BURGUNDY & BEYOND
Over a long, hot summer, Sonia Wignall journeys through fields of sunflowers, alpine meadows and snowy peaks, then on to Germany
There’s nothing quite like a long overseas tour to satisfy one’s zest for adventure, and with the prospect of an extended European summer trip ahead of us, the Eurotunnel had never looked so appealing.
We journeyed first to the sunflower-filled landscapes of the Burgundy region, where the idyllic canalside village of Cravant beckoned.
This was the perfect place for us to enjoy some lazy, carefree days. This region is an intoxicating mix of historic villages, intricate waterways and of course, wine! Simply put, it’s typically French in every way. It has a real feel-good factor, not to mention some excellent cycle routes.
We explored the glorious countryside with the warm air on our faces lifting our spirits as we paused beside the water. Simple pleasures!
At the hilltop village of Mailly-le-Château, colourful swathes of sunflowers lined the canal towpath. They were just beautiful.
Boating is very popular in these parts and we enjoyed watching the sometimes comical antics on the water. It was great to see lots of people enjoying the boats and the weather and the freedom of being out and about.
Birds, butterflies and boats painted a pretty picture amid the stunning countryside.
Hilltop towns with long history
We could have spent longer here, but Vézelay was too tempting – a hilltop town famed for its church and relics of Mary Magdalene. This is another pretty place, and clearly popular – the restaurants were full of outdoor diners.
Moving on, we reached the town of Autun, which boasts a fascinating Roman amphitheatre. A signpost for cascades took us into the hills, where we soon reached an ancient structure, which we later discovered was built in the first century and is known as the Couhard Pyramid.
The heat was intense, so it was no wonder that the cascades were dry! We didn’t mind too much, though, because the views of the Burgundy countryside were striking.
We carried on to the charming town of Nolay, where we found a historic market square that was surrounded by beautiful half-timbered buildings, all full of character.
But it was time to leave for the mountains. The Alps were calling and, given the number of traffic jams we’d encountered, we decided the toll-roads would be our preferred route.
Alpine splen
