June 19 Côte d’Or
We had thought of taking a day off to relax at camp but the thought of listening to our
neighbours shout at each other all
day convinced to move on. We had
explored the uplands of Burgundy
two days ago, now it was time to
see the fabled Côte d'Or (hills of
gold). We again drove through the
fields and forests of the upland,
through quaint but living villages
as we descended to Vignobles de
Burgogne and the renowned wine
châteaux.
We began at Gevrey-Chambertain in the Côte d'Or with its pine clad hills and vine covered
bottom-lands. I expected to see an idyllic valley side, the landscape of wine labels: grand
towered châteaux surrounded by green vineyards cascading down the slopes roses planted at
the end of each row of vines,
white crushed marble drives
protected by ornate pillars and
gates winding their way through
the vines to the château's entrance
at the base of the hills, small
quaint villages dominated by a
church and steeple, centred by a
cobblestone square and fountain,
perhaps a restaurant or two. To be
sure we found some of these, but
we also found a valley of modern commercial agriculture.
High clearance, small wheeled tractors buzzed up and down the road, spray arms folded to
their sides, or scuttled through the vines, clouds of white mist pouring from their
outstretched arms. The villages and
towns were not as picturesque as the
“Plus Beaux Villages” we had visited,
most of the châteaux small, and
mostly rather pedestrian. Gone were
the cobblestone streets (if ever there
were), smooth paved roads now lead
through and between the villages, the
villages are dominated by Caves de
Degustation (tasting rooms, no longer
free) and many estates and caves
offered free camping to "camper cars" (mobile homes). True vinophiles would, I am sure, be
in paradise on earth, but after exploring the Duoro in Portugal, and the vineyards of the
Dordogne, the Côte d'Or was a little disappointing.
While our expectations the Côte d'Or may have been disappointed, the town of Beaune was
an unexpected surprise. Beaune is the wine centre of Burgundy and surrounded by some of
the most famous wine villages in France. A centre
of cattle and viticulture in Roman times, it was a
major centre of wine production by the 13
th
century. While it attracts its share of tourists,
Beaune primarily services all aspects of the wine
industry and this reflects well on the atmosphere
of the town.
Originally a fortified city, much of the original
wall survives but perhaps its most interesting
architectural feature is the Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
(Hospices of Beaune), founded by Duke Phillip
the Good in 1443. The Hospice is an excellent
example of 15
th
century French architecture and of
the polychrome glazed tile roofs that have been
characteristic of Burgundian architecture since the
13
th
century. The “old town” felt relaxed, was
architecturally interesting, and well provided with
both local and tourist friendly services.
We drove back into the hills, to the village of Orches where vineyards meet forest and
pasture. Here we found the
small quaint villages I had
expected and further along yet
the magnificent and imposing
Château de Rochepot perched
on a hill above the quaint
village of La Rochepot.
Missing from my vision were
the cascading vineyards,
replaced by dense forest
cloaking the slopes below the
château.
We ended our day with a long drive from La Rochepot to Dole where we spent our last
night in France before heading to Switzerland to explore Sheila’s great great great
grandfathers ancestral home.
A Sense of Place: Travel, Photography, and Photo-art
© David E. Moon, 2014 All rights reserved