Personally, I think Tom and Tracy should appear as themselves in the movie. Clooney and Julia Roberts only wish they had the Maitais' charisma.

Signing on with anticipation!

Entertaining and enjoyable as always! Looking forward to your continued adventures!

Maitaitom, we've climbed aboard for your interesting and entertaining report.

We returned from our France trip just as you guys were leaving. And. . .you have kick-started us into beginning our report.

Looking forward to locations where we each visited. Glad the Hotel-Dieu in Beaune is no longer a functioning hospital!

Your pix are outstanding!!! Maybe someday we'll delve into integrating photos with our text.

Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

Finally, nearly two hours later, we passed through Passport Control with no heightened security to be found.>>

mon dieu! I'm surprised that the French people in the queue hadn't rioted by then. our last experience of CDG was leaving it and they had more officials checking our passports and boarding cards [sometimes in plain sight of each other] than i could shake a stick at.

I'm a bit confused though about your hire car - what has a lack of a read view mirror got to do with someone stealing from the boot? [and why didn't it have a mirror?] didn't it have central locking?

Anyway, i'm here for the ride - I've stowed away in the boot!

<< Tracy took a picture of the sticker on our car…”EuropCar, #1 Rated On Trip Advisor.” It might as well have said, “Please Steal The Luggage In The Trunk Of These Unsuspecting Tourists!” >>

I had the same sticker on my rear window and thought the exact same thing! But, my trunk was too small to even hold my suitcase! Got stuck with a clown car, a bright yellow Fiat 500. It was that or a delivery truck.

Looking forward to more! Was expecting to see you sipping some wine in Beaune, think we were there at the same time.

I love being one of the "elite" who first gets your report by e-mail -:)

Your travel style reminds me so much of my husband....get off the plane, get in a car, drive like hell til it's time for a wine infusion.

Loved the stained glass windows. Hope there are more to come. What, no wine with dinner? Sacrilege!

I'm along for the ride too - alas, no real trip to France this year for me . . . Di

I worked in car rental more than 40 years ago and I can still spot a rental car a mile off, with or without stickers on it. To copy what the Americans did, the rental companies in France took all stickers off for a few years, but now they are back on most brands because there is no reason to give people a false sense of security and pass up all of the free advertising.

We stayed in Hotel Normandie years ago. Had been cycling all day in the heat, staff ushered us into the lift and very carefully left the lift and let us travel alone until we got to our floor, while they hared up the stairs, couldn't blame them.

You just can't imagine how happy I am on this dreary Monday morning to find a maitaitom trip report! You write the BEST trip reports! I'm along for the ride and can't wait for the next installment.

Love the photos on the blog!

Since this day contains a lot of photos, verbiage here would be sort of worthless, since most of it goes with the photos.

Although we got a late start (for us), our drive from Auxerre to Beaune found us visiting two historic sites. First we stopped at a gorgeous 16th-century chateau that contains the largest collection of Renaissance murals in France. Then it was on to a peaceful oasis, a 12th-century abbey that was one of the coolest places we visited on our entire trip. Though our GPS took a slight nap at an inopportune moment, we did safely reach our bed and breakfast lodging for the next three nights. This fantastic B&B turned out to be one of the best places we have stayed at durung any of our trips. We also hooked up with some friends for a memorable meal in a beautiful cave.

Below is link to <B>DAY 2</B> with photos

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-two-witnessing-history-drive-beaune/</B>

((H))

Only you could revive, "we will sell no wine before it's time"! Extra points for finding a shot of Orson Welles from the commercial.

I have been interested in Diane de Poitiers since we visited Chenonceau....she did get around (and in style)! Your hotel bar and the restaurant look wonderful!

So glad you had spectacular weather...really looked like a gorgeous day!

Anxious for more....

>>It never ceases to amaze me on all our trips to walk through structures built nearly 1,000 years ago.

I so agree!

Gorgeous photos.

maitaitom

Only you and I remember Marilyn Chambers (RIP)

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...tv/mubACgkVEcE

dugi

Maitaitom, another great chapter! You're so right about the enhancement the photos provide. And such great ones! And no one can match your writing style, so woven with humor!

Interesting that your route to Beaune was so different from ours, and demonstrates that there is just so much to see and experience!!! One visit can't do it all. We hope to get our next chapter posted soon.

Always enjoy your reports. Thanks!

great report so far. Burgundy is one of DH and my favorite areas in France.