Burgundy Franche – Comte France Travel Guide

Burgundy Franche – Comte France Travel Guide

Dijon – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Dijon has a grand history dating to Roman times. Dijon’s pedestrian streets snake between medieval houses, churches and Renaissance townhouses. Visit Place de la Libération  one of the most beautiful squares in France,  the Fine Art Museum housed in the former Palace of the Dukes and the Halles de Dijon (covered market) was built in 1868 by the Eiffel Company.

Autun – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Autun has retained many exceptional monuments from the Gallo-Roman period. Its amphitheatre with 20,000 seats was the largest in the Roman world. The temple of Janus is another superb testament of that era. In the 12th century the Romanesque cathedral of Saint Lazarus was built along with a number of townhouses.

Auxerre – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Auxerre has a very ancient history being involved in river trade from the 1st century. In the Middle Ages increasing numbers of pilgrims came to worship the relics of Bishop Saint Germain. The cathedral of St Etienne was built on the foundations of several Gallo-Roman building and the crypt of the Abbey of Saint Germain is adorned with some of the oldest wall paintings in France.The old town of Auxerre has pedestrianized streets and is grouped around the Tour de l’Horloge.

Besançon – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Besançon is dated back to 58BC and has one of the most beautiful historic centers of any major town in France. The old Vauban citadel is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the town also features a 2nd century  Roman triumphal arch, the St. Jean’s cathedral with a massive Virgin and Saints altarpiece by the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Bartolomeo plus the, Musée des Beaux Arts, and the  Palais Granvelle.  The town has the oldest public art gallery in France, with an impressive collection of old masters and 19th century French art.

Chateau de Joux – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Chateau de Joux is an imposing fortified castle that commands the mountain pass Cluse de Pontarlier. Over the centuries it passed into the hands of Burgundy, and then the Hapsburgs and the Spanish. It was finally regained for France in 1687 by Louis XIV. The chateau was modernised by Vauban in 1690 and then again in 1879 where it was turned from a castle into a fort. In later years it served as a prison and now houses a museum.

Arbois – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Arbois is a small town that is centred around an arcaded square in the heart of the Jura wine growing area. In the town you will find the Tour Gloriette that was built in the 13th century, Château Pécauld, dating to the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, and which once belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy and now houses a small museum dedicated to wine growing and production, Saint Just church  and the Pasteur Museum.

Château-Chalon – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Château-Chalon is the birthplace of the famous Vin Jaune (literally yellow wine) made from late harvest grapes the chateau has views over the vineyards from the top of the cliff on which it is perched. The village grew up around the castle and gets its name from and the Benedictine abbey, but all that remains of these are the keep and the Romanesque church of Saint Pierre.

Vin Jaune – Burgundy Franche – Comte France

Vin Jaune is a special white wine made in the Jura. It is similar to dry fino Sherry however unlike sherry it is not a fortified wine. It gets its character from being matured in a barrel under a film of yeast, known as the voile, on the wine’s surface. The wine is made from the late harvest Savagnin grape.  On the first week end in February the La Percée du Vin Jaune (Opening of the Yellow Wine) is held to celebrate the first opening of the new vintage. It is held in a different village each year.