Friday, December 30, 2022

Burgundy: Exploring the Cultural Heritage of Dijon

We originally had plans for another day trip, but since Dijon's handful of museums are free, we stayed in town to explore. The tourist office has conveniently strung together all the highlights with Le Parcours de la Chouette (The Owl Trail) which they sell for 3.5 euros (app or book). We took the hardcopy conveniently furnished by our apartment host and went to town. We were very glad we did. Dijon has cultural heritage!

Our apartment was close to the modern station where trains, buses, and trams all meet, and Darcy Gardens.
Gare de Dijon (Train Station) - Dijon, Burgundy France

Darcy Gardens - Dijon, Burgundy France

Trams on Place Darcy - Night Walk - Dijon, Burgundy France

The cultural highlights of Dijon are the Ducal Tombs (late 1400's), now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, and the Well of Moses (early 1400's) at the site of the former Carthusian monastery of Champmol. These monumental polychrome sculptures are the work of the Dutch sculptor Clus Sluter and those who followed in his tradition.

First the Ducal tombs of Philip the Bold, his son John the Fearless and John's wife Margaret.
Cenotaphs of the Dukes of Burgundy - Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Cenotaphs of the Dukes of Burgundy - Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Cenotaphs of the Dukes of Burgundy - Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

The Mourners in niches around the tombs
The Mourners from the Tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy - Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

The more-than-amazing monumental statues of the Well of Moses have stood outside for over 700 years - roofed for the last 400. In addition to Moses, the other prophets are Daniel, David, Isaiah, Jerimiah, and Zechariah. Wow!

Prophets David (center), Jerimiah (right) and Moses (left).
Prophets David (center), Jerimiah (right) and Moses (left) - Puit de Moïse (Well of Moses) - Dijon, Burgundy France
<>Prophets Isaiah (left) and Moses (r).
Prophets Isaiah (left) and Moses (r) - Puit de Moïse (Well of Moses) - Dijon, Burgundy France

Prophets Zechariah (center) and Jeremiah (left
Prophets Zechariah (center) and Jeremiah (left) - Puit de Moïse (Well of Moses) - Dijon, Burgundy France

Some highlights from the "Owl Trail" walking tour. First, Porte Guillaume.
Porte Guillaume - Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

The Telephones * Postes * Telegraphes Building.
The Telephones * Postes * Telegraphes Building - Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

the Central Market Hall.
Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

Sempervirens (Evergreen), 2013 by Gloria Friedman.
"Sempervirens" ("Evergreen"), 2013 by Gloria Friedman - Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

The Bareuzai wine tradition.
The Bareuzai - Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

Sun-Ling rubs The Owl for Good Luck
Sun-Ling rubs the Owl for Good Luck - Self-Guided Walking Tour of  Dijon, Burgundy, France

Some highlights from the Beaux-Arts Musuem with 50 rooms in chronoogical order = nice.
Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) - Dijon, Burgundy, France

Musée Archeologique. First a Nativity Scene from the Realism School.;-)
Nativity Scene - Musée Archeologique - Dijon, Burgundy France

Musée Archeologique - Dijon, Burgundy France

Musée Archeologique - Dijon, Burgundy France

Musée Archeologique - Dijon, Burgundy France


Monday, December 26, 2022

Burgundy: Exploring the Vineyards of the Côte d’Or (Golden Slope)

We continue our way south to Dijon, whose name is synonymous to mustard. Today, all the mustard seeds come from Canada. The margins on mustard must not be high enough. The area is all about wine, Burgundy. There are a lot of vineyards. We walked from Aloxe-Corton to Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune to Pommard ending in Beaune, about 12 miles. The villages pale in comparison to Alsace, though things may yet change - whole chateaux are being outfitted for wine.  We were surprised to see how many grapes are still on the vines. In the afternoon, there was actually maintenance work going on in the vineyards.

Our walk in the Côte d’Or (Golden Slope) vineyards was long and hot, but featured several awesome viewpoints, the first between Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses.
Walking from Alexe-Corton to Pernand-Vergelesses - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Viewpoint! - Walking from Alexe-Corton to Pernand-Vergelesses - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking from Aloxe-Corton to Pernand-Vergelesses - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

The second was above the village of Pernand-Vergelesses. Rick Steves calls it the best viewpoint in Burgundy. Could be.
View from Oratoire de Notre Dame de Bonne Espérance - Pernand-Vergelesses - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

View from Oratoire de Notre Dame de Bonne Espérance - Pernand-Vergelesses - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune was pretty awesome as well.
Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

On the way from Savigny-lès-Beaune to Pommard there were some nice views and we got to watch small tractors in operation in hte vineyards.
Savigny-lès-Beaune - Walking from Pernand-Vergelesses to Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Walking to Beaune - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

These guys had a machine that would pull old vines out of the ground with one mechanical arm, then drill a neat hole in the ground with another arm at the spot of the old vine (more or less). The helper would untangle vines from the arms and plunge a stake into the new hole as a marker. From the photo and the two 15-second videos you get the basic idea.
Walking to Beaune - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Pommard had a chateau (below) that was turning into a high-class vine operation.
Pommard - Walking to Beaune - Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France

Beaune (below) was uneventful and the bus back to Dijon left on time.
Beaune, Côte d’Or (Golden Slope), Dijon, Burgundy, France


Sunday, December 25, 2022

Walking the Alsace Wine Route

In keeping with our usual "walking" approach to wine regions, we took the bus to Kaysersberg (great view from the fortress), then walked to Riquewihr (towers and walls), Hunawihr (0 tourists), and Ribeauvillé (Grand Rue), and finally busing back to Colmar. I rather liked all the villages: picturesque, colorful, and prosperous looking. There were many visitors for good reasons. John thinks there were too many tourists.

On our second attempt, we rode the bus to picturesque Kaysersberg. After eating our lunch above the Kaysersberg Castle, we walked - very scenic!- through the vineyards to Riquewihr.
Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

View from Kaysersberg Castle - Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

Kaysersberg Castle - Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

The view from the castle was amazing.
View from Kaysersberg Castle - Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

View from Kaysersberg Castle - Kaysersberg, Alsace, France

The walk to Riquewihr.
Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Walking from Kaysersberg to Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Riquewihr had city walls and gates, wine tasting, and cute half-timbered houses.
Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Riquewihr, Alsace, France

Riquewihr, Alsace, France

The walk through the vineyards to Hunawihr and Ribeauvillé.
Walking from Riquewihr to Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Hunawihr.
Walking from Riquewihr to Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Hunawihr - Walking from Riquewihr to Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Panorama - Hunawihr, Alsace, France

Ribeauvillé with a fortress on the hill.
Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Along the Grand Rue of Ribeauville.
Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Breads - Ribeauville, Alsace, France

We are rewarded with a rainbow after enduring a shower at the bus stop.
Rainbow seen from the Bus window - Ribeauville, Alsace, France


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