Postcards to Rick Steves |
FOOD
Let the culinary delights of this region be the main attractions of your visit! While Beaune may not have a mega-list of sights to see, it is the place to make your taste buds happy! If you must splurge a bit, do so here. In terms of food, Beaune was the best stop of my trip! Another benefit to a Rick Steves tour: you'll eat well! I had the best snails and, unexpectedly, the best chicken dish of my life here!
The Burgundy region is famous for several dishes, including: ~escargots (usually served in the shell in Burgundy, and almost always in yummy garlic butter) ~boeuf bourguignon (tender beef cooked in red wine with onions and mushrooms) ~ouefs en meurette (poached eggs in a red wine sauce) ~gougeres (puffy cheese pastries) ~(Dijon) mustard ~Spice bread ~Cheese (Epoisses, cow; Montrachet, goat). |
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WINE
While it was the Romans who brought wine-making knowledge with them to Burgundy thousands of years ago, it was the medieval monks there who established the strict, high-quality techniques that are still practiced today. The government controls how much winemakers can produce, to sustain high-quality. The average yield is much smaller than other wine regions of the world, and vineyards are tiny (about 15 acres, thanks to Napoleon and his insistence that land be divided equally), but the focus is on quality, not quantity. Indeed the 44 villages of Burgundy produce some of the best in the world.
Burgundian wines are characterized by fruity reds (from pinot noir grapes), dry whites (chardonnay), and rosé (gamay). Amongst many, many others, Chablis, Beaujolais, and Meursault are common types you will find. |
A walk around Beaune will take you past dozens of wine shops, many of which offer tastings. While there are a lot of cute shops to browse (clothes, kitchen and household items, fine foods, etc.), the wine shops outnumber them. Think of them like Starbucks in a big city: at least one on every block!
Step in and taste! The locals are happy to teach you about the local wines, and often waive the tasting fee with purchase. See the Tips & Discoveries page for more wine information! Other specialties to try: creme de cassis (black currant liqueur, very tasty in a kir) and eau de vie ("water of life"), a clear, colorless fruit brandy. |