Burgundy – mmm-yoso

Beaune – Dinner at Maison du Colombier

August 4, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, French Restaurants, Travel

We'd had a great time at the Saturday market and had been charmed by the countryside. It was like we opened a book on France and walked into one of the pages. After consuming part of the bounty we got at the market, we….of course, took a nice short nap. We awoke right before dusk and took a short walk around. It was Saturday night and things were still rather lively at this hour.

The Missus really wanted to take one last drive and I needed to refuel the car before returning it; so we headed out. Just a short way. To the outskirts of Beaune. Up one of the side roads. To just take it all in.

Man this place is beautiful.

And while I'm sure that we couldn't live here; I'm fairly certain we could visit quite often.

We filled the gas tank, headed back to the apartment, freshened up and off we went to dinner.

Our last dinner in Beaune and Burgundy for that matter, was a bit different. The menu was far form the stick-to-the-ribs cuisine of Burgundy. The restaurant we selected was in a structure dating back to 1574, sharing the building with five vacation apartments which were in the tower.

Maison du Colombier bills itself as a "Gastro Bar". The chef, Roland Chanliaud, was once the chef of one of the local Michelin star restaurants. The set-up is interesting; the ground floor (I keep forgetting, in Europe it's level '0'), features a wine bar, charcuterie from Spain, with a service that resembles tapas. There are also tables down in the "cave" in the lower level. We decided on making reservations for the small dining area on the second floor.

Which, as you can see, is quite eclectic and well, groovy. The menu is written on a chalkboard with very non-traditional Bourgogne items such as polenta, chorizo, and shiitake mushrooms.

The Missus availed Herself of the wine by the glass list which features 5 white, 5 red, and 3 sparkling…these were of course, all local.

We started with an interesting salad; Cod, Broccoli, and Tomatoes.

Dressed perfectly, the cod resembling scallops, the broccoli actually a puree, the tomatoes seemed confit, the flavor intense.

There was of course, the foie gras dish.

A perfectly workable version; earthy, with the fig chutney providing the sweetness necessary to cut the offal richness.

The next two dishes blew us away.

The first; 63 Degree Eggs with Burgundy Truffles. Good lord, look at all the truffles!

Beautifully cooked, probably sous vide eggs, rich and creamy, with what seemed like a touch of butter and cream….and look at all those truffles. While not as fragrant as what we ran into in Dordogne; these added a wonderful earthy decadence to the dish. You could have at least a slice of truffle in every bite.

Next up the Cepes, Rosemary, Black Olives, and Polenta.

While the Missus is not particularly fond of rosemary, it really help to raise the savory level of dish. And yes, those are super fragrant, earthy, savory porcini mushrooms. The polenta was creamy and gave the dish some bulk. This was so good.

Man were we going to miss Beaune!

Maison du Colombier
1 Place General Leclerc
Beaune, France

Things had quieted down by the time we finished dinner and headed back to the apartment.

Where we organized ourselves and packed. Then finished the last of the wine in the fridge.

The next morning. before we headed out to return the car and head to the train station, there was one more small errand.

Back to the boulangerie I'd gone to on our first morning in Beaune.

This time for a baguette. And while we thought croissants here were just average; the baguette was good.

We enjoyed the leftovers from the Saturday Market and enjoyed the train ride from Beaune to Dijon….then back to Paris.

Thanks for reading!

Beaune – The Saturday Market

July 29, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, Markets & Grocers, Travel

We awoke from a wonderful night of sleep, showered, had our caffeine fix and excited headed out. Why? Well, it was Saturday, and I'd heard so much about the Saturday Market in Beaune. And it really delivered.

Stretching from Les Halles outward, it is a wonderful sprawling maze of deliciousness. Such colors, such fragrances….

With items that made me wish we were spending another few days here.

And it's not only food items….

And while we saw a few tourists; there was a distinctive "local" vibe to the place. From folks catching up on things while buying some produce…..

To one of the local pooches working his way around a walnut.

After taking a quick loop, we decided on the vendors we wanted to hit up. We bought a baguette; possible the best of the trip from the gentleman right outside the Halles.

