Highlights of Paray-Le-Monial and Chateau Digoine in Burgundy France

You can get pizza any time you want.

Basilica of Paray-Le-Monial.  This is considered one of the finest examples of religious architecture from the Cluny period.

Paray-le-Monial has been nicknamed “the city of the Sacred Heart”.  The town is mostly known as a place of pilgrimage.  The priory church was built in the 12th century at the time of Hague’s of Semur, the sixth abbot of Cluny.  It was raised to the rank of minor Basilica in 1875 in dedication to the Sacred Heart, in remembrance of the apparitions of Christ to the visitation of nun Margaret Mary Alacoque who saw the apparition of the heart of Jesus between 1673 and 1675.  This was authenticated by her confessor, the Jesuit Father Claude La Colombiere.  The visitation chapel has been central to the largest pilgrimages in France beginning the summer of 1873 with 200,000 pilgrims.  To this day people continue their pilgrimage to Paray-Le-Monial.  

Interior of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart

The back of the Basilica is beautiful.

This little chapel is in the park by the Basilica.  A large covered area was provided for services.

Tour of Saint-Nicholas (XVI century) has had a long and varied history from worship to prison, guard room or town house.  It is now used for exhibitions.

War memorial in front of the Basilica

In the center of town a remodel is taking place.  These stones are being removed from the interior  of what looked to be a home.  This is some serious stone flooring.

Paray-Le-Monial is also known for its tile.  The sidewalks and a boulangerie have decorative tiles.

On a boulangerie floor.

Examples of sidewalk tiles found throughout the town.

At the contemporary art museum we found a mosaic exhibition from Canada.  The detail work exhibited in the art and tiny pieces these artists cut were astonishing.  

This piece is entitled Tipping the Scales.

This is one of seven images all in mosaic in a series called The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene.

One of the great pleasures of barging is being able to explore sights off the beaten path for most tourists.  We took an afternoon to visit Chateau de Digoine considered a jewel of Burgundy’s heritage.  It was initially a defensive structure belonging to the lords who played an important role in the court of the Dukes of Burgundy.  It became a holiday home in the late 18th century.  We weren’t permitted to take pictures of the interior.  

Chateau de Digoine

While the theatre hasn’t yet been restored, enough of it remains to give us a good idea of its grandeur during it’s pinnacle.

Detail of the theatre.

The theatre had to be impressive, as I find it still beautiful.

Green House

A view of the green house and Chateau de Digoine 

Another angle of the Chateau de Digoine

Interesting vocabulary:

Abbey:  a major monastery, presided over by an Abbot

Basilica:  a church built in a particularly important place, for instance a place of pilgrimage able to welcome many pilgrims.  Major basilicas are in Rome.  In France about a hundred churches were raised to the rank of minor basilicas during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cathedral:  the principal church of a diocese, with which the bishop is officially associated.

Priory Church:  the church of a community of monks of the order of Saint Benedict, under the spiritual direction of a prior, whose monastery depends on an abbey.

Off the Beaten Track in Burgundy, France

Tower of Charles Le Temeraire XV Century

 Upon entering Charolles we found a beautiful village crisscrossed with rivers and canals. It is nicknamed Charolais Venice.  We climbed up to the Castle of the Counts of Charolais and enjoyed the panoramic views of the old city.

Climbing up to see the sights and entering a park where the Mayor’s office is located.

What was once an old Clunisian priory is now a museum of local art history where earthenware is displayed along with paintings and sculptures.  The priory may have been founded in 929 and was linked to Cluny at the beginning of the XII century (1104).

Beautiful pottery was displayed in the museum.

It was a small but excellent exhibit.

The building’s structural integrity had us somewhat concerned as the timbered beams were all sagging.

This shows how the windows were being supported.  

A beautiful street of homes in the center of Charolles with a stream running through it.

I photographed this children’s store because it shows what the world is today with all ages being required to wear masks.  It’s our new reality world wide.  A beautiful home on the water is reflected in the window.

Picturesque old building with a tower on one side.

Church of the Sacre-Coeur

Interior of the Church

This beautiful canal with the lone fisherman was behind the church.

