UNDISCOVERED FRANCE:
A Leisurely Walk through Burgundy

Co-sponsored with the
University of Pennsylvania Museum

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Today, Burgundy is probably best known for its superb cuisine, extraordinary wines and luscious cheeses, but this region in central France has a long and dramatic history—it is truly a crossroads of civilization.  We know little about the earliest inhabitants of Burgundy, although they left their marks upon the landscape in the form of standing stones.  The Celtic people who arrived in the region during the first millennium BC were ferocious warriors whose priestly class, the Druids, were believed by the Romans to have access to mystical truth; the Gaulish Celts left no written record of their civilization, but the remarkable gold and silver artifacts recovered from Celtic tombs provide a glimpse into a sophisticated and complex society.  The Burgundian town of Alesia was the site of the final showdown between the independent Celtic tribes under Vercingetorix and the might of Rome, under Julius Caesar.  After the fall of Rome the area was invaded by another warlike people - the Germanic Burgonds who gave their name to the region.  During the Middle Ages, Burgundy witnessed the preaching of Crusades, the construction of great cathedrals, and the birth of a new monastic order under the Cistercian Bernard of Clairvaux.  By the fifteenth century, the region was one of the power centers of Europe, virtually independent from the French crown under the rule of the four Great Dukes of Burgundy, and locked in a struggle to the death with the king of France.  It is sobering to reflect that had the last Duke of Burgundy survived this conflict, the map of Europe today would be a very different shape. 

Far Horizon’s Undiscovered France: A Leisurely Walk Through Burgundy will explore many little known aspects of this fascinating region.  We will walk several sections of the ancient track that linked the Celtic city of Bibracte with Alesia, site of the Celts’ final defeat.  Along the way, we will visit some of the most famous monuments of Roman and Medieval Burgundy—the Roman Ruins at Autun, the Abbey of Fontenay, a UNESCO World Heritage site—but also standing stones, holy wells and country chapels. Our itinerary will include memorable meals; the Romans appreciated Burgundian wine, the Neolithic inhabitants of Burgundy are known to have eaten escargots, and we will follow in their footsteps by sampling local specialties such as oeufs en meurette (eggs poached in red wine) and epoisses d’Epoisses, one of the world’s great cheeses. 

ITINERARY:
(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner

DAY 1:  Depart the USA.

DAY 2:  Arrive Paris where you will be met and transferred into the city for a short walking tour. Then it’s on to the railroad station for the 7pm train to Montbard. Upon arrival, transfer to Villeferry where we move into Le Verger sous les Vignes, a complex of converted vintners’ cottages and our home for much of the trip. Gather this evening for our welcome dinner party. (D)

DAY 3:  Founded by the Emperor Augustus in the first century, Autun was one of the great centers of Roman Gaul. Although there are outstanding legacies from this period, this is also a medieval city still partly enclosed by imposing ramparts. Today’s walking tour takes us to the impressive Roman theater that formerly sat as many as 20,000 people; it is still used for spectacular if no longer deadly gladiatorial combats during festivals. We will walk through the massive Roman gates, and see the mysterious Temple of Janus.  Overnight for the next two nights at the Hotel Les Ursulines. Located within a 17^th century convent, and a member of the Relais et Chateaux group, this charming hostelry has gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside and is renowned for its tantalizing menu. (B/L/D)

DAY 4:  We begin our city walking tour with a visit to the Cathedral St. Lazare with its famous Romanesque tympanum sculpted by Giselbertus, one of the only sculptors of the period whose name has survived.  Move on to the Musée Rolin to see its fine collection of Roman, Gallo-Roman and Medieval artifacts, including 4^th century stone sarcophagi and more sculptures by Giselbertus, including the famous “Sleeping Eve.”  After lunch, hike to the mysterious Pierre de Couhard, a first century AD pyramidal monument whose function remains unknown. Walk on to the Cascade de Brisecou (Breakneck waterfalls!) for a panoramic view over the valley.  Free night in Autun. (B/L)

DAY 5:  Located in the Morvan, one of the wildest and most undeveloped parts of France, Bibracte was the capital of the Eduen Celts. Here, Vercingétorix called a council of war of the Gallic tribes in 52 BC in a doomed attempt to defeat the Romans. Walk the site from the peak of the hill (on clear days, Mont Blanc is faintly visible, hundreds of kilometers away) seeing ongoing archaeological excavation of the largest Celtic oppidum, or hill fortress, in Europe. Visit the Museum of Celtic Civilization that documents this important site.  Late lunch in a traditional restaurant in Arleuf, before walking to see the smallest Roman theater in France; only cows perform there now.  Drive back to Villeferry where we move into our accommodations for the next five nights at Le Verger sous les Vignes. Enjoy a cold buffet dinner this evening. (B/L/D)

