Autumn 2022

Hospices de Beaune
Wine bike © C Lorch Agence RP Events
The King's Room, Hospices de Beaune
but didn’t sleep here, instead he headed to
what is now the Hotel le Cep just around the
corner. The “sisters” were there to join the party
complete with authentic coifs – their famous
wing-like headwear. In the film, it was here in
the distinctive ancient hospital beds that the
fugitive airmen hid in plain sight. The Hospices
looks much as it did 600 years ago, a glittering
tiled roof you can only see from the vast
courtyard, gargoyles hanging from the historic
wooden ceilings, stunning artworks, religious
artefacts, an ancient kitchen and pharmacy.
10km away, a major part of the film took
place in the charming town of Meursault. The
townsfolk are proud of the old fashioned fire
engine that appeared in the film and it is now
displayed in a showcase outside the chateaulike
town hall!
UNESCO-listed vineyards
This whole area is in the heart of the
UNESCO-listed vineyards of the Côte d’Or
known as the Climats of Burgundy. The
Climats are a series of 1247 plots of land that
form a ribbon of vineyards which run about
60km from the gastronomic city of Dijon to
the south of Beaune, where there is a Maison
des Climats exhibition centre.
Alterpiece, Hospices de Beaune, The Last Judgement, Rogier van der Weyden circa 1450
These vineyards are the legacy of a tradition
of viticulture dating back as far as 2000
years, small parcels of land shaped by man
to grow vines and make wine that reflects
that every parcel of land is unique. Some
vineyards are just a few acres in size, others
are considerably larger. Each vineyard is
precisely defined and named. The names have
Celtic, Gallic, Latin and German roots and
record the influence of those who worked here
and helped shape the landscape such as Les
Casse-Têtes in Meursault which means ‘brain
teaser’, indicating the hardness of the soil and
the difficulty of planting vines here! One of
the best known is the Clos de Vougeot, the
headquarters of the Climats de Bourgogne
and seat of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du
Tastevin. Built in the 12th century by monks
from the nearby Abbey of Cîteaux there is
also a 16th century château where you can
discover more about the Climats, wine and
Burgundy, and enjoy a 5-wine tasting.
Each plot is influenced by its own unique
terroir – the French word that’s impossible to
translate into English. It refers to the growing
conditions - the soil, the grapes, the local
climate, know-how, altitude, exposure to sun
and rain, and local vegetation. This is an area
that produces some of the best wines in the
world with names like Montrachet, Romanée-
Conti, Clos de Vougeot, Corton, Musigny,
and Chambertin. And there are many cellars
where you can stop for a tasting including
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