Dijon by night & a visit to Beaune.

Saturday 1^st April

Last night we decided to go for a walk after dinner. Andrew thought the buildings might be lit up they were...and looked even more beautiful.

The 46 metre Tower Phillip le Bon was built in the middle of the 15th Century! In the foreground is the Palace of the Dukes...it was their tombs, featuring golden winged angels that we visited yesterday.

Looking back from the Palace forecourt

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This morning we drove 195 k's from Dijon to Lyon. Along the way we called into Beaune, a walled city still displaying its original battlements, ramparts, moats and an historical "old town." The highlight of our time there was visiting the Hospices de Beaune a jewel of flamboyant Gothic architecture founded in 1443 by Nicholas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy, as a hospital for the poor. The original hospital building, the Hôtel-Dieu, one of the finest examples of French fifteenth-century architecture, is now a museum. The stunning polychrome roof is made of glazed flat tiles that draw colourful patterns characteristic of the traditional architecture of Burgundy.

While the main hall beneath its painted beams seems a peaceful and even elegant place today, it's important to remember that each of these beds was, in earliest days, assigned two occupants.

When Guignone became Rolin’s third wife in 1423 (her predecessors were deceased) it appears that she held great influence with her husband, and it was this influence that reputedly saw the establishment of the Hospices de Beaune.The bond between the two is reflected in entwined initials in tapestries and floor tiles where the initials appear together with ‘Only her’.

We arrived in Lyon this afternoon and once again we're VERY impressed with our apartment...another great location, it's very spacious and well equipped. We were met here by Elizabeth, the guardian of the complex, she showed us our car park and the features of the place. Her English is non existent and my schoolgirl French wasn't much help so she enlisted the help of her friend who lives on the floor above us...it was lovely to meet them both...they told us which bread shop has the best baguettes, a couple of restaurants to try and not to miss the market that will be just one block away tomorrow. We have had a lovely introduction to Lyon and will surely enjoy our three days here.

I have been having technical difficulties with my fitbit...it was still on Melbourne time! Andrew has worked out the problem and now I can track our steps...Todays reading is 7.38 k's.