DAY 6:  Drive to Vézelay, one of France's great pilgrimage sites during the Middle Ages. In 1146, St. Bernard preached here in favor of the Second Crusade, and it was here in 1190 that Philippe-Auguste and Richard the Lion-Hearted met before setting out on the Third Crusade. The fortified medieval hillside town lies at the foot of the huge Basilica dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, considered a Romanesque masterpiece for its architecture and fine decorative sculpture and classified as a World Heritage Monument by UNESCO. We will climb the steep main street, following in the steps of the medieval pilgrims who flocked here to worship the reputed relics of St. Mary Magdalene until the 13^th century when it was discovered that they were fakes (although they are still there and are still worshipped!). The famous tympanum over the inner door is a highlight of Burgundian Romanesque artwork. On to St Pierre-sous-Vezelay, where a Celtic sacred spring was transformed into a Roman bath complex. After lunch, visit Henry de Vezelay, a vineyard whose origins go back to the Gallo-Roman period; the vines were wiped out by the phylloxera in the 19^th century but replanted in the 1970s.  We will sample their chardonnay and a really fine Pinot Noir. (B/L/D)

DAY 7:  Begin the day with an easy five km. walk on an old Roman road through verdant woods. Our walk ends in Saulieu where we see the basilica of St. Andoche with its Romanesque sculpture, one of the few in the region that survived the Hundred Years War. Enjoy our picnic lunch of fresh baguettes, fruit, cheese, and wine along the way.  On to Escolives-St Camille by bus to visit a Roman bath complex and merovingian necropolis. Dinner at Le Cheval Blanc in Alise-Ste-Reine, a restaurant with an up and coming young chef of extraordinary talents. (B/L/D)

DAY 8: This morning’s tour is of ruined Chateau de Montfort, followed by the tranquil beauty of the Abbey of Fontenay, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  After our lunch in a local restaurant renowned for its regional cuisine, continue to the medieval city of Semur-en-Auxois with its towers and fortifications of pink granite that dominate the river Armançon, surrounding the town on three sides. Semur (Sinemurum) was a Gallic fortress in the dark ages and in feudal times a castle of the dukes of Burgundy. The 13^th century Church of Notre Dame here is one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture in Burgundy. We visit the gothic church and walk around the ramparts. (B/L/D)

DAY 9: Near the quiet modern-day town of Alise-Sainte Reine, Gaius Julius Caesar fought one of history's legendary battles. His opponent, Vercingetorix, an Avernian chieftain, had raised a great confederacy of Gallic tribes to hurl the Romans once and for all from their war-torn lands and Caesar's legions were outnumbered by their enemies roughly six to one. Yet his victory at Alesia and the surrender of Vercingetorix was so complete that many historians view the siege as definitive in the bloody attempt to impose Roman rule on the Gauls. Explore the well-excavated Gallo Roman city and the charming 19^th century museum. Walk a shady five kms. along an ancient Gallo-Roman track to the neighboring medieval village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, the French town where the Oscar-nominated film Chocolat was filmed. After lunch in a local restaurant, spend the afternoon on a walking tour of the medieval town with a private visit to the Carolingian crypt. (B/L/D)

DAY 10: Spend today in Sequani territory. Visit the beautiful source of the Seine, once a Celtic holy site and then a Gallo-Roman bath complex. Then, walk through a lush forest along medieval boundary markers with a stop for a picnic. In the afternoon, visit the museum in Chatillon-sur-Seine which houses one of the most amazing discoveries of Celtic archaeology, the Treasure of Vix, discovered in the grave of a 6^th century BC Celtic princess or priestess.  The grave goods include gold jewelry and the famous crater of Vix, a massive bronze crater of Greek origin. Drive on to the Relais Rose, a charming country inn with a remarkable restaurant and an unbelievable wine cellar, where we will overnight tonight. (B/L/D)

DAY 11: Now a tiny, sleepy town on a road to nowhere, St. Elophe sous Soulosse was once a thriving Gallo-Roman community on the main highway between Dijon and Treves. According to tradition, a local saint was put to death here; as soon as his head was cut off, he picked it up and began to walk until he reached the site where the church now stands. We’ll retrace his footsteps, noting a series of medieval pilgrim stops along the way, and visit the tiny local museum with its interesting collection of Gallo-Roman gravestones. After our picnic lunch, visit the extraordinary amphitheater of Grand, one of the biggest in the Western Roman Empire, and the museum with its extraordinarily well preserved mosaics. This evening, as we return to Le Verger, we will stop for dinner at renowned Bourg-A-Mond, in Chatillion sur Seine. (B/L/D)