Right inside the market hall, is a booth full of….loveliness…..of the foie gras variety.

He was REALLY generous with samples. So after doing our rounds we returned and he greeted us with a laugh and a smile. We'd definitely take some foie gras; but also really loved something else he carried.

Yes, that is a smoked duck breast stuffed with foie gras! Problem was, there was no way we'd be able to finish a whole one. The solution? The gentleman joyfully sold us the display!

There was a wonderful charcuterie stand at the back of the market.

We stood in line patiently with the rest of the customers and after working with the really friendly staff had our picks wrapped and ready.

This is my favorite market in France. In the afternoon it turns into a Antiques Market.

Saturdays 9am to 1pm.

It was still not even 10am, so we headed back to the apartment to stow away our bounty. And head back out to breath in the beautiful countryside.

We headed out of Beaune and into the village of Pernand-Vergelesses; to the small streets above the village. There we found the site of the oratory of Notre-Dame de Bonne Espérance (Our Lady of Good Hope). Right in front of the statue is quite a view.

That looks like it comes straight out of a postcard…..

We wandered about a bit more……sometimes taking little side streets…..

Then headed back for an early lunch.

This was a wonderful meal. We'd have enough for lunch on the train back to Paris the next morning.

As I sat back; glass of wine in hand and had "that moment". The one where I realize that this is the payoff for all the long hours and hard work the Missus and I put in. This is why we do it!

Thanks for reading!

Beaune – A Walk Along the Ramparts and Dinner at La Ciboulette

July 20, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, French Restaurants, Travel

Beaune seemed very different in the evening after the tourists are gone or are done in after a busy day of wine tasting.

After taking our own short nap, we awoke, refreshed and ready to do more exploring of the village before dinner.

We started at the what we considered the heart of the old town; Place Carnot. Things were much more relaxed and peaceful at this hour; even on a Friday evening.

Perhaps folks were just resting up for a busy night ahead.

We decided to head out and do part of the city wall; the "Remparts" (ramparts), the city walls of the old town. Beaune is a medieval walled city and much of it still stands. We decided to take a stroll on the ramparts during the "Golden Hour", which just made everything come alive.

Things were fairly quiet….so you could just imagine how things might have been back in the 14th and 15th Century.

I was fascinated by this tower.

So I did a bit of research and found that this is the Madeleine Tower, once used to store the ingredients' for gunpowder.

We stepped down at Rue d'Alsace, where the Missus decided we should just take a walk down the street right outside the walls, Rue du Faubourg.

Here there was much more hustle and bustle. You get a better feel for what life in today's Beaune is like.

This was at the end of October last year; so the sun started setting quite quickly. It was time head to dinner.

We had learned our lesson the previous night. You needed reservations; so we headed out last evening and tried to make them for the places on my list. We got two, which we were happy with.

I had really enjoyed my first taste of traditional Burgundian food at Chez Leon in Dijon and really wanted to have another dinner with those type of dishes. I had La Ciboulette on my list and we managed to get reservations for dinner.

The restaurant is located within the city walls, but on the North side of town. The place was quite bust when we arrived. We really enjoyed the service here; it was warm, unassuming, and very friendly. They even accommodated our request for five "entrees" (appetizer/salad/soups), instead of the usual three course meal.

But first, some wine for the Missus…..

Now my French is horrendous; I believe I've detailed my strategy of trying to get train tickets in French and "crashing and burning" spectacularly….to the point the agent would undoubtedly say; "monsieur, monsieur, I speak a little English……". Luckily, I do know basic French food items, cooking techniques, so this was slightly helpful.

We started with the Veloute de Potimarron – potiron = pumpkin, marron = chestnut. So this was some type of Pumpkin/Squash soup. Turns out this was made from Red Kuri (Hokkaido) Squash and was quite delightful.

Very clean flavor; mild sweetness, but very refreshing.

You know if there's foie gras on the menu, right?

A workable version; good flavor, rich, mild offal flavor with a not too sweet fruit compote.

The Missus absolutely loved the Escargot here.

