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Join other gay cyclists to travel through
a land rich in history, redolent with the scent of forest and
vineyards. This biking tour of Burgundy takes us to the feudal
castle of Chateauneuf, in an ancient walled town. We'll visit a
seven-century-old abbey long reduced to solitary ruins, and an
even older abbey that was recently restored to its former
grandeur.
Everywhere, we encounter Burgundy's long
history. Julius Caesar established a settlement here, and as
we travel we'll find ruins from Roman times. Then, as an
independent kingdom, Burgundy developed its own distinct culture,
and became a thriving center of the wine trade. Wine tasting is as
popular as biking here, and we'll get to do both.
This is primarily a biking tour, on a
route with plenty of hills, but with many other activities
available in between our bike rides. There's time for hiking,
swimming, walking tours along streets that date to the Middle
Ages, and, of course, some leisurely and memorable dinners.
Burgundy has won fame for both its food and wine, and from the
flavorful coq au vin to your well-earned dessert, dinner
will be as much fun as the biking. We hope you can join us as we
admire The Colors of Burgundy.
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Beaune, settled since Roman times, grew
rapidly in the Middle Ages when wine merchants built their cellars
here. Much of the ramparts wall that protected the medieval town
still stands; our afternoon walk for cyclists who arrive early
takes us along part of that sturdy wall, which averages 25-30 feet
in thickness.
On our walk we'll tour the grand
Collegiale Notre Dame, a church in classic Burgundian Romanesque
style dating to 1120, as well as a wine cellar that dates back
five centuries, where we can sample the wares. Discover the
nuanced flavors that have made Burgundy synonymous with fine
wine: Aloxe-Corton, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Clos
de Vougeot, Vosne-Romanee, Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Cote de
Beaune. Candles allow the connoisseur to evaluate the clarity
and ruby hue of each vintage during the wine tasting.
Back at our hotel, we'll assemble the
full group for refreshments and orientation, followed by dinner in
a centuries-old dining room. There's no gay bar in town for
after-dinner entertainment, but one benefit of traveling with our
groups is that you can always find someone friendly and
interesting to join you at a cafe.
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This morning's varied route offers a
sense of what's to come. Our first village is Pommard, a tiny and
picturesque village with a growing reputation for fine red wines.
Just outside Pommard, in the middle of nowhere, we come upon two
artifacts from Roman times: A small bridge built by the Romans;
and a nearby dolmen, or primitive dwelling. Duck low and you can
go down into this dolmen. Neither of these appears in the usual
tourist guides; they're examples of the unexpected sights that we
like to search out for our trips.
We leave the vineyards and cross
into Savigny-les-Beaune, with its moated castle. Now you've got
a choice: stay on the scenic paved road, or try our more
challenging option: an unpaved hiking trail, cutting over a
hillside forest to our next stop: the ruins of the Abbey of St.
Marguerite.
Standing in a lonely copse, this
medieval abbey lost its roof long ago, yet the walls remain, with
their arched doorways and windows. This evocative setting is the
perfect spot for a picnic lunch.
We search for the true back roads
in the regions we visit. After lunch, you'll discover one of our
favorites. If weather conditions allow, we can ignore a
"dead-end" sign to glide onto a narrow ribbon of
asphalt, winding through orchards, pastures and forest. You
probably won't see a single car along this stretch -- that's one
benefit of knowing when to ignore a dead-end sign!
Whether coming down a long slope on the
road or from the hiking path, the road ends at the Burgundy
Canal, once a vital commercial link, but now plied by pleasure
barges. Stop to watch a barge as it's lowered through a lock.
Another rural road takes us through a
forest and over a hillock. As you emerge from the trees, the
feudal town of Chateauneuf appears in the distance like an
apparition, rising out of the pastures. By the time you've climbed
into this tiny and ancient village, you'll have decided that a
40-mile day wasn't so short after all. Our guess is that you'll
rank this as one of the best biking days of your life. And you can
top it off by wandering through the chateau itself, right outside
the doors of our hotel.
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Today begins with a long, gentle coast
from Chateauneuf's hilltop castle to the Burgundy Canal. From
there the route follows miles (well, kilometers) of small paved
roads, with almost no traffic. We ride past endless fields of
poppies and wheat, and through small towns such as St. Sabine,
Chazilly, and Cercy, each with its own church and its own charm.
On a sunny day, we also have another option: follow the unpaved
towpath along the canal. Our hybrid bikes usually have no problem
with the occasional patches of gravel, and the pastoral setting
brings images of a bygone era.
Finally the canal disappears underground,
a remarkable feat of 19th-century engineering, and we return to
the rural roads. But first we detour to the tiny village of
Eguilly, where an energetic Frenchman is devoting his life to
renovating the once-grand castle.
After a picnic lunch at the castle,
our road skirts rolling fields and honey-colored farmhouses.
Eventually we reach the shorelines of Lac de Pont, a narrow,
meandering lake over 3 miles long, but rarely more than a few
hundred yards wide. Ready to cool off? A small footpath along this
sparkling, tree-lined lake takes you to a secluded swimming spot.
(No point in squinting but yes, some of the gang decided swimsuits
were optional.)
