'LIBELLULE' - SOUTHERN BURGUNDY &
BEAUJOLAIS ITINERARY:
An Introduction to BURGUNDY
The Beaujolais Region is just 34 miles from north to south
and 7 to 9 miles from east to west, yet nearly 4,000 grape
growers reside in this picturesque area to the north of
Lyon. All of the grapes here must be picked by hand, and
Gamay noir à Jus Blanc is the only grape permitted in the
production of Beaujolais wine. Approximately one-third of
the region's entire crop is sold as Beaujolais Nouveau,
which is released annually on the third Thursday of November
(regardless of the start of the harvest). It was the
10th-century town of Beaujeu that gave the region its name.
After Philippe the Bold outlawed Burgundian cultivation of
the Gamay grape in 1395, two distinctive wine regions
evolved: Southern Burgundy (known for Pinot Noir) and
Beaujolais (known for Gamay).
Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, is a lovely town. Its
ancient center is a maze of narrow cobbled lanes and
attractive squares. There are fine old stone houses and
mansions on almost every street. The center of town is
almost completely enclosed by medieval ramparts that are
almost entirely intact. The most splendid of all of Beaune's
historic buildings is Hôtel Dieu, which was built in 1443 in
Flemish Gothic style as a charitable hospital. It was used
as such until 1948 and is now one of three buildings
comprising the Hospices de Beaune, which is still a free
hospital and a home for senior citizens. (Nurses even wear
the traditional medieval hooded habit.) From Hôtel Dieu's
courtyard, there is a good view of the lovely colored and
glazed roof tiles for which Burgundy is famous. Inside, the
barrel-vaulted wooden roof, long hospital ward, and kitchen
are quite impressive. In its "museum" are the hospital's
15th-century tapestries and a masterpiece of Flemish art,
Van der Weyden's polyptych, The Last Judgement (1443).
Chalon-sur-Saône is the last of the great Burgundian-style
river towns. There was a great shipbuilding enterprise here
in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The "father of
photography," Nicéphore Niepce, was born here in 1765. It
was Niepce who first attempted to preserve a photographic
image produced with a camera obscura in 1822.
Dijon is the current administrative capital of Burgundy and
the historic capital of the Dukes of Burgundy. The center of
Dijon is noted for its architectural splendor - evidence of
the wealth and power of the Dukes of Burgundy whose empire
once included Flanders and parts of Holland. Dijon's Ducal
Palace, built in 1682, is partially used as the town hall to
this day. Part of the Palais des Ducs is also home to
Dijon's Musée des Beaux Arts and its prestigious collection
of French and Flemish art. Also on display at Musée des
Beaux Arts are the vast ducal kitchens with their six giant
fireplaces. Palais des Ducs' Tour Phillipe le Bon (150 feet
tall) offers the finest views over Dijon and its
magnificently tiled roofs.
Situated at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône Rivers,
Lyon is the second city of France. It was capital of Gaul in
Roman times and a major center of culture and trade during
the Renaissance. In 1998, Lyon was voted to the UNESCO World
Heritage List, joining Venice, Prague, and St. Petersburg as
one of the world's most treasured cities. As early as 1466,
Louis XI chose Lyon as a center for the silk industry.
Today, the city remains a center of fabric research and is
home to the French Textile Center. The massive Basilica of
Notre Dame de Fourvière sits high atop Fourvière Hill. The
site was a longstanding place of worship, and the Basilica
was built in 1870 at the request of the women of Lyon and
dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Situated downstream from Tournus, flower-laden Mâcon is
Burgundy's southernmost town. The many charming squares and
side streets, notably the Place aux Herbes, are at the heart
of the town's pleasant atmosphere. Mâcon's historical center
contains the Romanesque ruins of the medieval cathedral of
Saint-Vincent. Twelve churches were destroyed here during
the Revolution, and only Saint-Vincent's narthex, two
octagonal towers, and the intervening bay escaped
destruction. Alphonse Prat de Lamartine, the French poet and
statesman, was born in Mâcon in 1790 and remained very
attached to his home town, taking a life-long personal
interest in the wine harvests on his estates in the
Mâconnais. The Musée Lamartine contains a collection of
documents recalling his life and work, both literary and
political.
