Beaune and our Burgundian delights!

It's funny how sometimes the place you are the most skeptical about ends up being the highlight of the trip. While Joe and I had an amazing time in Avignon and Nice (those posts to come), both of us agreed that Beaune was the jewel of our trip. My dad had recommended we go there and swayed us to take Burgundy over Bordeaux (which turned out to have a  massive outbreak of e.coli during the time we would have been there! Thanks Dad!).

We spent only two full days in Beaune, and stayed at an adorable b+b called Hotel Rousseau, run by an elderly Madame who keeps cages and cages of chirping birds. The room was a cliche b+b room with floral wallpaper and dark wood bed and armoir. The bed wasn't the most comfortable and there was a musty smell but we loved it anyways.

Day 1 we spent in Beaune, wandering the town, the Hotel Dieu/Hospices de Beaune, the town's church, and the medieval Caves (wine cellars), where you pay 10 Euro to taste 15 of the regions finest wines (all Pinot Noir and Chardonnays). The second day we rented bikes and biked through gorgeous vineyard hills to 5 different wine-producing towns, stopping to sample wines and picnic on the way. The last night in Beaune was magical. We dined at this fantastic communal-table style restaurant and by the end of the meal were sharing food, laughs and stories with everyone at the table. Overall, we were swept up by Beaune's medieval charm, the incredible food, lovely people, and of course, the wine.

Our darling b+b in Beaune, Hotel Rousseau.

The Hospices de Beaune, a hospital which ran from the 1400s to the 1970s!

Joe took this beautiful one. This holds the host in the Hospices chapel.

The hospital's apothecary.

Well!

Our taste de vins, which you use to taste wines in the 15th century cellars

You pour your own wine. As much or as little as you want (or can handle!)

Truffles.

Beaune's church.

Beaune's city gates at night.

Beginning of biking adventure! We biked to 5 wine-producing towns.

Ridiculous ice cream/caramel/popcorn/whipped cream dessert

Mmm cheese platter

Beaune's market opening (I spy a Michelle in a hat!)

Beaune Highlights...
- How every wine we drank was fantastic!!
- Delicious soft cow's milk cheese covered in mustard seeds
- Communal dining and Boeuf Bourguignon at Caves Madeleine, where for the wine, you simply pick a bottle from the in-restaurant wine store and pay a minor corkage fee.
- Watching Joe try to communicate in French with Madame Rousseau, the quite elderly b+b proprietor, and her utter confusion.
- Biking through acres and acres of historic vineyards
- Bread from the Beaune farmers market (which we consumed on the train to Avignon. Yay train picnics!)