Barging Through Burgundy Continues… Chateauneuf and Semur-en-Auxois

Lunch at the beautiful Abbaye de lal Bussiere

Recently I was sitting under a large umbrella watching the leaves gently falling from magnificent old trees while bees were busily gathering pollen from the lavender plants.  It’s FALL here!

Since we are in Vandenesse–en-Auxois for an extended period of time and have a car we decided to explore the surrounding area. 

We lunched at the Abbaye de la Boussiere.  As you can see we were enamored by the whole experience there.

Abbaye de la Bussiere with a Michelin starred restaurant.  The owners took a run down Abbaye and have been lovingly restoring it and turned it into a magnificent hotel.

An interior view

One view of the grounds.

There are even little ponies grazing on the lush lawns.

Viewing Chateauneuf from the Burgundy Canal.  Can it get any better?

Picking berries coming down from Chateauneuf.  They were delicious!

We walked up to Chateauneuf.  Our reward was lunch at the top…two times.  We had a fabulous time there.  We met and got to know (briefly) tourists from all parts of the world.  The food at the crepe restaurant was delicous.

A detail in Chateauneuf over a doorway.

 We discovered the delightful town of Semur-en-Auxois in the heart of Burgundy.  The population is 4500 and lies half way between Paris and Lyon. It is a delightful medieval city and worth spending a day exploring by foot.

Semur city gate

Semur is a charming town.

Semur with its medieval buildings.

Notre-Dame Church with construction that started in the 1220's.  It was badly damaged during the revolution and restored in 1846.  It is an excellent example of Gothic Art.

These stained glass windows from the XV Century are for the chapel of the butcher. 

This is possibly the last boat-shaped-wash house left in Burgundy.  It was built in 1906.

Rampart and towers.

Look closely and you can see how they are trying to keep the tower from crumbling.

The distinctive white cattle of Burgundy.  Here is  a Charolles bull.