On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
I am taking next week off from On the Road, at least until I return from Michigan on Wednesday. If a bunch of submissions come in while I’m away, we’ll pick back up the following week!
Dextrous
These photos are from a day trip to Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. This was part of a trip we took last summer roaming around central France strictly by train, as we lucked into some Eurail passes. France was under low rainfall and high heat conditions, but to us visitors the temperature and low humidity were just wonderful. Beaune was only the first excursion and it just got better each day of our trip.
This is a portion of the glazed tile roof of a charity hospital founded in 1443. This view is from the interior courtyard. I am easily charmed by superfluous surface treatment on a blank canvas. This is such a wonderful expression of variation on a theme.
This is an interior ceiling of the hospice, with painted frame elements and decorated ceiling planks. The shape is that of an upside down boat. Church ceilings in other coastal regions made the connection explicit, with boat builders’ skill used for the church. Note the carved beasts holding the beams in their jaws. The junction of the post and beam is thickened and emphasized with carvings.
This is the entrance to the Edmond Fallot mustard factory, in Beaune. We went on an absolutely charming tour of the modern plant and the historical structure. A highlight was grinding and making your own mustard. Only mustard made from mustard seeds from this region are properly called Dijon mustard. There are a lot of trendy or innovative flavors (raspberry, pinot noir, gingerbread) but the original moutarde de Beaune is memorable. Extreme heat in Canada reduced the global mustard harvest and led to a run on mustard even in France.
We visited a vineyard in the adjacent town of Pommard. There were grapes as far as the eye could see. The plots are held each by different owners, climbing up the limestone ground.
This was a cellar and wine-tasting session at one of the small farms. We learned about the four levels of Burgundy wine classification and sipped some lovely wines. We are ignorant about fine wines and this was simply a cultural experience for us. It was thrilling to realize we were in the heart of the most famous wine making in the world, but I have to admit it was not a life-changing event for us.
JPL
The pictures are lovely, and the tile roof is magnificent.
sab
@JPL: Burgundian roofs ( rooves?) are amazing. I believe Dijon has similar ones.
CindyH
These pictures are wonderful and I am adding another site to visit on my next trip to France
JeanneT
Thank you for sharing these photos – looks like a very pleasant trip!
Dorothy A. Winsor
We visited that hospice on a trip to the south of France. Fascinating look at the rows of beds and the pharmacy.
Lapassionara
Love this. Thanks for sharing.
AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team
Beautiful pictures and the commentary too! Ty for this.
(Obviously the moutarderie was my favorite 😀)
MazeDancer
Wonderful photos!
Albatrossity
Thanks for this excursion! Burgundy makes the best wines in France, and their price here in the US has gone completely through the roof and to the moon. So it would be a great treat to be there and taste them on site, even from growers and vintners who are not considered to be top-end producers. In France the local wines can be excellent, and the food that accompanies them will be great too!
Green with envy here!
WaterGirl
I just added an update up top:
I am taking next week off from On the Road, at least until I return from Michigan on Wednesday. If a bunch of submissions come in while I’m away, we’ll pick back up the following week!
Mike in Pasadena
Many thanks for your report from Burgundy.
Miss Bianca
Oh, wonderful! I visited that area over a quarter-century ago, and would love to go back someday.
Anyway
Nice pictures of a fun trip. Thanks for sharing.
WG – enjoy the time off (sic)
Steve in the ATL
Gotta love the word “moutarderie”!
Dan B
OMG Burgundy! My favorite wine and it’s expensive everywhere for a reason. It’s a fickle grape. The Pinot noir from Oregon are also wonderful but it’s close to becoming too warm, thanks non-existent global warming.
Tehanu
You went to the Edmond Fallot factory? Wow. That is the best mustard ever made!
Mike G
Beaune is beautiful. After arriving on street market day I spent a memorable afternoon renting a bicycle and riding ancient paths through stone-walled vineyards between a string a picturesque villages. Then an amazing dinner of beef bourguignon, various cheeses and creme brulee. One of my favorite travel days ever.