Northern and southern France meet in 'bourgogne' (Burgundy), where the patronage of the Dukes of Burgundy introduced an inimitable Flemish note to the region. Burgundy, divided into four counties, each bringing their own particularities, is driven by a deeply rooted regional identities, shaped by history, wine and food.

You will enjoy the relaxed art of living built around its famous wines and classic and hearty Burgundy cuisine.

Easy to reach by TGV(a high speed train) and expressway(by car), Burgundy is very pleasant to drive through. It may seem, at first, to be only a useful territory to go from one part of France to another. But those who do drive through its rolling hills, return again and again, drawn by the 'Route Des Vins' (the Wine Road) and the beauty of the architecture featuring more than 200 Romanesque churches, abbeys and monasteries.

You will make a stop at Tournus famous for its abbey, one of France's most impressive Romanesque structures. The nave, gallery and crypt were built in the Xth and XIth centuries. Tournus is also known for its great antique shopping.

Don't forget Beaune [bone], capital of Burgundy that holds many treasures including the 'Hospices de Beaune', a masterpiece of Flemish-Burgundian architecture, also famous for its polychrome hand painted roof tiles.

Every year on the third Sunday in November, a world- famous wine auction is held in the Hospice de Beaune where wines are sold the best 'appelation Bourgogne label' on Earth. Another stop should be the city's Wine Museum, housed in the former private residence of the Dukes of Burgundy.

If you smell the mustard! It is Dijon, exceptionally strong and rich (like the mustard) in art treasures and historic buildings. Worth seeing are the 'Palais des ducs' (Palace of the Dukes) and the States-General of Burgundy, the Burgundian-style Gothic Notre-Dame church, the Renaissance Saint-Michael church, the Renaissance mansions, and the Fine Arts Museum.

In Fontenay, you will discover a magnificent Abbey, founded in 1118 by St. Bernard, remarkably well preserved: it is a perfect example of Cistercian architecture. You will note the twin arches of its cloisters, the chapter house, and the dormitory. This abbey has been given 'World Heritage' classification by UNESCO.

Vezelay was, in the Medieval period, one of France's great pilgrimage sites. In 1146, St. Bernard preached here in favor of the Second Crusade, and it was in 1190 that Philippe-Auguste and Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard BraveHeart) met before setting out on the Third Crusade.

Finally, Auxerre, is one of the magnificent medieval cities that kept intact the original medieval art from the XIIIth to the XVI^th centuries. Saint Etienne Cathedral with its 13^th century choir, its magnificent stained-glass windows are a perfect example of this conservation. Its Romanesque crypt with the famous fresco 'Christ on Horseback' from the 12^th to 14^th centuries is the jewel of this cathedral. Saint-Germain Abbey kept in its heart the Carolingian crypts with the earliest known frescoes from the IX^th century and its famous XV^th century Clock Tower.

For Aperitif (happy hour): Crémant de Bourgogne (sparkling white wine), Bourgogne Aligoté (plain or as a kir made with a Dijon crème de cassis

For appetizers dry white wine, young and light, nervous and fresh like a Bourgogne blanc, Mâcon blanc, Petit Chablis

For a main course, Young, light white wine, 'rosés' (like zinfandel' or young red, light and fruity like a Bourgogne, Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains, Mâcon rouge, Bourgogne Coulanges, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes

For seafood:

Oysters and shells: dry white wine young, fresh and elegant Vins like: Chablis, Mâcon-Villages, Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Saint-Véran

Grilled or fried fish: White wine, dry, young and elegant like: Chablis 1er Cru, Ladoix, Pernand-Vergelesses, Auxey-Duresses, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Romain- Rully, Montagny

fish in White sauce : Fine white wine, rich and powerful, unctuous, like : Chablis Grand Cru, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet

Foie Gras Very fine white wines, rich and little sweet with a few years in cellar like : Chablis Grand Cru, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and also Grand Cru : Corton-Charlemagne, Montrachet...

Chicken/white bird meat

In White sauce, Chablis Grand Cru, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and also the Grand Cru: Corton-Charlemagne, Montrachet...

In red Sauce : Strong red wine, long in mouth and with strong character (after a few years in cellar) like Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard Red meat

Grilled : Light red wine, fresh and fruity, elegant like : Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes, Marsannay, Fixin, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Ladoix, Chorey, Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Monthélie, Auxey-Duresses, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Romain, Santenay, Maranges, Givry, Rully

Roasted : Strong red wine with nice character and nice body like : Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard

White meat  : Red wine with present body, a little soft in mouth and colorful like: Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Volnay, Chassagne-Montrachet, Mercurey

Wild animals

with feathers : Soft red wines with elegance and active body like : Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Beaune, Volnay and all the grands crus: Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Echezeaux...

Cheese Like Camembert, Brie... White dry wine or tender soft red wine

Goat cheese All the white wines or the light and fruity red

Like Bleu de Bresse, roquefort, ... Soft white wine or light red wine

Flan/pudding : Crémant de Bourgogne

Coffee Marc de Bourgogne, Fine de Bourgogne