Is it just us? Are January days the hardest? After the hustle and bustle of the holiday festivities, with lots of things to do, meeting friends and family, the beginning of a year is, by contrast, quiet, and maybe a little sad...
Whenever winter doldrums get us down, we look at our summer travel photos. They remind us that the winter chill will be over in a few weeks, and the days will get longer. (although there is a certain charm to winter travel, we admit, and there may be an option to jet over to warmer climates for some).
That's why, in this post, we are taking you, and us, on a mini trip to the sun-drenched Burgundy, mainly to Beaune, the cobble street town in the middle of the winemaking region of France. Beaune was one of our destinations last summer, and we really enjoyed getting to know it. This is not meant to be a travel guide, but simply a slow walk down a twisty sun drenched lane in the Bourgogne town...
Beaune - easily reached by train (when you're already in France), extremely walkable, it greeted us with sunshine, charmed us with its winding streets, story book vistas, and numerous vintners. We arrived by train from Lyon, and from the tiny train station (where both local and TGV trains stop) walked over to our hotel. It was love at first sight.
Although a small town, we quickly discovered there's plenty to do there on our short vacation - we loved visiting the Hotel-Dieu, the 15th century former hospital, now museum, showcasing works like "The Last Judgment" altarpiece by Van der Weyden. We visited a few churches, that provide stillness, moments of reflection, and stunning sacral art and architecture.
We never felt hungry, but pampered with numerous cafes and restaurants. Beaune is surrounded by vineyards, and the whole town is full of charming "maisons de ville", with painted shutters, and tiled roofs. And we let ourselves dream a little - what would it be like to live in a small place like this one?
Set amongst the vines, Beaune feels bucolic, and peaceful.
We felt in the vintage and antique heaven visiting numerous antique dealers, mainly along Rue Carnot and Rue Monge.
Peaceful streets, charming houses, inviting sidewalk cafes, and friendly people.
You see, it has something for everyone. Stay in town for a few days, or make it your starting point to visit more of the region.
Did it work? We are already planning a summer break. Are you? Where is your summer travel going to be this year?