Playing with Flavour: a Taste of Burgundy by Daphne Beames

Swinging southeast from Paris along the A6 towards Dijon, the ancient capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, one can almost be forgiven for feeling that such opulence belongs only in heaven.
   
The soil of the Côte d’Or vineyards (a name inspired by the reddish gold earth and the auric glow of vine leaves in autumn) has been famous since the dawn of time; the thick, tranquil forests, bathed in their veil of deep green, gave birth to the legendary Cîteaux de St. Bernard; the liquid wealth of the Chambertin grands crus (Côtes de Nuits) originated on these rich plains, and the flamboyant flare of the Burgundian grape is synonymous, not only with the finest wines in the world, but has also given its name to a ruby-red, designer fashion shade.

In fact, so powerful were the Ducs de Bourgogne in the Middle Ages, that they challenged kings, and their burgeoning Valois inheritance could conceivably have swallowed even the lands of the French crown. “Paris: Capital of Burgundy” has an almost believable ring!

If you breakfast in Paris and then drive south through Fontainebleau, you can reach the historic, walled town of Avallon in time for lunch (etymology “apple orchard” - the Gaulish derivation of the name, embraces a paradisal or magical fruit and can be traced back to Celtic origins and Arthurian legend).

This rustic village of cobbled streets and quaint houses, with their distinctive, glazed roof tiles, is perched on a granite spur between two ravines in the Cousin Valley and lies on the old, much-travelled stagecoach route to Switzerland and the Mediterranean.

Its most famous landmark is not the 12th-century Eglise St-Lazare -- although this is a magnificent monument -- but a once humble inn: the 18th-century, blue-fronted Hostellerie de la Poste, which is now one of the most sublime hotel-restaurant combinations in France. Drop in à la kings, queens, the Emperor Napoleon, Gen. Eisenhower and President Kennedy to discover its charms. You can even request the same room in which Napoleon slept --  J.F.K. did! 

Savour a meal in the old-world dining room that has been Michelin starred since 1900 (when the Guide Michelin first appeared). Here you can enjoy cassolette de queues d’ecrevisses, poulet de Bresse en civet aux Vieux Bourgogne and dolce Borghese accompanied by an excellent selection of fine Burgundy wines.

The correct way to end a meal here in France’s richest and oldest province is with a glass of Marc. Beware. The heady drink, made from residue after the wine is pressed, is not for the faint-hearted. Then, drift to dreamland in an antique four-poster, under a silken canopy, and awake ready to be impressed by the architectural wealth of two famous Romanesque abbey churches nestled in the nearby forests.

On the D957, the abbey of Vézelay lies only moments away and, from a distance, the golden stone of the stunning Basilique Ste-Madeleine -- one of the most beautiful of all Gallic cathedrals -- can be seen crowning the ancient vine and forest-clad colline éternelle (France’s eternal hill). This was the starting point not only for the Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart, but was also a rallying point for the celebrated pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

On the opposite side of the motorway, the road to Montbard winds its way through woodlands towards the oldest, Cistercian foundation in France: the austere and venerable monastery of Fontenay. Both abbeys are open to the public daily.

For a sweet diversion, branch southeast along the D905 towards Flavigny-sur-Ozerain: the miniscule village of a scant 400 souls -- first put onto the travel maps by Johnny Depp in the movie ‘Chocolat’. A collage of red roofs, a church, a blue shade umbrella, a black cat and the scent of anise greeted us as we entered through the ancient, 14th-century Porte du Bourg, but there is not much else to tempt the tourist to linger. 

Devout Flavigny, where three rivers bathe the mountains, was once inhabited by Romans and Vikings and has reputedly been dedicated to God since the beginning of time! Its name is eponymous not with the fine art of the chocolatier; but remembers an ancient owner of the land: Flavinius.

Straying off the beaten path, the “Hostellerie du Château de Sainte-Sabine” sounded blissful and so it proved. Ideally positioned for forays to Dijon and Beaune and surrounded by undulating, green hills, this exquisite Château Hotel and former monastery (near the village of Arnay-le-Duc on the D970) is the perfect place to drink in the flavours of Burgundy.

