Un Rêve Devient Réalité

The last time I was in Burgundy was around 25 years ago.  In fact, back then I was here a couple of times within three years.  Both times, I tried to stay at a charming looking hotel in a little village just north of Nuits St. Georges called Vougeot - not that I remembered the name all these years later.  Each time, either because the hotel was full or too expensive, I didn't get to stay there.  

So, when we were planning this trip to Burgundy and looking for a place to stay between Beaune and Dijon, it was almost destined that Jo had found an article about Vougeot in a cycling post and was interested in seeing it.  When we searched for a place to stay, up came Hotel Le Clos de la Vouge.  It was THAT hotel.  It has taken a very long time for me to fulfill my dream of staying here but finally it came to pass.  Further, over the years, the hotel has been updated and, when we checked in today, it became very apparent that it is one of the most lovely places I have ever stayed in.  I am so lucky!  My dream became reality!

On the short drive from Beaune to Vougeot, we following the Route des Grands Crus, a wine route which passes through some of the world's most famous wine names:  Pommard, Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay, to name a few.  We had downloaded an app on our phones called Balades en Bourgogne.  It has a number of self-guided tours on it including a very good walking tour of Beaune plus the driving one we used yesterday.  As we approached each village, the app automatically started "talking" about the particular village and its history and wines.  Sometimes, it was a bit too much detail for me but it was very informative.

Since I was here the last time, "les climats" in the region have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Basically, they are small parcels of land usually surrounded by a stone wall.  The name often given to them is "clos" (a closed in area) such as Clos de Vougeot.  The gates to enter them usually have their name on them.  From the WHS website, the description is:

The "climats" are precisely delimited vineyard parcels on the slopes of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune south of the city of Dijon. They differ from one another due to specific natural conditions (geology and exposure) as well as vine types and have been shaped by human cultivation. Over time they came to be recognized by the wine they produce. This cultural landscape consists of two parts. Firstly, the vineyards and associated production units including villages and the town of Beaune, which together represent the commercial dimension of the production system. The second part includes the historic centre of Dijon, which embodies the political regulatory impetus that gave birth to the climats system. The site is an outstanding example of grape cultivation and wine production developed since the High Middle Ages.

The countryside looks a bit like a patchwork quilt with these different wine plots.  

We walked around Vougeot to see the Clos de Vougeot, sipping a Vougeot chardonnay as we went along.  We were so happy that the sun had finally come out.  It is easiest the best day so far.

Back in Vougeot, there was a roller blade half marathon starting at 3:30 which would go from here to Dijon, some 25 km north.  First, however, the people doing the full marathon who had started in Dijon had to pass through.  By the time we got to where the race was being held, most of the accomplished roller bladers had already passed by and some of the less experienced participants were arriving.  There was a hill the racers came down as they approached the village and then a sharp turn to the right.  We saw at least 6 or 7 people wipe out - some seriously - and there were at least 5 ambulances plus lots of "moto-medics" (medics on motorbikes) as well as nurses and doctors available to assist the "fallen".  It was quite a spectacle!

Once all that excitement was finished, we headed back to our hotel - about 100 m away - and sat on the patio in the sunshine sipping our drinks (wine for me).  What a treat!