Tournus and Chalon-sur-Saone

We went into the Cathedral Saint Philibert Vincent which was a former Abbey and one with the zodiac signs in the floor. You can read about it's history and why it is special here https://www.tournus.fr/le-site-abbatial-de-saint-philibert

Loved this statue holding what I assume is scripture

The day was hot and muggy but carrying on north again to Chalon-sur-Saone we found a delightful town which I would go back to again. At night it is magical with the bridge lit up as per Christoph, but even in the day there are many half timbered houses and there is a charm that is difficult to describe.

Tolls on the highways, you enter a drive through booth, get a ticket and when exiting the area have to pay mostly via bank card but today a lady had her hazards on and the machine on our side only took cash. Anyway good day, hot day, had some disappointments but glad to have gone to Chalon-Sur-Saone, a find, and will return.

Saturday 14th We tried to get to Closstlouis winery but they told Christoph rather tersely that they aren’t open to the public. I read that for many wineries using distribution customers is more cost efficient than opening to the general public and now with Covid even more so. They open bottles for tasting and it is just not worth it for them any more, while I always buy, I would guess others may not so their wine and time is wasted.

We went to Chez Jeannette a restaurant in Fixin where the food is fancy French including an amuses bouche (starter from the chef). Food was good and service was better than we remembered from the time we were there before. Stopped in at the newly renovated church of l’englise de Fixey. It is quite small but very old and charmingly well taken care of. See the article https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89glise_Saint-Antoine_de_Fixey

After we carried on to La Ferme Fruirouge, the owner Sylvain Olivier is knowledgeable and friendly about the area and especially cassis products. I bought cassis mustard, vinegar and vodka (tasted the vodka and don’t particularly like it, but the mustard is yummy). I also bought some wine so we did two transactions, one for him and the cassis products, the other for his brother’s wine. The wine is made by Manuel Olivier, I bought a chardonnay, a rose and a red. If the chardonnay is anything to go by it’s wonderful!

And that was a week with Christoph driving around, he came back first week of September so there will be more posts about visits to towns around Dijon. In the meantime I've been wandering Dijon and enjoying the city.

All for now, Cheers