The snails were so plump, tender, and juicy. The light parsley based sauce really allowed us to taste the earthy, almost mild shellfish flavor of the snails. These were Her favorite version of escargot of the trip, but I still preferred the version at Chez Leon.

We got the Salade d'aiguillettes de canard.

If I recall; aiguillette would mean a specific way of cutting skinned and defatted duck breasts into strips. The duck was on the chewy side; but the flavor from what tasted like a Balsamic glaze was delicious and went well with the mildly gamey duck. Of course; the Missus wanted some salad, and we got it here.

And of course; the classic Oeufs en Meurette – eggs poached in red wine.

In spite of the not quite tasty looking presentation, this was really delicious. Those slices of "lardon" were super tasty; the eggs perfectly poached, so runny, making this into a velvety, rich, tangy, slurry of goodness.

They even dropped off a good sized ramekin of potato gratin.

After lunch and this meal; we sadly, had no room for dessert.

As you can tell, we really enjoyed our dinner here. We loved the atmosphere; the service was lovely. We're definitely coming back here if/when we get back to Beaune.

La Ciboulette
69 rue de Lorraine
Beaune, France

We decided to stroll slowly back to our apartment taking in the sights and sounds….

This is the Porte St Nicholas, the North Gate to the walled city.

This current gate replaced the old gate in 1770 which used to have a drawbridge and fortifications to defend the city.

We were starting to understand that there was quite a bit to see; like the "Beffroi", the Romanesque Clock Tower which I read was built in the 1400's.

There would be much we didn't see or visit; like what is considered the most important sight; the Hotel Dieu des Hospices de Beaune.

We've found out over the years that in order to really enjoy ourselves; we should always think like we'll return someday.

We made our way back slowly. The once bustling shopping streets were now quiet. There was a different, relaxed feeling in the air.

Arriving back at our accommodations, we found that we weren't tired in the least. So it was time to take advantage of one of the nice features of our apartment, the wine "cellar". I've mentioned how much we loved this accommodation before.

But I'll say it again….we loved this place. And what could be better after a full day, than to relax with a bottle of wine. The appliance had a sheet on the top, describing each wine and the price. Things worked by the "honor system". You just got the bottle you wanted and left the money in the drawer.

The prices were really inexpensive and seemed cheaper than the wine shops and markets.

We each had a glass. The Missus relaxing, I wrote a blog post.

We stored the rest of the wine for tomorrow.

I was sure that it was going to be another full one. And I'd need a nightcap for sure!

Thanks for reading!

Burgundy – Driving the Vineyard Route, Meursault to Saint Romain, and Lunch at Aupres du Clocher (Pommard)

July 10, 2017 mmm-yoso Bakery, Burgundy, Croissants, Fine Dining, France, French Restaurants, Travel

I awoke as the sun rose on our first full day in Beaune. The previous day had been pretty busy, arriving in Beaune, getting settled and making reservations and finding a place for dinner. But this, well this was going to be a full day, we had a car and the Missus was rarin' to go.

But first, I headed out……

Down the quiet streets of early morning Beaune.

I recalled passing a Boulangerie the previous day as we were walking in from the train station. And it was one of the few places open this early in the morning.

Very friendly woman working. All I needed was on croissant to share with our morning coffee.

Boulangerie Pâtisserie Lapalus
1 place du docteur jorrot
Beaune, France

A decent, but not great croissant. I'd grab a baguette there before we left Beaune that was quite good though.

And then we headed out; around the ring road, finding the sign to Autun.

It was, without a doubt, beautiful.

As we kept stopping to take photos.

Imagine waking one morning, getting into your car and driving into a "postcard".

The road slowly crept upward.

Until we came upon the town of Meursault, with it's distinctive Town Hall.

It was a Friday, which turns out to be Market Day (Friday). We enjoyed walking around. Not only were food items on sale…..

But all manner of furniture and household goods as well.

From kitchenware to baskets to beds!

We took a short walk……this town is so charming.

We decided to take another break and hit up the Boulangerie.

For another croissant and espresso.

Le 7éme Péché
11 Place de L Hôtel de ville
Meursault, France

We then headed off down to Puligny-Montrachet.

Where according to many, the best white wine in the world is produced.

