7 January
It was actually quite easy to get the team to pack-up and clear out our apartment. It is just such a joy to be travelling with older children. They are such a help!!! We were ready to explore further into the French country side and the snow was melting at speed anyway(2023 European winter was recorded as the second warmest of all times...) - We were sad to leave, but ready to go!!
We meandered down the valley to La Chambre, passing the Beaufort Formage Farm (I am visiting it next time!!) Stopped for for snacks, supplies and mountain berry jam to take home with us. At this point, in hindsight, we should have been along that motorway for hours already...but we were still very oblivious to what awaited us.... With music paying, we headed north towards Geneva and Lyon.
Done with the small little narrow mountain paths, the open-road ahead. Arno just set the speedcontrol on our rental and relaxed back into his seat.......or not...
Vehicles everywhere......the whole of Europe was heading home after the ski/Christmas holidays. On top of that.... the resorts around where we were, were being closed to holiday makers, because of the melting snow...
So Arno cancelled cruise-speed to a more appropriate 10 miles per hour and we decided to enjoy some car spotting open-window sing-a-long with our car-pool neighbours, who also realised we were all in this together!!!! The chaos of vehicles approaching the toll-plaze...well, let me put it like this - I have never seen traffic like this anywhere in the world I 've ever been!!! BUT, no red-faces, no honking, no aggressive hand-signals... We were all in this together!!!
I would have preferred a cross country drive, but we were already so late, that the Toll roads were the only option. And TOLL they made us pay!!! The distance you drive on the road, equal the Euro's you pay.
At least it was a clear day, so we can admire the beautiful winter landscape. The kids were exhausted after 6 days of physical activity, so they welcomed a day in the car of mindless series-watching, sleeping and just staring our of the windows.
Although we were delayed with hours of traffic-watching, we could still sneak in a tourist-stop at the ancient town of Beaune. Beaune is a walled town at the center of the Burgundy winemaking region in France. Surrounded by the Côte d'Or vineyards, the cobbled town is renowned for an annual wine auction held at the Hôtel-Dieu (Hospices de Beaune). Recognized by its colorful, geometric-patterned tile roof, this 15th-century former hospital is now the Hôtel-Dieu Museum, showcasing works like "The Last Judgement" altarpiece by Van der Weyden.
We marvelled at the spectacular roof of the Hôtel-Dieu and stood in quiet contemplation in front of that altar piece. A visit to Beaune should be on every croissant-lover's bucket list!! Before we took the cobbled streets back to our vehicle, we allowed ourselves a little stop at the "wine market". Well, needless to say, in the home of the world's most famous charity wine-auction, we could not even afford a little 'odd-bin' red-blend.....
Domaine de l'Hôtel-Dieu - Hospices de Beaune
From donation to donation, the Domaine de l’Hôtel-Dieu – Hospices de Beaune has acquired some of the finest vineyard plots in Burgundy. Pernand-Vergelesses, Corton-Charlemagne, Pommard, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet…these great Burgundy appellations sold at auction as cuvée, bear the prestigious “Hospices de Beaune” label.
It was getting a bit late in the day, but we could not miss out on an authentic Fallot Mustard tasteing expereince....
Darkness was just settling in, as we arrived in Dijon. Our overnight stop - loaded with history, culture and ancient stories.
A last after dinner wander through the lit-up deserted streets of the old city of Dijon, brought us back to our hotel. We went to bed in great expectation of following the copper owls around the cobbled streets, when we wake up.
Bonne nuit, Dijon.