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What to See & Do in Beaune, France | |
| Beaune is a compact city and the major sights are all in walking distance of each other. | ||
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Beaune is a charming small city, with narrow cobbled streets and stone buildings. You can easily walk around the town—within the remains of the ancient city walls—and enjoy the sights and soak in the ambience. You'll definitely want comfortable walking shoes for exploring Beaune; the distances aren't great, but the old stone streets can be quite uneven. Beaune's most famous sight is the Hôtel-Dieu, originally a charity hospital built in 1443 and today a museum. Its annual charity wine auction is world famous. More... You can get a combined ticket that includes the Hôtel-Dieu, the Musée du Vin, and the Musée des Beaux Arts. The Musée du Vin, housed in the former home of the Dukes of Burgundy, provides a fascinating tour through the history of wine and wine making. More... And the latest addition to Beaune is the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne, which is part of a network of three centers that focus on Bourgogne (the other two are in Chablis and Mâcon, other names synonymous with wine). The Cité is in a wonderful new building on the outskirts of town (a navette or shuttle bus can take you there from the center of town). Spiral ramps allow you to walk around the whole building and enjoy views of the nearby vineyards, as well as the town. Don't miss the panoramic view on the 5th floor. The museum explores the history, traditions, and operations of Bourgogne wine production. Admission includes a tasting, the the Cité also offers a variety of wine courses and has the "Discovery Bar" where you can taste more wines and enjoy some snacks. Right in the center of town is the lovely Basilique Notre-Dame, famous for its 15th century tapestries of the life of the Virgin Mary. Both the Basilica and the Musée du Vin can be accessed from either Rue Paradis or Rue d'Enfer (Hell)...Kind of makes you wonder. More... On Saturdays, be sure to visit the wonderful market, at the Place de la Halle. It's huge, and if you're walking anywhere in the center of Beaune you won't be able to miss it. More...
For a change of pace, consider a tour of the Moutarderie Fallot, just outside of the city walls. You'll learn lots about mustard production and about what Dijon mustard is...and is not. You can do either a museum-type tour or a visit of the actual production, and of course you can taste and buy mustard in the shop. More... And of course you have the option to visit wine producers and taste (and buy) their products. We did the tour at the Patriarche winery, right in town. It is a self-guided tour through the caves, underground. Along the way you learn about wine, and markers indicate what is above you in the town. You also stop for two tastings (one of reds, one of whites) and get a souvenir glass to take home. It's fun and educational. Be sure to wear a sweater, as it's always cool in the caves. Beaune is also a great base for visiting the surrounding wine country of the Côte d'Or. With places like Nuits St-Georges, Clos de Vougeot, and Gevrey-Chambertin to the north; and Mâcon, Meursault, and Pouilly-Fuissé to the south, you can enjoy excursions along the Route des Grands Crus and get back to Beaune in time for dinner in one of its many restaurants. More...
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Above, Beautiful tile roof of the Hôtel-Dieu.
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