Photo: Bourbon Lancy
From the Morvan National Park – an area of outstanding natural beauty – to Roman fortified towns, thermal spas, the Loire river and vineyards. You are perfectly placed to experience and enjoy all Burgundy has to offer.
Bourbon Lancy
Just 10 minutes south of us, Bourbon Lancy has all amenities with 3 large supermarkets, shops and a public, open-air swimming pool and casino. It is a rural town on the Loire River with a walled medieval area on the dominant hill. It has an authentic medieval belfry, wooden frame houses and fortifications which date from 1495.
Bourbon-Lancy is a spa town with thermal springs which have been known since Roman times, when it was known as Aquae Bormonis and enjoyed great prosperity. The Celto wellness spa is the place to visit for the thermal spa and general pampering.
Bourbon Lancy by Bh.souzani – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Morvan National Park
If you love the outdoors and are looking for a bit of action, you’ll find plenty of opportunities in the stunningly beautiful and unspoilt Morvan National Park. Among the most popular activities are fishing, swimming, mountain biking and discovery trails.
At the Lac du Settons there are water-based activities including canoeing and pedalos for all levels of expertise.
You can visit the Musée de la Résistance en Morvan at St Brisson, which gives an insight into life in occupied France and the resistance movement. A truly unspoilt part of Burgundy.
Morvan looking to Dun les Places by Havang(nl) Own work CC BY-SA 3.0
Autun
Forty five minutes north of us, Autun is a city steeped in local history. Augustodunum was founded during the reign of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, after whom it was named. Several elements of Roman architecture – such as the cathedral, walls, gates, and a Roman theatre – remain. The theatre was one of the largest in the western part of the empire, with a 17,000 seat capacity.
With its shady poplar-lined streets, Autun has plenty to offer, including shops, bars and restaurants and plenty of alfresco dining in the summer months. There is also a large boating lake where boats dinghies and pedal boats can be hired. Just across the road from here is a ten pin bowling alley. Definitely a place to visit.
Autun old town
Autun town hall
Autun poplars in the square
A brocante in Autun
Chalon sur Saône
About an hour and three quarters from here, Chalon-sur-Saône lies in the south of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. It is located on the Saône river, and was once a busy port, acting as a distribution point for local wines which were sent up and down the Saône river and the Canal du Centre, which opened in 1792.
St Vincents Cathedral on the Place Saint-Vincent which is worth a visit, has some elements dating from the eighth century and a neo-gothic nineteenth century façade.
The city square also has a number of cafés and a busy market on Fridays and Sundays. You can take a cruise down the Saone on the Croisière en bateau and have lunch on board. This is best booked in advance.
Chateau de Sully
Chateau de Sully by Christophe.Finot – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, Link
Just 15 minutes north east of Autun you will find the stunning Chateau de Sully. It is open every day from April to November for guided tours in French but with a written English translation.
A moat surrounds four completely different facades facing north, south, east and west and in the interior is one of the most beautiful Renaissance courtyards in France. Discover the inside of the house, steeped in history.
In 1873 Marechal Maurice de Mac Mahon who was born in the Chateau, was elected as President of the Republic of France. He was the first President to live in the Elysée palace in Paris.
Take a stroll in the garden or picnic in the park. Visit the shop and tea room. Taste the Chateau’s locally produced wines and discover regional products.
Beaune
The Hospices de Beaune by Stefan Bauer, (Own work) CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Just under two hours drive from us is Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy in the Côte d’Or department in eastern France. It is one of the key wine centres in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. The town is surrounded by some of the world’s most famous wine villages, while the facilities and cellars of many producers, large and small, are situated in Beaune itself.
With a rich historical and architectural heritage, Beaune is considered the “Capital of Burgundy wines”. Beaune is a walled city, with about half of the battlements, ramparts, and the moat, having survived and in good condition, and the central “old town” is extensive. Historically Beaune is intimately connected with the Dukes of Burgundy. Landmarks in Beaune include the old market (les Halles), the 15th-century Hospices, the Beffroi (clock tower), and the collegiate church of Notre Dame.
Beaune has a major fine food market on Saturdays, where there are a large number of stall holders supplying a broad selection of products and specialties from Burgundy and the surrounding regions. For example, Bresse chickens, Jura cheeses, small goods, spices, produce of every variety as well as seasonal specialties such as truffles. There is a smaller market on Wednesday, and special-event markets and fetes are held throughout the year.
Mont Beuvray (Bibracte)
The modern site known as Mont Beuvray is generally identified as ancient Bibracte. The site straddles the borders of the French departments of Nièvre and Saône-et-Loire in the Morvan National Park in Burgundy.
It is an archaeological park at the centre of a protected forest. It is the focus of cooperative European archaeological efforts, a training ground for young archaeologists, and a centre for interpreting Gaulish culture.
Important international excavations have been undertaken at Mont Beuvray by teams from many universities. There are extensive archaeological remains to be viewed and various walks of different distances.
Take a picnic and enjoy the stunning surroundings. The view from the top of Mont Beauvray is breathtaking and on a clear day you can see Mont Blanc! The museum devoted to Celtic civilisation is also well worth a visit.