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Day 5
After coffee in a square in Nuit St George where the clock chimed in wonderfully discordant fashion, we drove up into the vineyards and met Claudette Simon, a gruff woman with large hardworking hands, whiskers on her chin and a dour expression. She soon mellowed and delighted in showing us her wines and telling us all about them, even miming the tramping of the grapes. She also made Cassis, which smelt of freshly crushed blackcurrants and Elaine said tasted devine. We had to buy some wine there because her husband was Paul Simon- I didn't know he made wine as well as singing, did you? We motored on to Beaune, which was mediaeval with narrow cobbled streets. A plat de jour in the sunshine followed by a drive to Auberge Tante Yvonne on the northern fringes of Lyon. Our rooms are small, clean and overcrowded with magnificent old oak and walnut furniture. A night of awe inspiring storms and persistent rain. Tomorrow we are motoring hard down the Rhone to get south.

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