Our destination is Semur-en-Auxois, a
14th-century town built high on the cliffs formed by a loop in the
Armancon river. You'll probably arrive in time to explore the
weathered stone walls of this old fortress, and to wander its
narrow cobblestone streets, tiny shops, and old watchtowers. For
dinner, try the regional specialty of boeuf bourguignon.
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Burgundy cannot be rushed. We stay two
nights in Semur-en-Auxois, and the Auxois region offers several
enticing options for the day in between:
Relax! Stake out your spot at a
corner cafe for the morning, then after lunch, explore this grand
old town by foot. Walk along a well-trod footpath by the river,
then cross the bridge for a spectacular view of the fortified
town.
Hiking. A hiking trail follows the
shoreline all the way around Pont de Lac, the winding lake we
passed yesterday. Put together a picnic lunch, cycle over, and do
the circuit, which takes about three hours on the winding trail.
Biking. A wonderful route, about 35
miles round-trip, takes you to the 12th-century Cistercian
monastery of Fontenay, tucked away in a lush valley. For four
centuries, this abbey served as a self-sufficient community for
300 monks and workers. The church, consecrated in 1147, is among
the oldest and best-preserved Cistercian churches remaining in
France, and well worth a tour.
This historic site fell into decay, then
became a paper mill. New owners have restored it to its original
splendor. But the abbey is only part of the attraction: The bike
route itself is particularly scenic, sometimes following a quiet
road alongside the Burgundy Canal.
There are other biking options. More avid
cyclists can bike west, to the Romanesque basilica of Ste.
Madeleine. Those looking for a shorter, relaxed day of cycling
will enjoy the quiet roads leading to the famous cheese town of
Epoisses and its castle.
In the late afternoon, we'll gather
for another wine tasting, featuring Burgundy's world-class
vintages. While the region is justifiably known for its reds, the
full-flavored Burgundy white wines may become a new favorite.
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Today's route is short, only about 25 miles,
but with three hills, you may consider it the most challenging day
of the trip. Don't be scared off by these hills: they're a good
incentive to do some advance training, but even if you walked up
each one, you'd have time left for sightseeing. And plenty of
spots to do it. Experienced cyclists often rank this as their
favorite biking day of the trip.
Our first village is Flavigny, a fortified
town from the Middle Ages with the ruins of a seventh-century
abbey. Lose yourself amongst the old ramparts and narrow lanes
of this attractive town. Many Flavigny homes date from the
Middle Ages, and have been recently restored. Pick up a
locally-produced snack of anise candy at the outdoor market. And
if the village looks familiar, it may be because you saw the
movie Chocolat, which was filmed here.
Then roll on to tiny Hauteroche --
and a lunch to remember.
For much of the French population, lunch
rather than dinner is the big meal of the day, and every French
town has at least one cafe where the locals come day after day
for refueling. We walk into Chez Jeannette aka Cafe des Roches.
For a ridiculously low price we get -- well, a ridiculously
large lunch, as well as a good-natured scolding from Jeannette
for anyone who doesn't clean their plate.
As we leave this tiny village, you can
still see foundations of Roman homes that stood here almost
2,000 years ago.
Toward the end of the day comes a
popular option that nearly everyone takes: cycling to the source
of the River Seine. In a quiet park maintained by the city of
Paris, you can step across the river that is the heartbeat of
France's capital.
Our home for the night is a small
lodge in the hamlet of St. Seine l'Abbaye, where we'll sleep just
a few doors down from a 13th-century church.
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Today's official route is short, allowing
plenty of time to explore the intriguing region between here and
Gevrey-Chambertin.
Shortly before lunch, we pass through Malain,
whose hilltop castle ruins are undergoing restoration. Perched
high over the valley, the castle ruins offer sweeping views of the
cinnamon-tiled roofs below.
Toward the end of today's route, we
cross through dramatic canyonland. A scenic option, sweeping
through the forests to the south, takes you within easy walking
distance of ancient menhirs, arrangements of stone set in place by
primitive settlers. Then, on a larger road, we follow a narrow
cliff-lined gorge that finally spills into Gevrey-Chambertin, a
town famous for its red wine.
The castle that once protected
Gevrey-Chambertin remains still in family hands, and open to the
public. We'll have time this afternoon to visit. If we're lucky,
we'll get a tour from the owner herself, an elderly Frenchwoman of
the old school who's still angry about the French Revolution. For
that matter, she hasn't entirely forgiven the Roman invasion,
either.
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It's an easy but scenic trip back to Beaune, through
several more noted wine towns: Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanee,
and Nuits St. George. Take time to look around each of these
charming and ancient villages. Or loop up into the hills, and
enjoy a picnic lunch in a small copse overlooking the vineyards.
You'll arrive in Beaune early enough
for sightseeing. Don't miss the Hotel Dieu, Beaune's masterpiece
of Burgundian architecture, whose colorfully tiled roof has graced
the cover of many a guidebook.
Those who aren't ready to turn in
their cycling shorts yet can continue on to the chateau at
Rochepot and more unspoilt villages with names long familiar to
wine connoisseurs: St. Aubin, Gamay, Chassagne-Montrachet,
Puligny-Montrachet, and Meursault.
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The hardest thing about our trips is saying
goodbye to a wonderful group of new friends, and a charming region
of France.
If you've got extra vacation time in Europe,
we suggest you save it for after the trip, rather than before:
Chances are, there will be other cyclists from this week's
adventure who would like some company for a weekend in Paris.
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