Because I drove, I could not partake. The Missus was free to sample whatever She wanted.

We came around the loop and took time to admire the Château de la Rochepot.

Which dates back to the 12th Century.

From here it was another climb uphill.

There was one more stop the Missus just had to make. On this trip, the Missus had grown fond of wine from the appellation of Saint Romain. And so, we just had to head downhill and stop in that town.

And stalk Her favorite producer…..

Yikes!

Luckily, there were no embarrassing moments as no one was around.

We then headed back toward Beaune. We'd made a complete loop and got back no the main road. The Missus had read about a restaurant in the town of Pommard. So decided to stop and see if they would be able to accommodate us.

Luckily, we'd arrived early and we got a table without reservations.

We were actually given a pretty nice table, with a street view. The lunch menu was basically a choice of two tasting menus. We took the more expensive option which was still a very reasonable 50 Euros…remember, we had become used to Paris prices.

The bread was interesting; it featured something the Missus would love later on; gougere….

Things started off with a nice and somewhat refreshing soup.

The thing I recalled the most was how the acidity of the cream really set off the flavors.

Of course we basically shared everything, passing dishes back and forth between us.

When the Missus's Escargot arrived, I knew that the chef was aiming for a more modern take on French cuisine, as per the "foam". There were some fairly tender grains under the delicious crème d'ail, a very smooth garlic crème. I asked what these were and was told "d'epeautre", basically spelt. It was nutty and slightly sweet. I recall on the menu that these were "escargot Bourgogne sauvage". Which I take to mean wild local snails. I thought all the ingredients were the stars rather than the escargot.

I had the Tartare de Dorade; which I believe is a type of sea bream.

This turned out to be basically a salad and I enjoyed the vinaigrette. I thought the squid was a bit tough.

Check out the Missus's main.

Yes, that is foie gras crowning a nice piece of tuna. I was kinda hesitant about the missus ordering this; but of course it had foie gras, which was decently prepared if a bit over-cooked. The tuna was actually perfectly cooked; quite rare and not dry.

To be perfectly honest, the Missus enjoyed the fennel, lima beans, and the wonderfully earthy mushrooms the best. I gotta say; the portion size on this was quite generous.

As was the portion size of the Entrecot of Veal.

Again, quite a large cut of veal, cooked perfectly for my tastes, decently tender. The mushrooms were again our favorite item on the plate.

The Mousse tiede d'epoisse was our least favorite dish. This was served separately and the flavors were so strong it as hard to enjoy.

Man, that cheese was so salty and the croutons on the bottom of the mousse; which tasted like gingerbread just added more strong flavors.

As for the rest of the desserts, well, the Missus enjoyed them.

Overall, we thought the meal was quite worth the price. The service was a bit spotty but quite pleasant and we were pleasantly surprised with our meal.

Aupres du Clocher
1 rue de Nackenheim
Pommard, France

Man, after that meal I needed to rest up. Plus we still had dinner reservations.

Beaune – Bistrot du Coin and Restaurant le Conty

June 16, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, French Restaurants, Travel

We did learn something our first night in Beaune. We needed reservations at all the places I had on my "list". At most places (not all) it seemed that you could make reservations the day before or even during lunch service, but it seems that walk-ins were really hard. So we decided to get our reservations for the following two nights taken care of.

On the bright side….well, it was a beautiful night to be walking around the town.

Beaune was totally different at night; quiet, even more relaxed. After finding two places that would take reservations for the upcoming two nights, we decided to chill and decided where to grab dinner.

One block from our apartment was this little wine bar named Bistrot du Coin.

It looked like just the place for us.

They were doing some pretty good business and the bartender was very efficient, friendly, and charming, in spite of the packed bar area.

After having that amazing white at David Toutain, the Missus as obsessed with wine from Saint-Roman and ordered a glass of it from the board.

Service was totally by the book…..

And they have quite a bottle list as well.

The lower level looks like it's set-up for groups and tastings….or perhaps if you bought one of those 100 Euro bottles, you could enjoy it here.

Nice place to grab a glass and relax.

