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Sightseeing
AutunWe headed out of Bourges and cut across the upper part of the Massif Central towards Burgundy. At first it was all farmlands and small towns. Then it became more hilly and wooded. It looked like a great place to camp. We stopped in Autun because I wanted to see the Roman ruins. Autun is from Agustodonum, the city of Augustus (as in Caesar Augustus). During Roman times the city was much larger. First, we walked around the Temple of Janus outside of the town. This isn't really a Roman ruin as it was built by a Celtic tribe but, it was built during Roman times. We picked up a map from the visitors' center (it is just down the street from a nice parking lot in the town center) and then walked to the Cathedrale St. Lazarus. The cathedral was built from 1120 to 1146 to house the relics of St. Lazarus. There were cards (in English) with excellent descriptions of the nave capitals and the tympanum. You can also climb the stairs to a room were you can get a close up look at some of the stonework on the capitals. Much of the stonework was done by Gislebertus one of the greatest Romanesque sculptors. On the way out of Autun we stopped at a Roman Theater. I always think it's amazing that even after all these years things that the Romans built are still standing. BeauneBeaune lies at the center of the Burgundy wine growing region. The Cote de Nuits vineyards are to the north and the Cote de Beaune to the south. Every November a huge wine auction is held at the Hospices de Beaune that draws buyers from all over the world. Much of the old center is pedestrian only and you can get every place within the ring wall on foot.
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To book a trip or get more information send an email to
kelly@apostcardhome.com or call (281)334-0427
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Hospices de Beaune - We bought a combined ticket that gave
us access to the Hospices de Beaune and the Wine Museum for 9 Euro. The tiled
roofs are really incredible to see in person. The displays inside were pretty
interesting. I especially liked all of the jars and bottles in the pharmacy.
The hospice was founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin. It provided free care
for men who had fought in the Hundred Years' War. Its interesting to note
that the colorful tiles roofs are only visible from the interior courtyard.