Puligny-Montrachet is another place we didn’t give ourselves enough time to enjoy. The entire Cote d’ Beaune is dotted with smaller villages dedicated to wine growing, fine restaurants, and friendly locals. Alas, after two short days, it’s time to head south to Lyon, our final stop on the way to Provence.
Suzanne has convinced us to take the sightseeing route and spent a good ½ hour marking ‘can’t miss’ spots on the map. What a wonderful drive – vineyard, village, church, repeat. First stop is the ‘Chateau de Germolles’ along the Grand Cru route. The Chateau was constructed in 1380 by Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, as a gift for his wife. Although much of the estate has been lost, restoration of the remaining structures is ongoing. Some of the family’s decedents currently live in the chateau.
Further along the route is Cluny Abby, a former Benedictine Monastery. Cluny was founded in 910 and was sacked and mostly destroyed during the French Revolution with only a small part of the Abbey surviving.
Our last stop on the day’s touring is the magnificent ‘Royal Monastery of Brou’ in Bourg-en-Bresse. The monastery was built in the early 16th century by Margaret of Austria to commemorate her love for her late husband. The complex a masterpiece of Flemish architecture in the south of France.
D.
A lovely drive south off the beaten path through the lovely small villages of the Cote d’Or.
We stopped to see the ‘Chateau de Germolles’ first. Other than Suzanne’s recommendation, we did not really know anything about the place. What we thought would be a quick stop turned into a near 2-hour tour. A gift from Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, to his wife Margaret of Flanders (Marguerite de Flandre). Built in the 14th century as primarily a medieval castle, it lacked fortifications and very much resembles the 16th century chateaus typically built in the Loire Valley.
We stopped at Abbaye Cluny, really just the ruins of such, in the main street. Our last stop was the ‘Monastere Royal de Brou’, definitely the highlight of the drive. Magnificent architecture, and surprisingly, built in only 18 years. Truly a miracle.
After an uneventful drive into Lyon we have dinner at the hotel and it’s an early evening for a change.
-M.
