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Published: July 14th 2017
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Beaune
A walk along the ramparts. We wake to a wet morning. This has not happened many times on this trip. Perhaps today is the day we will wear our raincoats. Market days are a big feature throughout Europe. Each city, town or village has a day or two set aside for its market. Today we plan to be at the market in the village of Chagny. The weather is clearing so we are optimistic about keeping dry. The coats are packed just in case.
The drive takes about fifteen minutes and in that time we have sunshine, drizzle and heavy rain. But on arrival in Chagny the rain stops. We put our coats on, just in case. It is as well we did. Light rain returns and our coats get wet for the first time in eight weeks. We cannot complain. On the last trip it was hard to keep the coats dry for the first few weeks.
We stop under the awning of one “retailer” looking at the Italian clothes he has for sale. He explains he does a market circuit each day of the week. He has given up going to Paris. The four to five hour drive for two hours of
Beaune
A golden rain tree, we have one in NZ. business wasn’t worth the effort. The rain stops and we move down the rows of vendors stopping at a fruit stall. Here we have a chance of purchasing locally grown tomatoes, cherries and peaches. Along the row we stop at an olive stall. Two women from St Tropez offer us a sample of an olive and tomato paste on bread. They are ready to sell us a bag full at 39 euro per kilo. We buy 10 olives instead. The weight doesn’t register but hand over some cash anyway. Next on the shopping list is fresh out of the oven French bread stick. The lunch platter is looking good but one final purchase. We are assured by the vendor that his apricots are the best in the world. Little does he know he is talking to official apricot tasters from the world famous apricot growing region of Central Otago, NZ. We buy six to make him happy. Our final purchase – two cheap umbrellas. With a flourish the stall holder whips them out of their covers, unfurls them to check they have spokes and canopy attached, folds them up and the purchase is made. Within minutes they are in use.
Beaune
Preparing for the concert. Back at the apartment we prepare our feast. What a lunch feast it is. And the apricots? Well, not too bad but not quite the tree-ripened beauties we have become accustomed to. We decide not to settle down for our afternoon nap but make one last trip into Beaune and walk the ramparts. It is during this walk we detour into the town and stop at the cathedral. We visited here two years ago so it isn’t on the current visiting list, but it is as well we made the stop again. Inside, an ensemble is preparing for an evening concert of music by Bach and Telemann. We stay a while and after very little thought decide we need to return for the 9:00 pm concert.
Back at the apartment, after a light meal of bits and pieces that need finishing we return to the cathedral early to purchase tickets for the concert. This concert is one of many being performed in Beaune each weekend during July. The concert features the counter tenor Damien Guillon and ensemble Le Banquet Celeste. The music in such surroundings was superb. As the concert came to an end the audience showed their
Beaune
A quiet Sunday afternoon. appreciation with prolonged applause. After two encores the audience finally let the performers leave the stage. It was a wonderful way to end a week in Burgundy.
As we drove “home” in the dark with rain falling you could still feel the buzz from the concert. A fox crossing a harvested wheat field stopped and stared wondering what we were on. Only a concert generated high.
Tomorrow we re-pack the car for our journey to Nancy.
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