Le Bistrot du Coin
2 Place Ziem
Beaune, France

After finishing up our wine, we decided to just walk around and see what was open….this place was close by.

We headed down the stairs.

The place looked charming….set in this little cellar and they had a couple of tables open.

The folks were very friendly and guided us to a table. We weren't too hungry, after having quite a bit to eat earlier in the day, so I thought two appetizers, and a nice bottle of wine would suit us just fine.

Of course the Missus found something from Saint-Romain, which She enjoyed.

Since the Missus had discovered that She actually loves Escagot, I ordered that and the Lentil Terrine with Duck Breast and Foie Gras (of course).

The Terrine (19€) arrived first and looked quite pretty, though the presentation seemed a bit dated.

We loved the salad; fresh, crisp, refreshing. The terrine was way too cold and very salty, which reduced how much we enjoyed it. Sad, duck breast and foie gras, two of my favorite things….but this just didn't do it for me.

The snails (16€) were next.

These were the least favorite version we had on this trip…..lacking enough garlic, not enough richness, and too much salt.

Nice service though. Good wine. Fairly pricy.

Restaurant Le Conty
5 rue Ziem
Beaune, France

I was hoping our upcoming dinners would be better.

Burgundy – From Dijon to Beaune, with Visits to Les Halles, Gallet Traiteur, and Fromager Alain Hess

May 20, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, Cheese, France, French Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, Travel

Our train for Beaune would not be leaving until noon, so we decided to wander around Les Halles, Dijon's market hall. On this morning; things were very quiet.

We picked up a slice of Jambon En Croute and a really good baguette at one of the bakeries north of the market.

While walking near Chez Leon we came across this little shop. The friendly young ladies were basically "waving us in".

A Traiteur is basically a take-out/catering company. We kind of got the feeling that this shop was celebrating its grand opening. Quite a few people entered after we walked in.

We were tempted by the Foie Gras items; but went with a few "salads".

Gallet Traiteur
10, rue des Godrans
21000 Dijon, France

The train ride from Dijon to Beaune takes less than 20 minutes. We managed to polish off half the baguette and some of the Jambon en Croute while waiting for the train.

We arrived at the quaint train station in Beaune; went and made arrangements for a rental car to picked up later in the day, and walked down the street and to our apartment inside the city walls of the "old town". I was instantly smitten by the town. It helps that we loved our accommodations. The unit's owner was a lovely, cheerful, and friendly woman. And the place had everything we could have needed or wanted….even an "honor system" wine cellar.

It was a bit too cold to eat outside; but man, we would have loved eating outside if the weather was warmer.

The location was fantastic as while it wasn't in the middle of everything, it was a mere block away or so. The place was peaceful and quiet, yet close to things. The perfect combination.

Speaking of close to things; once we dropped off our bags, the Missus was ready to go. The old town is fairly compact, the main business here is wine, in fact Beaune is considered Burgundy's "Capital of Wine" as many of the wine producers actually store their wine in Beaune. The big event in this town is the is the annual Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction, which takes place in November.

We walked almost diagonally across the old town.

Passing thru the ramparts on other side and across the "ring road" and over a stream.

To a beautiful park that looked like something out of a painting.

This is Parc de la Bouzaise.

That seems to be a favorite of both our two legged and four legged friends.

It seemed like the duck knew that this was their property as they displayed little fear of humans and dogs.

Near the edge of the park you see a fence.

Walk through the opening in the fencing and you'll be rewarded with this beautiful sight.

Yes, this is wine country indeed…the Cote de Beaune. Walk to your left a bit and you are ground zero of Beaune Les Teurons.

The map shows how the land is divided up; many of the "clos" (plots) have belonged to the same family since medieval times.

You can walk along the vineyards and feel like you are viewing a real life Impressionist painting.

As we walked up the hill above Beaune, folks in the vehicles actually smiled and waved to us…..as if to say "welcome"…..

Walking back into town, we stopped near the central square.

When we were in Dijon; I noticed a truck delivering cheese to several businesses….with the name Alain Hess printed on the side. After a quick "Google check"; Fromagerie Hess became a "must stop" on my list. Right off the main square (Place Carnot) is the shop.

