Jour trois (Day three): Beaune
"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." -- Lao Tzu
K: On time, we boarded our shiny, brand new, grand bus (coach) and met our bus driver, Tony. Fluent in several languages, we knew we were in good hands. Margaret took advantage of the travel time on the bus and explained the choices awaiting us in Beaune. We knew we were close when the vineyards came into view. First, check in at our charming accommodations, Hotel Des Remparts, where our hostess spoke very little English, but Margaret was quite good with her French! A note about our room -- we got the "attic suite", up 59 winding steps! Margaret explained that since our hotels were small, not all rooms will be created equally. She said she kept notes and did her best to "even things out" over the course of the trip. We didn't mind the steps at all, which perhaps she knew intuitively, and we had the most remarkable view of this sleepy village from our window.
E: Upon arrival to the charming French town, we chose to visit the colorful Hotel Dieu, also called Hospices de Beaune, a medieval hospital, complete with medieval medical equipment and a pharmacy. This hospital was founded to treat the poor in 1443. What first catches your eye at Hotel Dieu are the colorful roof tiles, which became a hallmark of architecture of the Burgundy region. Naturally, the current tiles are not the original ones, but they do date back over 100 years. The Hotel Dieu houses a stunning piece of art, Roger van der Weyden's "Last Judgment," called a polyptych, meaning its multiple panels open and close to reveal different parts or the whole work. Less somberly, our next stop was the Patriarche winery, boasting of the largest cellars in Burgundy. I felt a little disappointment as the man behind the counter informed me that, since I was not 18, I wasn’t allowed to taste the wine. Fortunately, I was allowed to accompany my mother as she checked out the 13 vintages underground, but my hopes of returning with a cool story about my French wine-tasting adventures were crushed. For dinner, we joined a tour mate and happed upon Margaret, enjoying an outside table for four at Le Bistro Bourguignon. Escargots were on the menu for me, while my mother enjoyed their specialty, boeuf a la Bourguignonne, She stressed that we should eat like locals in each destination, as another way to absorb and appreciate the cultures. While were dining, a marching band adorned in multicolored wigs and costumes passed us by. With our ears still ringing, we took Margaret’s recommendation of an evening stroll along the old Roman wall. We took the long way back to Hotel Des Remparts, where our room, unlocked with a unique mini wine bottle key, was waiting for us. Au revoir!
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Our Favorites:
K: Pleasant change of pace from non-stop Paris to the sleepy village atmosphere
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E: Dining cafe-style with a fellow tour member and our escort, Margaret
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