Burgundy

The name has always conjured up an image of richness. Maybe it comes from the association with colour. That deep rich red that is unmistakably Burgundy. Obviously, it is the wine that gives us the colour and, perhaps, this added to the `rich' feeling I had of Burgundy. .. heavy, dark, even a little mysterious. But, whatever the colour (and the wine), the reason is that the region of Burgundy is, probably, better known, by name at least, than any other part of France.

But, name alone does not mean much if one's knowledge is a little on the thin side. While I had a warm, `rich' feeling of Burgundy in my mind, the rest of my knowledge was, it has to be said, decidedly thin!
So, a trip to this part of France proved to be one huge `learning curve' of history, heritage, food and, of course, wine. The scenery, and what the French call `the nature' was also unknown to me and proved to be another discovery.
In this brochure are a series of Burgundy experiences and discoveries that will, hopefully, make a holiday, whether short or long, more enjoyable and give the reader some ideas and reasons to visit this outstanding region of France.
It is just impossible to cover of everything to enjoy in Burgundy. These are merely highlights ably supported by outstanding pictures which will bring the region to life.

Getting there...

like many of us, my discovery of Burgundy began in a car. Driving here seemed to be the most easy way to and to get to and around this vast region Years ago, on my earliest holiday visits to France, a drive anywhere south of Calais was a tortuous affair with the drivers of Paris waiting to introduce me to the art of Latin motoring. Now, with impressive autoroutes, the drive is easy on the state of mind and fast. It is leisurely too, if this isn't contradiction in terms, because the autoroute from Calais to Burgundy is generally so light with traffic, it is actually enjoyable. I could have considered rail. TGV super fast trains from London to Dijon, via Lille or Paris make this part of Burgundy within easy reach even for a short break holiday. Equally, if Paris is your entry point into France, these fast trains operate to several destinations within the Burgundy region. But, my choice was to `take to the road' and it seemed like just a few hours from Calais. The A26 autoroute allowed me to miss rush hour Paris as it completely bypasses the city by a considerable distance. And, after crossing the vast cereal fields of northern France, the scenery changed, quite suddenly. Rolling, thickly wooded hills became the welcoming landscape. `Dijon' said the autoroute sign and my discovery of Burgundy awaited.