The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur
April 30 - Around Burgundy
Today
we covered ground and got Janet caught up on her sightseeing. The day started
cool and rainy so we figured that something indoor would be the way to go. The
logical choice was the Hotel Dieu in Beaune. Don't be misled by the name. In
France, "Hotel" in the title does not always mean lodging. Hotel de
Ville, for example, is the City Hall. In this case the word had something to
do with beds ... but for the sick.
The Hundred Years War and the Black Death devastated the area the the 1400's, leaving more than 90% of the population destitute. Hotel Dieu was built as a charity hospital to provide care for the peasants who could not find it elsewhere. Conditions were remarkable for their day, although medical technology at the time was bloodletting ... and the display of surgical implements of the period seems more appropriate for a torture museum than an institution of healing.
But wait ... what is this glaring light? Could it be ... the sun?
Scattered patches of blue sky promised a sunny afternoon (finally!) and got us thinking about a different itinerary. So we passed up the dozens of antique shops and wine-tasting venues in favor of some quick shopping, had a light lunch outdoors in a sidewalk cafe for the first time on this trip) and headed off to the hills.
We made quick visits to several old favorites and ran across a few new finds, ending the day with 85 photos in the camera! I will not burden you with all of them, but you can see a few of the highlights on the attached pages.
It seems like we just got here but it is time to move on. Tomorrow is Labor Day in France -- a major holiday -- and many places will be closed. This should make it a perfect day for traveling a few hours north to Versailles for the night and then into Paris on Sunday. Stay tuned.
© 2004 Restaurant Doctor
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