Years ago when we last cruised through Montceau Les Mines we discovered a Michelin rated restaurant located away from the center of town.  I was anxious to revisit Restaurant Jerome Brochot and see if we could get an equally delicious meal.  Last time there was no one who spoke English.  This time we were fortunate that the new server (of 2 weeks) did speak enough to help guide us.  Since we are adventuresome eaters we ordered the chief’s meal of the moment or Menu Gastronomic.It was six courses and we were not disappointed.  I requested a gluten free meal.  Tom was good for anything being served.  I haven’t shown here all of the courses.  But you’ll get the idea of what an amazing meal we had.

We ate inside as no outside dining was offered.  The tables were few and far apart.  Everyone had to show proof of vaccination in order to enter.  

Amuse Bouche

One of many dishes.

Seafood and vegetables 

Fish course.

Meat course.

Tom enjoying sorbet to cleanse the palate for the next course.

Our excellent meal was accompanied by this Sancerre.

Tom’s dessert for the grand finale.

Chateau de Bourgogne Sully, Montceau-les-Mines, Génelard Trench and the Canal du Centre

Chateau de Bourgogne Sully XVI Century

Visiting Chateau Sully is always nice, but sometimes we get lucky and the visit is exceptional.  This was one of those times.  We arrived towards the end of the day and lucked out with a private tour.  Normally the tours are conducted only in French, but since it was just us our lovely tour guide did the best she could with her English and we had a great visit.  After the tour of the chateau we had another treat.  

Chateau Sully behind us.

Front door to the Chateau which opens into their amazing courtyard.

Chateau Sully has a beautiful Renaissance courtyard.

Another view of Chateau Sully from the back.

This is the servants entrance to the Chateau.  After all, we wouldn’t want the servants to be seen by the owners or their guests. This also shows a small portion of the grounds.

The Chateau de Sully is only 30 minutes west of Beaune which makes it easy to visit. 

It is difficult for families today to be able to maintain these chateau and their grounds.  They require a tremendous amount of money,  The 9th Marquis de Mac Mahon and 4th Duc de Magenta acquired the Abbaye de Morgeot in nearby Chassagne-Montrachet.  The Marquis made it his life work acquiring and promoting his premier cru vineyards in Cassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet.  These vineyards are what make it possible for the family to maintain their chateau today.  The Duke died in 2002.  His widow has continued to run the home, estate and winery.  We’re told that after hours she is the one who runs the lawn mower and works hard keeping the grounds neat and orderly,  The sister of the Dutchess took us into the cellar for our wine tasting.  She kept us entertained with stories of what life is like even today living in the Chateau.  The widow and her children continue to live year round on the property,  If you can imagine, only two rooms have heat in the living quarters. Meanwhile I can confirm that they produce delicious wines.
 

We enjoyed our private wine tasting with the sister of the Dutchess Mac Mahon of Sully

We spent a few days in Monceau-les-Mines.  While there haven’t been many changes since our last visit this shop did surprise me.  

There’s a new shop in town.

This was the least pleasant mooring we’ve had in a long time.  We were side tied to this beat up old barge and had to climb over it in order to get to shore.

We found a series of lakes on one of our walks while in Montceau-les-Mines

We go under beautiful bridges leaving Montceau-les-Mines

Here Rabelo is cruising under the lifting bridges.

An attractive building along the canal.  It’s a shame the boulangerie wasn’t open.

Through the village of Génelard the Canal du Centre follows a long deep trench covered in stone.  It was originally used to transport materials and goods such as coal, tile, wood, iron…professions that have disappeared. 

Cruising through a narrow gorge.

Decoration along the trench that was carved out for the barges to continue their travels.

Coming around a bend at the end of the Géneland trench.

Lock doors are opening.

Rabelo exiting a lock.  It’s always a tight fit.

Rabelo tied up in St Leger sur Dheune 

It’s a small world.  We were able to visit with Jane Lee and Larry Winter on the hotel barge Finess. Jane Lee owns Town and Country Travel and we were fortunate enough to go with them to Africa on one of their guided trips.