DAY 12:  Visit Les Bolards, a Gallo-Roman site at Nuits St. Georges, with a museum located in a former wine merchant's house, and full of fascinating finds.  There will be the opportunity to buy wine before lunch at the Restaurant de la Tour, housed in a medieval tower. In the afternoon walk to the ruins of the 13^th century Abbey of St. Margaret, and hike to a prehistoric site across the valley.  Dinner will be cold buffet. (B/L/D)

DAY 13:  This morning, we take a short bus ride to the nearby castle of Malain, a medieval fortress inhabited by two feuding sisters during the 14^th century; nearby is the Roman camp of Mediolanum, currently in the process of excavation. For almost 2000 years, Dijon has been a merchant city on an international trade route. The city’s strategic position is due to the tin merchants' route during the Celtic period. It was the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy and today is famous for its wines, its cuisine, and its historical heritage. After driving to the city, enjoy a walking tour of the city. At the Archaeological museum view finds from Sources de la Seine. Continue to the Church of St. Benigne with its ancient crypt. Our lunch will be in Bistrot des Halles, a classic French Bistrot run by one of Burgundy’s great chefs. Overnight for the next two nights in the historic Hotel du Nord in the old section of Dijon. (B/L/D)

DAY 14: In the morning, explore the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy.  The tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, which are among the most impressive examples of late medieval sculpture, and the ducal kitchens evoke visions of gargantuan feasts.  One wing of the Palace houses the Beaux-Arts museum containing a fine collection of paintings from the medieval to the modern period. This afternoon, walk through the city to see the Church of Notre-Dame, the cobble-stoned streets with their medieval and renaissance houses.  Free time for shopping. Dinner is on your own this evening allowing you to prepare for tomorrow’s early departure.  (B/L)

DAY 15: Depart this morning on the train to Paris and then on to the airport for an afternoon flight back to the USA. (B)

TRIP LEADER
Maud Burnett McInerney received her PhD from University of California, Berkeley, in Comparative Literature, and her BA in English, Latin and Greek from the University of Toronto. She is presently Assistant Professor of English at Haverford College in Pennsylvania where she teaches courses in Medieval Studies, with an emphasis on iconography and medieval French and English literature. McInerney’s book Eloquent Virgins from Thecla to Joan of Arc was published by Palgrave Press; she is also the author of many articles on medieval topics. Maud lived in France for several years as a child and returns every summer to her family home in Flavigny; she is a fluent French speaker and her familiarity with the folklore and history of Burgundy, and with its flora and fauna, will make traveling with her a very special experience.

Jeremy McInerney received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992.  He is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. A specialist in both Greek and Roman history, McInerney has published extensively on his subject. He is the author of The Folds of Parnassos: Land and Ethnicity in Ancient Phokis, published by the University of Texas Press, and consultant for “What Life was Like in Ancient Greece” for Time-Life Books, and a featured speaker on videos of full-length university lectures about the Greek World produced by The Teaching Company. McInerney is a recipient of the Ira Abrams Award for Distinguished Teaching, one of the University of Pennsylvania’s highest teaching honors. His charming personality, warm sense of humor, and knowledge of ancient history and architecture will make the trip a special one for you.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Register for this Trip

TRIP DATES: No trips currently scheduled

TRIP COST:
(per person, double occupancy).  Includes all hotels, meals as noted, entry fees, and all ground transportation.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:

NOT INCLUDED: Roundtrip international airfare from the USA; passport fees, all lunches, dinners as noted, beverages or food not on regular menus, airport departure taxes, laundry, excess baggage charges and other items of a personal nature.

NOTE ABOUT WALKS: This trip is designed to include leisurely walks everyday. These walks will be over well- maintained paths or roads. Participants should be able to walk 3-4 miles at a relaxed pace.

RESERVATION: A deposit of $500.00 required with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days before departure. Any cancellation received in writing at least 75 days before the starting date will result in a cancellation fee of $250.00. Cancellations received less than 75 days before departure will not receive a refund. If you should be unable to complete the tour for any reason, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. The purchase of travel protection with both trip cancellation and emergency evaluation is strongly recommended.

Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a clothing and equipment list. An information book designed for this trip, including maps of archaeological sites and articles of pertinent interest, will be sent upon receipt of final payment.

LIMITED TO 18 PARTICIPANTS