Vintage Burgundy

Chris and Angie, the amiable owners of the cottage where we were staying, mentioned the bread man’s deliveries in the small village.

“He’s here at 7.45 every other day if you want fresh bread for breakfast.” Now that’s a thought, but would I be up at that time of the day?

Flee, near Semur-en-Auxois, is in Burgundy, a region we felt needed exploring. Taking the ferry to Caen is a good way of getting to a region famous for its food and drink, one of rolling hills with fortified medieval towns on top and deep valleys with hidden villages beneath. Some parts reminded me of the Yorkshire Wolds. Everywhere we went, wildflower meadows carpeted the land.

The villages are made with a subtle, pale yellow stone, their building reflecting the local agriculture, dependent on cereals and cattle. Small roads, built for horse power, twist and turn to accommodate erratic medieval building design that can trap the unwary motorist.

Large farmhouses, with tiled roofs and winter wood neatly stacked to dry in the summer heat, seem to sprawl with an attitude that they do because they can; land is not in short supply in this part of the world.

Time evaporates here. Your destination moves further away as you just follow this road or that road, merely because it looks interesting. More often than not, the journey is as rewarding as the day’s destination. Climbing high on bluffs and gazing on valleys with fields of waving, ripening wheat, can be mesmerising. The views are spectacular.

We slept well the first night and were woken by the tooting of a car horn, the bread man. Maybe Tuesday, when he’s here again, I’ll get up. There was no particular plan to follow, but we did have certain larger towns to see with their architectural gems. France during May is a lot less crowded than August. Take advantage and visit at this time.

High on the list was Beaune with its medieval hospital, Hotel-Dieu. This beautiful building is hidden from view until you pass through the entrance. On a bright sunny day, the first feast of colour is the roof. Multi-coloured tiles, set in geometrical patterns, glisten in the morning sun. This style of roofing, believed to have originated in central Europe, became so popular in Burgundy that is now considered to be typical of the province.

The hospital was built in the Middle Ages by Nicholas Rolin, chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe-le-Bon, and continued to serve the sick until 1971 when its services were transferred to a modern hospital. It’s a retirement home now and funds come from the 61 hectares of vineyards. Each year since 1859, a wine auction has taken place; it’s now become famous across the world.

A tour takes you through large rooms laid out as they would have been in the Middle Ages. The Grand Hall with its beds for the sick, the pharmacy and kitchen all lead the visitor to a room with subdued lighting. Once inside, eyes adjust to the light and on show is a magnificent 14th-century polyptych by Flemish artist Roger Van der Wyden. Representing the Last Judgment, the work was seen by the sick only on Sundays and holy days.

Back on the road, the next stop was Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, known to film fans as the location of Chocolat with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche. The fortified town sits high on a bluff and is topped with the church of St Genest, a cool retreat in the midday sun. The choir stalls have interesting misericords, showing the patina of years of wear. Although the town is associated with chocolate, it is well known for the production of aniseed-flavoured sweets.

Burgundy was occupied by Caesar and opposition to the Romans came in the shape of Vercingetorix. A statue stands on Mount Auxois, near Alise-St-Reine, to the Gaul who, according to legend, gave himself up to save his troops. His story was not as cheerful as that of Asterix, Getafix and their comic book pals. Vercingetorix was taken to Rome by Caesar, imprisoned for seven years and then strangled.

Gruesome features high in the architecture of the Middle Ages, particularly at Autun and its cathedral, of St Lazare. The arch above the doorway, the tympanum, portrays the Last Judgment, complete with the devil stealing souls. The stone carving, attributed to the sculptor, Gislebertus, is stunning to the modern eye; you can’t help think what effect it had on its first-time viewers.

The 12th century was a busy time for the builders of Fontenay Abbey. Home for the Cistercians, it eventually became a paper mill but was saved by the Aynard family who bought it in 1906. Restored, it’s now on the Unesco World Heritage list. Visitors can walk around the abbey church and cloisters as monks would have done more than 800 years ago.

Away from meandering roads and rivers lies the arrow-straight Burgundy Canal. This once major thoroughfare was superseded, as in England, by rail and road. It’s now a focus of holidaymakers who want to explore Burgundy at a slower pace. Easy walking and cycling can be found along the canal banks and you are never far away from a morning coffee or an afternoon beer.

Guide books for Burgundy mention the medieval town of Vezelay, in the Morvan area, with its basilica of St Madeline perched high on a hill. Car parks are outside the town limits and it’s a leg-stretching walk up to the basilica with its views over the Cure valley.

Window shopping on Sundays is my kind of shopping but if you need a retail therapy fix, Vezelay should be the place for you.

Smaller towns, such as Semer-en -Auxois and Saulieu are steeped in history and provide a good couple of hours of exploration. Semur has grand fortifications (including a tower with a large crack) and pleasant streets that beg to be walked. Saulieu was famous in the 17th century as a stopping-off point on the great Paris-to-Lyon route.

Dijon, biggest city in Burgundy, we left for a rainy day. The city centre is roadwork hell – a year-long tram project is under way. Once parked in the sanctuary of the Place de la Republique, we wandered around the half-timbered buildings and the Dukes Palace at the heart of the city. We found refuge from the rain and lunched away from the main tourist areas.

On the way back to our gite, the sun broke through the clouds and we decided to take the long way home.

A forced roadside stop followed as we pulled over to allow the local three-day bicycle race to go by. Our relaxing, slow-paced week had, in the end, passed by all too quickly, and Saturday morning came round with one last chance for the early morning visit of the bread man.

Alas, I never did meet him.

GETTING THERE

* Mike Cowling travelled to France with Brittany Ferries who sail from Portsmouth to Caen up to four times a day. Return fares start from £89 per person based on a car, plus two2.

* For more information or to book, visit www.brittanyferries.com or call 0871 244 1400.

* Brittany Ferries also offer a range of ferry-inclusive motoring holidays. www.brittanyferries.com/holidays or call 0871 244 1444.