Beaune, Burgundy

Thursday 17th September

Beaune, Burgundy

Woke up slowly as nothing was planned really, however we decided to make our own breakfast -baguette and rabbit &/0r 4 fruits jam and a cuppa - just perfect. Then we wandered to the Hotel Dieu (Hospices de Beaune) via very many shops and boutiques all adorable really and prices ranged from 20E to 1,500E for a handbag, the way was also dotted with galleries, antique shops and dozens of wine sellers/cellars/tastings.

The Hotel Dieu was built by the Duke of Burgundy as a hospital for the sick, when the district had fallen on hard times in 1443. Many artists were inspired by the benevolence and contributed major works of art. The masterpiece of which was an altarpiece by Roger Van der Weyden created over 7 years in the 1500s. Amazing detail to the point of painting each thread in the garments, or so it appears. The viewing of this polyptych was assisted by a giant mechanical magnifying glass which a guide controlled and moved as requested. Altogether amazing. This was one aspect of Flemish influence in Burgundy, another was the use of multi coloured glazed roof tiles to makes intricate patterns.

After lunch of ham and pate and terrine and soft fromage on baguettes we made our way via many little shops and boutiques (again) to the Notre Dame Basilica, not as awesome as the St Marie Madeleine Basilica at Vezelay and not as large as the St Lazar Cathedral at Autun but again it had its own unique points of interest: 1/- a beautiful tapestry made in 1500 retelling the story of the birth of Christ and the flight from Bethlehem to Egypt and 2/- reliquaries (bones caskets) of 2 saints whose names escape me (and some “autres” who shall remain nameless). Bit grisly, keeping these unknown relics but why don’t they decompose?.

Mary has just announced she feels she/we might be on a religious tour. We are not consciously looking out sacred sites but rather are drawn to those magnificent marvellous constructions which have been built on/for & by the power of prayer or by on/for & by in service to some other idea. As per the Louvre – a museum to house creations of beauty over the ages, or the fortresses, chateaus and castles built to preserve and protect those in power, over the past 1,000 years. But it is a bit of a mystery how these incredible structures were made – where did this know-how evolve, how was the mathematics and physics behind this architecture calculated, how were all the people involved coordinated and kept on task. Could we build a similar cathedral today using tools & machinery from the 1,000 AD?

Karol found a lovely nouvelle cuisine restaurant where the 4 of us enjoyed a delicious light dinner, beautifully presented with an assortment of flavours and sauces. Then home to an early night as we have a full day planned tomorrow.