It is a very busy shop….with cheese, charcuterie, and other products on the ground floor.

And wine and cheese tastings in the basement.

We bought cheese, foie gras, and a nice bottle of wine for a late lunch.

Fromagerie Hess
7 Place Carnot
21200 Beaune, France

Back at the apartment, we had a late lunch.

Which featured the bounty of what we had collected during the day. The champignons from Gallet Traiteur was quite good, though the puy lentils were much too salty and hard. The foie gras terrine from Alain Hess was amazing; great smooth liver flavors, yet rich, it was very good. And a nice crisp, but not too buttery white.

This was a nice meal.

Which kind of displayed how good the food can be, even when self-catering in France.

Dijon – Back to Église Notre-Dame de Dijon and Dinner at Chez Leon

May 6, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, French Restaurants, Travel

Remember that I made wish when rubbing the "Owl of Dijon"? Well, it wasn't an outlandish wish….nothing like world peace and goodwill to men….not even monetary wealth. I made a humble little ask….for dinner of course! You see, one of my objectives for our time in Burgundy, was to try the regional specialties, especially items that the Missus had never been particularly fond of. I had a place named Chez Leon in mind, but had not been able to get thru and make reservations. My thought was to drop by during lunch service and make reservations then. But, by the time we arrived, they were closed.

Bummer…..but then, I think "The Owl" came through. A young lady walked out to update the chalkboard….and guess what? We had reservations. The Missus thinks "the owl" thing is just silliness. Me, well, I dunno…….

We got back to the hotel, checked into our room, and took a short nap. We awoke refreshed and the Missus just wanted to get going. Our reservations were for 7pm (when they open) and we still had some time to kill. so we decided to explore Dijon a bit more.

The was in the process of setting when we arrived in front of the Église Notre-Dame.

We found that the doors were wide open, welcoming us to enter.

The one item to see here is the Statue of Notre-Dame de Bon-Espoir (Our Lady of Good Hope). It is thought that this wooden statue dates back to the Eleventh or Twelfth Century.

There are several miracles attributed to this statue. You an read about them on the French Wikipedia site for Église Notre-Dame de Dijon.

Walking around during the evening seems to add an air of mystery…….like something is going to happen around every corner.

The architecture sure adds to the atmosphere.

As do the citizens….both the two legged and four legged ones.

We arrived at Chez Leon right as the doors open. The two women working here were really friendly and nice. The atmosphere, simple and welcoming.

It was a good thing we made reservations; the place filled up rather quickly, and folks without reservations were turned away…..even some rather unhappy locals who seemed like friends of the owner! The menu is simple….and only available in French.

The Missus selected the wine and dessert and left the rest to me.

I had always wanted to try Oeufs en Meurette; a classic Burgundian preparation of poached eggs in a red wine sauce. It looks kind of messy, but man, this was good.

You know the Missus loves Her eggs, right? This was very nice; a little tanginess from the Pinot Noir sauce, nice richness, great with bread.

The Missus had never been a fan of escargot. And in fact, didn't want me to order it. But since this is one of the specialties of Burgundy…well, we had to try it right? Oh, and this converted the Missus into an escargot lover.

Though the Missus ended up ordering escargot at almost every meal in Burgundy; I thought, in terms of the snails, this was the best. They were plump, mild in flavor, and pretty tender. For the Missus, I found that it was the garlicky parsley butter that makes the dish for Her.

The Missus ordered the Souris d'Agneau; lamb shanks. This one with a very nice risotto and a wonderful jus, with just enough rosemary.

The lamb was wonderfully gamey and fork tender….as in, not falling to pieces, but tender enough to cut with a fork.

Of course I got the boeuf bourguignon. After all….we were in Burgundy!

The sauce was a nice beefy-wine sauce with hints of onions. The beef was very tender and bursting with beefy flavors….nothing fancy mind you; but good, solid, comfort food.

The Missus enjoyed the dessert; especially that sorbet.

The service was friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and unpretentious, the food solid, the prices quite reasonable…….what's not to like?

Plus, we were in Burgundy, feasting on Escargot and Boeuf Bourguignon.

