Page 132 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

130 BACK ROADS FRANCE

Slopes of Gold Nuits
Pasilly
In 1790, during the French Revolution, the Duchy NOYERS Sanvigne
of Bourgogne was divided into the four Sarry
Aisy-sur-
departments which exist today – the Nièvre, Nitry Armançon Buffon
Saône-et-Loire, Yonne and Côte d’Or. The Côte
Joux-la-Ville Châtel-Gérard
d’Or is said to bear the greatest resemblance to Massangis
ancient Bourgogne, where vines and Romans Dissangis
arrived on the scene in the 1st century. Its Lucy- l'lsle-sur-Serein Vassy
name, “slope of gold”, comes from the sun Voutenay- le-Bois Montréal
sur-Cure
glistening on the vine leaves. The vineyards YONNE
Blannay Époisses
have bounced back from several disasters –
nearly 90 per cent were wiped out by the Avallon Sauvigny-
le-Bois
phylloxera pest in the 1870s. From the
Cussy-les-Forges Serein
wine routes, the Côte d’Or spreads north Saint-Père
Marrault
to historic Cistercian abbeys, Gallo-Roman VÉZELAY Rouvray
battlefields and riverside medieval villages, Domecy Chastellux-
sur-Cure sur-Cure
and west to feudal châteaux, canals and la Roche-en-Brenil
CHÂTEAU DE
the Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan. The BAZOCHES Quarré-les-Tombes
Morvan park wraps itself like a large green cloak Chalaux Lac de
Saint-Agnan
around 117 towns and villages in Burgundy, offering
lakes and mountains, and farm-fresh produce. Cure Dun-
les-Places
Lormes SAULIEU
St-Brisson
Brassy
NIÈVRE
Parc Naturel Régional du Morvan
Vauclaix Montsauche-les-Settons
Les Settons
Ouroux- Moux-en-
en-Morvan Morvan
LAC DES
SETTONS
Chaumard
Lac de Chissey-en-Morvan
Pannecière Planchez
M o r v a n
Lucenay-
ACTIVITIES Anost l’Evêque
Try a variety of wines at Beaune’s la Celle-
bars à vins en-Morvan
Stroll among Beaune’s eco-friendly,
award-winning gardens Monthelon
Cycle alongside the Canal de Bourgogne
between Châteauneuf-en-Auxois and
Pouilly-en-Auxois
Attend a concert at the Abbaye de Fontenay
Treasure hunt for old jewels and knick-knacks in
Burgundy’s village brocantes, or antiques shops
Dine on Charolais beef and other rural
gastronomy in Saulieu
Kayak, fish or windsurf on the Lac des Settons
Above Tractor tracks through fields near Châteauneuf-en- Admire Gallo-Roman vestiges and religious art at
Auxois, see p133 the Musée Rolin in Autun