Loire to Dijon - Rain, Wind and Mustard....
Trip Start
Aug 21, 2010
1
17
27
Trip End
Sep 22, 2010
Dijon, Burgundy, France
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
We left Treves about 9.30am with the GPS calling all the shots. The plan was to go to Dijon via Amboise, and visit the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci. However, like all computer-driven technology, it's only as good as the instructions it's given, so after me seeing the turnoff to Amboise and Tony saying, "no, the GPS know's what it's doing", we travel on via the motorway. An hour and a half later, and $30 NZD poorer on motorway tolls, we arrive in Bourges...............this was meant to be our lunch stop but we were there in time for morning tea!!!!
Unfortunately, Amboise was now a long way behind us so we never did get to see Leonardo's fabulous inventions.....................Cie la Vie!
Bourges would have been a nice town to stop in but we arrived right at the same time as a huge protest in the town square. The police were diverting everyone from the main road which caused the GPS to have a 'spack'..........how do you tell a machine that we cannot go that way??? We gave up trying to negotiate the narrow streets and protesters and drove on.......
Eventualy we came to Autun; a fairly inconsequential town except that it has a random roman amphitheatre........as you do in France! However, there wasn't a lot to see compared to Italy and the weather was not the best. We were travelling through rain most of the way and finally arrived in Dijon about 5pm.The GPS (it does have it's uses) took us to our apartment, right in the heart of the old town. We even had our name on the door......."M et Mme Maggie Hickton"............classic!
The apartment is beautiful.............(actually better than the internet this time) and we quickly managed to fill it with our suitcases and 'stuff'. Once settled in, we headed out to get dinner. We only had to go round the corner to discover a whole square of restaurants to choose from.
We both chose a 'local' dish....Oeufs Meurette...basically poached eggs on toast but covered in a red wine and onion sauce/soup. It was divine and I think would be a fabulous 'hangover cure'! However, that was just the entree.....Tony chose Steak Tatare and I had a' simple' pizza that I couldn't finish.Then back to the apartment for a well deserved sleep............it's hard being on holiday!
Next day and the weather was against us. Grey, cool and a slight wind, reminiscent of Wellington. We were having a non-driving day which meant walking round the old town of Dijon and shopping. Even Tony was glad to be inside the shops as it was warmer....! We tasted and bought some lovely mustards...........you can fill your own pot....I love that!
We enjoyed the wonderful old half-timbered houses and the flags in the streets....The shops are great and there aren't the huge crowds that Paris has. (The queues in Paris to try clothes on the the changing rooms has to be seen to be believed!!).
Dijon is a great town and we are really liking it.....just a pity that the sun's not shining right now. Apparently, Saturday will be brilliant but we'll be gone by then....:-)
Comments
$30- How long is the motorway? and is the GPS a French device.
The motorway was about 100km long. The toll roads (motorways) run the width and breadth of France but not all motorways are tolled. It makes a huge difference to the length of time it takes to get from A to B as you are able to travel at 130+kph.