The River Saône is both unspoiled and beautiful. It is
navigable from Corre in the North (where it is narrow) to
Lyon in the South (where it is wide). The Saône meanders
through lush green countryside, past small French villages
and towns. Several other waterways link up to it, including
the River Doubs and Canal du Centre (which run from east to
west) and the Canal du Bourgogne (which links the Saône at
St-Jean-de-Losne to Dijon, the region's capital).
St-Jean-de-Losne is the largest inland marina in France and
the country's capital of canal and river cruising. It is
also a major waterways crossroads, as several important
canals link up with the River Saône in the immediate area.
St-Jean-de-Losne's oldest church dates back to the 15th
century.
Just downstream from St-Jean-de-Losne is the pretty town of
Seurre. One of its attractive red brick houses, the Hôtel
Dieu, was built over several centuries and offers a variety
of architectural styles. With its park setting on the banks
of the river, it is unquestionably one of the most beautiful
hospitals in Burgundy.
The old port city of Tournus is situated mid-way between
Dijon and Lyon on the River Saône. The houses here, which
are covered with pink-colored roof tiles, rest in the shadow
of the spires of the former abbey church of Saint-Philibert
to the north and Saint-Madeleine to the south. Saint-Philibert
with its fortress-like appearance dates from the 10th
century and is one of the region's finest Romanesque
churches. Its massive pillars support rare transverse barrel
vaulting. Nearby are a number of antique shops and the Musée
Perrin-de-Puycousin, which has a good collection of
traditional costumes and Bresse furniture.
Trevoux, which is spread out in terraces along the banks of
the River Saône, was once the capital of the Principality of
Dombes. Taking advantage of its independent status and
proximity to Lyon, the town became a European publishing
center. The Dictionnaire de Trevoux, published in 1704, was
one of the first dictionaries written in French and is still
used as a reference today. The principality did not become
part of France until 1762, and it was then that the members
of the Dombes Parliament began building their houses outside
the town walls.
SATURDAY
Meet fellow travellers at Hotel Régina in Paris at 1:00
pm to transfer to Gare de Lyon rail station and board the
TGV high-speed train to Lyon. On arrival, transfer to 'Libellule,'
moored in the heart of the city, for a welcome apéritif with
time to relax before dinner.
SUNDAY
After breakfast, a walking tour of historic Lyon
includes a visit to the oldest Renaissance district in
France. After free time to explore as you choose, return to
the barge for lunch and an afternoon cruise on the River
Saône to the delightful riverside town of Trévoux.
MONDAY
A morning cruise takes you to Mâcon in the heart of the
Beaujolais wine country. After lunch, visit a winegrower for
a private tasting.
TUESDAY
Cruise to Tournus, once the seat of a large monastery
and an important port on the River Saône. After lunch, visit
Château du Cormatin, with its gilded interior and
beautifully landscaped park, before returning to the barge.
WEDNESDAY
Today 'Libellule' cruises to Chalon-sur-Saône, a busy
market town in the heart of Burgundy, where you visit the
photography museum, a tribute to Nicéphore Niepce, who is
credited with the invention of photography in the early 19th
century. Then, drive to Beaune, capital of the Burgundy wine
area, to visit the magnificent 15th-century charity
hospital, Hôtel Dieu.
THURSDAY
After a morning cruise, visit Dijon, the capital of
Burgundy, for a guided tour that shows you some of the
city's fine medieval architecture, including the Ducal
Palace built in 1682. There is free time (perhaps to visit
the Grey Poupon mustard shop?) before you rejoin your barge
in St-Jean-de-Losne for a farewell dinner on board.
FRIDAY
After breakfast, transfer to the rail station in Dijon
to board the train for Paris, where your tour ends on
arrival at Gare de Lyon rail station.
Note: This route is run in reverse on alternate
weeks.
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