We were in Beaune last September and this time we got to see other parts of the town. There were more tourists and more businesses open.
We got rained on again, first day out of Beaune, and had to stop in a bar for hot tea at the end of one of the long cold downhill runs. It was 10 km down into Pont d'Ouche. The ladies at the bar saw we were cold and wet so they lit the fire place up to dry us out before we left. We had to climb a couple more hills that afternoon to visit a couple nice towns and to get to our bed and breakfast.
Turned out we were the last customers of previous owners of the bed and breakfast, so they celebrated the fact with several bottles of wine and champagne. We had to drink the last of the good wine and also had to help eat all of the good food. Confit de canard, every kind of cheese, and lots of other stuff. The lady had the gift of the gab, she claimed that her grandfather said she could "Talk the hind legs off a donkey". By about 01:30 in the morning I was sure she could talk the legs off two cyclists. We had to get up early to ride the next day and when we did, not peep was heard from the owners. Their young son Theo an avid cyclist himself sent us on our way with a fine breakfast.
We are still in the Bugundy region of France ( La Bourgogne ) but have not seen a proper vinyard for a long time. The area is all about farming and has been for many centuries. We have ridden through towns and villages with histories going back two thousand years and more. The land has been shaped by men and women over thousands of years. Many of the roads we have been riding feature troughs for watering horses on the sides and trees have been planted to shade the steeper sections of the roads. I
Walking through Chalon sur Saône
The fountain was turned on again after the morning market.
San Vincent Church in Chalon.
A rooster singing.
By the bike path we saw a few old chapels that have been converted into homes over the years.
Zigzaging through vignards and entering small towns rich in tradition and history.
Making peace with the "sanglier" wild boar in Beaune.
A gate to the old part of Beaune.
Walking into a nice neighbourhood we found colourful tile old style homes.
We had a tour in one of the caves "Bouchard Ainé et Fils"
The barrels are used for only three years then they are replaced.
The corks of their old collection of wines are replaced every 15 years and the process is done by a machine that takes no more than two seconds to avoid getting air in the bottle.
One of the best years for wine.
Canal de Bourgogne
Châteauneuf, cited as one of the most beautiful villages in France. It is worth the climb on a loaded bike.
A small version of an insectarium.
Inside The château de Câteauneuf courtyard.
A bit chilly at the top of Châteauneuf.
Appreciating the view of the valley from the hill.
Leaving Châteauneuf
We stayed in a b&b in a tiny village called Chadonay le Chateau. This a view from the garden of the chateau owned by an american who bought it so it wouln't turn into a pile of gravel. Apparently is his summer house.
A boat rest stop on the canal of Burgundy.
One interesting lock keeper's home by the canal.
A pet goat of another lock keeper by the path, the different lock keepers houses and gardens make the canal de Bourgogne an interesting place to ride.
An old electric barge from early 1900's on display in a marina.
Two of the many little towns we passed today were literally crumbling down. The village in the background is where we got to sleep for two nights to recover from our sore muscles.
The village is called Villeferry.
B&B dinner in Baune sounds really special. We went back to bacchus, the tapas place in Cardeur last night after about an 8 mile hike on a plateau above town. Food was good. So were the memories of our IS night there, one of our best on the trip. Again, great pictures. Love the rooster. Love the reflections in the river. We are going to visit Baune by the way. You remember the name of the B&B?
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