be on the cover of a travel magazine; there was no bad view anywhere. Semur oozed a rustic, bucolic charm. And there were very few people about (we saw one tour group, maybe half a dozen other tourists, and no more than 25 locals). The only downside - today being a Monday, which meant almost no cafes or shops were open. The entire walk around town took about 2 hours but could have been done in 1 if we were really moving at pace. We so loved Semur-en-Auxois; if there is such a concept as La France Profonde, we think we've found it in here. Returning to Dijon was a pain. Other than driving, there is a bus that runs from Semur to Dijon but the schedule is very irregular. Its operation depends on the school calendar and the times the buses run are different depending on which day of the week you are riding. We waited for about an hour for the last bus heading to Dijon, arriving an hour and a half later. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3473fae143.jpg Fontenay Abbey Buildings and Gardens https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...923da5a3fe.jpg Abbey Church https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...723a361aa9.jpg Instead of Fontenay Chapel https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1818e90046.jpg Altarpiece at Fontenay https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b64065cf09.jpg Fontenay Cloister https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd3bf8aafa.jpg Ironworks at Fontenay https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2df72659f9.jpg Waterwheel behind Ironworks Building at Fontenay https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cb082d55d0.jpg Entrance to Medieval Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3bdd2992a9.jpg Notre Dame Church, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a8e59f018.jpg Central Nave of Notre Dame Church, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2c380279f8.jpg Stained Glass Window at Notre Dame Church, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...972de33ae2.jpg Craftspeople Window at Notre Dame Church, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a1eb79c2c.jpg Market Square, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d07e818b9f.jpg Semur-en-Auxois Panorama https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3136d94045.jpg Rampart Tower, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...67a0a4d644.jpg Hotel Particuliar, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...22b64b3788.jpg Part of Semur-en-Auxois from the Ramparts https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5bcc390e09.jpg Ramparts, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e6e611f371.jpg Rampart Tower, Semur-en-Auxois https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8b79442da7.jpg River, Semur-en-Auxois |
Hi Tripplanner,
I just saw this, have my cabin bag stowed and am catching up as we taxi down the runway. Your TRs are always wonderful and I'm looking forward to enjoying this one - thanks so much. It takes time & effort to put TRs together & I appreciate your sharing yours with us. |
I remember trying to juggle bus options from Dijon, and the schedules/ possibilities were very limited - I am impressed you made it work. Enjoying your photos and thoughts.
|
Bokhara2, you're welcome.
Adelaidean, thank you. Besancon Today we traveled by train from Dijon to Besancon (the c has a cedille which isn't available jn the English alphabet and is pronounced like an s), the capital of what was the Free County of Burgundy. While under Burgundian rule for a large part of its history, the Free County changed hands several times among Burgundy, France, Spain, and others. Besancon piqued our interest after reading Adelaidean's trip report about her visit to the city, and here we are (merci beaucoup, Adelaidean). We picked up a map of suggested walking routes of the city from the tourist information center and used it to frame our visit for the day. Starting at Battant Bridge, we walked to Revolution Square, where we purchased and ate some fruit from the outdoor market. The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology was closed as today us Tuesday, although we knew that before we came to Besancon. Strolling it's streets, we noticed that the architecture of Besancon is different than what we've seen in other French cities and towns on this trip. Most of the buildings are huge and constructed either cream- and gray-colored stones. While it's not as elegant as the traditional French buildings we've enjoyed in Dijon and Lyon, the uniformity gives it visual appeal. We passed Victor Hugo's home, but as it was Tuesday, it was closed. We went inside the Cathedral of St. Jean, with its gorgeous stained glass windows and painting. There are beautiful frescoes in one of the chapels, including one of The Last Supper. Also at the Cathedral is a beautiful centuries-old mechanical astrological clock. From the church we walked uphill to the Citadel. Besancon is famous for its location, on the bend of the Doubs River. The city is ringed by fortifications constructed by de Vauban, an engineer for Louis XIV. In addition to Besancon, de Vauban fortified 12 other French cities. We walked around the Citadel some but did not enter to paid portion, where a couple of museums and a zoo are located. Returning into the heart of the city, we stopped at a creperie for a delicious but light lunch. We continued our sightseeing, following one of the suggested routes. Our next stop was Granvelle Palace, today home to the Museum of Time. Although it's focused on timepieces, there is a good collection of paintings, tapestries, and other art. The top floor offers a good bird's-eye view of the city's rooftops. It was until we were up here that we noticed the proliferation of chimneys atop buildings. From here we traced our way to Pasteur Square, named after Louis Pasteur, and stopped for a coffee break before returning to the other side of the river. Here we followed a suggested route that took us mostly through back streets. We saw more of de Vauban's fortification system, hidden gardens, and a large public park with a couple of de Vauban's watchtower. There's still so much more to see and do in Besancon, chief among which is a strong around the fortifications and ramparts that ring the city. Alas, the walk is estimated to take 2.5 hours and we've run out of time. Just have to save it for a future visit... We were surprised at how much more there is to see and do in Besancon. From our research, it seemed comparable to Dijon, but there is so much more to offer. Instead of a day trip, we could have easily stayed 3 or 4 nights. Back in Dijon, we took one final stroll among its very atmospheric streets. There was an on-and-off light drizzle but it enhanced our surroundings, similar to how a bit of rain makes Paris even more appealing. We ate dinner at L'Epicerie et Cie, on Emile Zola Square. We dined on some of our new French favorites - oeufs en meurette (eggs poached in red wine), quenelles - as well an old classic - beef bourgignon. We also tried snail soup for the first time and it was fantastic. Overall, we're very happy with L'Epicerie et Cie and would highly recommend it. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7319ac3488.jpg Battant Bridge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...56b95d2870.jpg Outdoor Market at Revolution Square https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d98977667f.jpg Mural https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...173e439449.jpg Victor Hugo Residence https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1d6b5a3684.jpg Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a549ad98f4.jpg Chapel at Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7be3a0d04e.jpg Chapel at Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...93dae0930e.jpg Main Altar at Cathedral of St. Jean https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b4140f5698.jpg Astronomical Clock https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...64f2ac345f.jpg Citadel Entrance https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...003f04b15f.jpg Fortifications at Citadel https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a5e1fc5b8a.jpg Fortifications at Citadel https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b31ddb0a48.jpg Fortifications at Citadel https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...414bcf0448.jpg View of Besancon from Citadel https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a4167cb51.jpg Granvelle Palace https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9c53217984.jpg Views of Besancon Rooftops https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9a2ede551d.jpg Street Art https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...04f28d5216.jpg Building Reflections on Doubs River https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...efddf17423.jpg One of the Towers of the Ramparts https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6110138b9c.jpg Sculpture in Honor of International Women's Day |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:15 AM. |