Beaune, France
September 29th - 30th
As we pulled into Beaune we weren’t exactly sure what to expect. We had done the least amount of research for this destination (basically none) and were thrilled to find it such a sweet surprise. To say this town is cute doesn’t do it justice. It is the epitome of what you would imagine the wine region of France to be. Cobblestone streets, antique buildings, exquisite shops, delectable food and wine, wine, wine! What more could we ask for?
Below: Our hotel courtyard, on the road to Beaune, courtyard at the Caves du Couvent des Cordeliers, our hotel.
A Stroll and a Sip, or Two
Shortly after checking in we regrouped and sauntered through the tiny town to the Caves du Couvent des Cordeliers. We had no idea that a working convent could be so fun! Our wine guide Marguerite greeted us with our very own sommelier tasters and led us into the 13th century caverns.
Below: The group walking to the caves, other caves in town, Colleen and our guide Marguerite, Kevin with his sommelier taster.
Cabernet in the Caverns
Wine tasting is great. Wine tasting in caverns is FABULOUS! There were barrels set out with different varieties of wine for us to try. Marguerite taught us about French wine and the proper way to enjoy it, and the more we drank the more enjoyable it became. Coincidence? Probably not.
Below: Wine barrels, holding our wine to a candle to admire the color, Colleen enjoying her taste, us with one of the barrels, the group eagerly listening to Marguerite.
More Caverns, Please!
Our night in Beaune was one of our “free” nights for dinner, but many of us decided to stick together and tag along with Colleen to one of her favorite spots in town. Excellent decision! The food and ambiance were both out of this world. A candlelit cavern, slow-cooked meal, delicious wine and new friends turned out to be the perfect way to spend our only night in Beaune.
Above: Exterior of the Caves du Couvent des Cordeliers, our dinner table.
Above: Caverns where we had our wonderful dinner, us showing off the scrumptious spread.
Above: The family-style cast iron pots of beef burgundy and fresh pasta, our group at the dinner table.
Goodbye Beaune
After dinner we walked back through the town and called it a night. Our visit to Beaune was fast but won’t soon be forgotten.