For a larger-than-life scene stealer, glance through the plate glass windows of a drawing-room embossed with corded tapestry, and the huge hulk of an imposing, 12th-century castle on a rocky outcrop: Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, will darken the horizon. (Now a museum featuring life in the Middle Ages.)

The Château de Ste-Sabine offers elegance combined with tranquillity and an array of treats: enchanting, affordable rooms; eight hectares of park-like gardens; a shimmering pool; a private animal sanctuary; and a medieval, village church (complete with saintly relics) against the castle walls. The traditional restaurant serves superb cuisine. (A member of the Châteaux et Demeures de Tradition, Grandes Etapes dans les vignobles.)

Summoned by a compelling peal of bells from the ancient steeple just outside our window – we rose early the next morning to explore the region. 

Noble Dijon: capital city of the Dukes of Burgundy, bows to no one! Begin your tour in the atmospheric, 17th-century Place de la Libération: facing the splendid Ducal Palace, semi-circular, arcaded and designed by Jules Mansart, the architect of Versailles.

Visit the grand Musée des Beaux Arts (housed in the Palais des Ducs) where stone sculptures on the tomb of Philip the Bold --  created by wizard, Claus Sluter -- seem to leap from their confining rock. Wander past the wonderful façades of old townhouses on the picturesque Rue des Forges; admire the 13th-century, Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame (where the owl symbol is said to bring good luck) and then stop for a lively Dijonnais déjeuner at the vibrant ‘Les Bistrot des Halles’  next to the busy market place. Dijon is addictive (and it’s not just the mustard)!

The D974 to Beaune (Route des Grands Crus) slices through the legendary vineyards of the Côte d’Or and meanders south through Fixin, Clos de Vougeot (the home of truly holy wines produced for centuries by dedicated Cîteaux monks) and the quaintly named, Nuits-St-Georges. Here, wine tasting is a way of life, and you may like to allot an extra hour or two for the journey!

So, you thought there was no heaven on earth.  Rest assured, those monks knew a thing or two, and heaven resides in the foothills of Burgundy! Take the A31 exit for Nuits-St-Georges, direction Gilly-lès-Cîteaux and a palatial, erstwhile abbey waits in the trees.

Voted the best country hotel in the world, the Château de Gilly -- rising serenely above manicured, formal gardens -- is beyond expectation. Walk back in time across a wooden drawbridge, over an ancient moat, and under a wide stone archway into a gem of Cistercian architecture that seems to have slipped straight from the Middle Ages. Inside, the medieval theme continues through regal reception rooms, the ‘Tapestry’ drawing room and antique-rich bedrooms.

The awesome proportions and lofty, vaulted ceiling of the incredible dining hall below stairs (once the Priests’ celebrated wine cellar) make it a veritable ‘culinary cathedral’. With polished, white marble floors; brilliant lighting; tapestry wall-hangings and plush, Burgundy-red upholstery -- this majestic restaurant is quite unforgettable. (Try the mouth-watering Coq au Vin Rouge or Boeuf Bourguignon.) 

Like a tableau from the past -- the tiny village of Gilly-lès-Cîteaux (beyond the castle walls) seems almost frozen in time. There is a poignant monument to the local boys who died in the Great War and primitive carts, loaded with timber, still ply their ancient trade.

Don’t miss old Beaune -- girded by formidable ramparts, the narrow streets of this historic town boast an incredibly beautiful building: the 15th-century ‘Hospices de Beaune’ or ‘Hôtel-Dieu’ featuring the star sights of ‘The Last Judgement Polyptych’ and the ‘Great Hall of the Poor’.

Also worth a visit is the 12th-century Collégiale Notre-Dame. Once a Roman centre of viticulture, Beaune still hosts a charity wine auction on the third Sunday in November each year, which is the centrepiece of three days of festivities known as ‘Les Trois Glorieuses’.

Follow the River Saône south to Burgundy’s ‘gateway to the sun’: the land of the Mâconnais. Here, vineyards produce dry white wines so fine that Alexander Dumas felt that they “should only be drunk while on your knees with your head covered”.

Mâcon itself is a charming town strung out along the Saône’s banks -- its period townhouses perfectly reflected in the glassy river. Spend a last night surrounded by a flowery park and the fruit of the vine in the soulful and sophisticated feudal Château d’Ige; and discover for yourself the age-old truth that Burgundy was surely heaven-sent.