This was a nice way of getting ourselves familiarized with the flavors and food of Burgundy.

Chez Leon
20 rue des Godrans
21000, Dijon, France

And we just knew we'd be having a great time!

Thanks for reading!

Burgundy – Doing the “Parcours de la Chouette” (The Owl’s Trail) in Dijon

May 4, 2017 mmm-yoso Burgundy, Desserts, France, Travel

The Missus was rather reluctant to leave Paris behind, but we had plans to visit Burgundy on this trip. Taking the TGV to Dijon from Paris-Gare de Lyon Station was a snap, though in the typical way, there's basically a cattle call….everyone watches the schedule to figure out what track your train will be leaving from. When they finally list your track…everyone heads off.

Our hotel; the Hostellerie Du Chapeau Rouge was just a short walk from the train station. The staff was wonderful and the room while small, was comfortable enough for a one night stay. There's actually a Michelin Two Star restaurant in the hotel; but I had other things in mind for our short stay. Like dropping off our bags and heading on a nice little walk. The Owl ("Chouette") is the city's symbol and I'd read about a nice little walk known as the Owl's Trail. So we basically headed off found the brass Owl signs on the sidewalk and headed off.

The walk takes you past and thorugh most of the major sights in Dijon, like Place de la Libération…

Place François-Rude, also known as Place du Bareuzai for the statue of the basically nude winemaker treading the grapes, is considered the heart of the pedestrian zone in Dijon.

There a quite a few structures with what is called "Toits Bourguignons", the Burgundian polychrome roofs in the area.

We decided to take a break….the Missus wanted a snack and some coffee, so we stopped in this very colorful shop.

Where we got our caffeine fix and the Missus sampled some macarons.

Which the Missus really enjoyed.

Fortified, we headed off down Rue de Forges, a pedestrian "historical" street full of wonderfully kept and restored structures. You'd head through a doorway and down the dark entrance and find yourself staring at an interesting courtyard. This one is at number 38 Rue de Forges; the former residence of the Jean Maillard, the Mayor of Dijon, originally constructed in 1560.

Finally ending up at Église Notre-Dame de Dijon a good example of Gothic design.

The church is well known for several features; the Gargoyles; 51 of them on the Western side of the church.

There is also the clock, with its Jacquemart is also well known. You'll notice that along with the Bell-Striker, there are several other "automatons". According to the story, the Jacquemart was placed there around 1500. It soon became a favorite of the citizens of the city. To the point that they started worrying about its mental health……thinking that loneliness and extended celibacy might be weighing heavily upon the poor guy. So around 1650 or so; he was blessed with a wife; they called her Jacqueline and the shared duties striking the bell. In 1714 poet Aimé Piron asked that this poor chaste couple be given a child and so a son, Jacquelinet was "born". Needing someone to share the duties of striking the bell on the quarter hours led to Jacquelinette, a "daughter" being added in 1884.

There was one thing I really wanted to see….or actually rub. Around the corner, on Rue de la Chouette (Owl Street), you'll see a rather worn carving in the side of the church.

This is the "Magic Owl of Dijon". Rubbing the sculpture with your left hand while making a wish, will make it come true and I think it worked; more on that in a later post.

After rubbing the owl…..for some reason that sounds somewhat profane, we decided to slow down and relax a bit. So we headed back, stopping at a couple of…..well, this is Dijon, right? Mustard shops to sample the nasal clearing condiments.

As we headed back to check into our room.

So what was it I wished for?

Stay tuned!

Where in the world are we?

October 30, 2016 mmm-yoso Burgundy, France, Paris, France, Seattle, Washington, Travel

It's been a really busy couple of months. Work has been crazy and we needed a break. So with Cathy and Ed from Yuma always willing to help keep the blog going, the Missus and I are taking a nice break.

To where you may ask? Well, I think you can figure things out in 4 photos. So here goes.

This is where we started.

Then we ended up here.

And we are enjoying our last evening in this region.

As expected, the meals have been great. What's even more surprising is that we haven't had a bad meal yet. Rubbing this little guy's head is supposed to be good luck. Maybe it worked.