9 June 2026

Today was an abundance of beauty and pleasure, a glut for all the senses.

We drove south from Champagne to the Bourgogne, where we first dropped by the town of Beaune.

At the Hospices de Beaune my eye was caught by the colourful, geometric patterned roof tiles, in what I now know is 'Flamboyant Gothic' style.

Lots of wealth went into its building in the 1400s by the Dukes of Burgundy who had strong connections with Flanders - a Flemish architect designed the Hospices, which was also built in large part by Flemish masons and artisans.

I loved the peaceful courtyard with statue of Nicolas Rolin, founder of the Hospices -

and the bold red of the line of beds in the Grande Salle des Pôvres

The vivid colours of the altarpiece made for the Hospices by Flemish master Rogier van der Weyden of the Last Judgement are still astonishingly intact -

Afterwards we had a planche of local charcuterie and fromages with a glass of wine in the centre ville, surrounded not surprisingly by Caves - Beaune being the wine capital of Burgundy -

From here it was a less than 15 minute drive to the village of Puligny-Montrachet, where we'd booked a night at the hotel-restaurant of Côte de Beaune winemaker Olivier Leflaive -

on this quiet square surrounded by wine producers

and a little memorial to the war dead of Puligny-Montrachet -

And oh my word what a dinner we had at his restaurant. Here a few of the exquisite amuse-bouches, as we contemplated the huge tome that was the carte des vins.