1. Beaune is a walled town in the center of the Burgundy region. Famous for its wine but also for its 15th century architecture, it’s a lovely place to visit if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of some of the more popular French cities.
2. The jewel of Beaune is without a doubt the Hôtel-Dieu. The 15th century former hospital is now home to a museum, but its best known for its colorful tiled roof.
3. These three keys are symbolic of the three keys sealing the iron door that protects more than 2,000 bottles of the best Grand crus of Beaune. One of the keys is in the hospice, one in the town hall, and the last with André Boisseaux, the head of Patriarche, the most illustrious of the Beaune wine houses. The wine was locked away in 1963 and reopened in 2000.
4. This arch is one of the former gates to the walled city. I’ve always been surprised by how anachronistic these old portes are in modern cities.
5. Beaune is far enough to the south that you still get a bit of that beautiful southern French pink tinge of light as you wander through the city.