In and Around Cormatin

Cormatin itself has a very fine example of a château with extensive gardens, you can wander around and imagine yourself as one of the Ducs de Bourgogne! Around Cormatin there are many fine examples of Romanesque villages where you can stroll along the cobbled streets, take in the village life at a kerb side café, enjoy the bustle of market day and absorb the peace and tranquillity of the exquisite Romanesque churches. A superb example of Romanesque architecture can be seen in Chapaize, and between Chapaize and Tournus, perched on top of a hill, you will find the Mediaeval village of Brancion with its Romanesque church with frescos and its mediaeval castle dominating the surrounding area.

Religion has seeped into the fabric of the region and the ecumenical Christian community of Taizé is just around the corner from La Tuilerie (just under 2 miles walking or 3 miles by car). Taizé attracts young people from around the world and is famous for its "Taizé Songs" (a modern version of Gregorian chants). The church services at Taizé are also worth a visit just to absorb the atmosphere that this unique place exudes.

Cluny, the "light of the world", where the largest church in Christendom was built is just 10 minutes away by car. A tour of this church is a must. Although there is virtually nothing left of the vast original abbey, the tour takes you through where the church stood and allows you to experience the grandeur and awe of the original magnificent monument built to the glory of God. Cluny is not only famous for its religious roots, but also for its horses. One of the National Studs (Haras) was installed here in Napoleon’s time and stands on land that was part of the abbey. You can take a tour around the Haras, with at least one tour per day being given in English. There is a horse racing track where regular meetings are held, flat racing, harness trotting and steeple chasing all take place there. Last but not least there is the Equivallée, which is becoming one of the important horse show jumping venues in France.

The nearby town of Tournus is worth a visit with its abbey church and Hôtel Dieu, however, this ancient hospital is nothing like as spectacular as the one in Beaune.

If you are feeling a bit adventurous, why not visit the caves at Blanot or Azé and see the marvels of nature in the underground caverns. Blanot is not for the claustrophobic or for people with vertigo, but Azé is a relatively gentle stroll.

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Day Trips

Whilst there is more than enough to do in the immediate surroundings, there are a number of places that are worth taking a day trip for.

The Mâconnais is well worth visiting for its Romanesque architecture, the many exquisite châteaux and the beautiful landscape.

A walk up the Roche de Solutré, a rock formation not far from Mâcon, is well worth it for the spectacular views over the surrounding vineyards. There is a museum at the bottom of the rock that is dedicated to the prehistory of the area.

For Romanesque art, there are some very special frescos round here though, the best can be found in the Chapelle des Moines in the village of Berzé-la-Ville, just down the road from Berzé-le-Châtel with its impressively complete mediaeval castle linked to Cluny by tunnels and with stunning views in all directions. On the subject of castles, Pierreclos has a lovely château with wine tasting in the cellars after the tour.

Moving into the Brionnais you will find Paray-le-Monial, a place of pilgrimage, where you can see the Romanesque basilica, a "miniature" version of the Cluny abbey church which is still standing and is well worth a visit. Just round the corner from the basilica is the impressive Renaissance Hôtel de Ville. In other places in the Brionnais there are also excellent examples of Romanesque churches to be seen, for example in Semur-en-Brionnais and Anzy-le-Duc.

In the Morvan there is the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery built in Europe, the Temple of the Thousand Buddhas (Kagyu Ling) at La Boulaye. Kagyu Ling is in harmony with, but strangely in contrast to, the green rolling hills of the Burgundy landscape. Hundreds of Buddhists come to La Boulaye every year to take part in the many ceremonies and many other people come just to experience and take part in a Buddhist service. There is also a Serbian-orthodox monastery in Uchon in the Morvan. The monks make religious icons for sale and at certain times of the day you can visit the beautifully painted refectory and other parts of the monastery.

When mentioning the Côte d’Or most people think only of its outstanding wines (like Nuits-Saint-Georges) or they think of Dijon, but Beaune is also very well worth a visit. Give yourself the time to wander around the streets of Beaune and visit the stunning Hôtel-Dieu (which was a working hospital until 1971), with its spectacular roofs of coloured tiles which are only visible when you get into the internal courtyard. Also within the hospital complex is the famous altar piece "The last judgement" by the Flemish artist Rogier van der Weyden, that attracts tourists from around the world. In Beaune there are a number of small museums that are worth a look, most notably the wine museum telling you all about wine from grafting on to the vine to producing the finished article. Don’t forget to visit one of the wine cellars (caves) in the town centre, most notably the Marché aux Vins, in the former church of the Cordeliers close to the Hôtel-Dieu, where for a few Euros you can not only visit the cave but you can also taste some of the most expensive wines in Burgundy if not in the world.

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Big Towns

Dijon, the home of mustard, has more to offer than just the hot stuff, it is well worth a full-daytrip. Dijon was one of the residences of the Dukes of Bourgogne. The Musée des Beaux Arts has been installed in the magnificent Dukes' palace. The museum houses a superb collection of paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages. The number of superbly carved sarcophagi of various Dukes are one of the highlights of a visit to the palace. Apart from the palace, there are numerous very interesting churches to visit along with the Gothic cathedral of Saint Bénigne being one of the highlights. As you walk through the streets, around every corner you will find something different, there are many old buildings with stunning facades but don’t forget to look up at the roofs many of which are covered in beautifully coloured glazed tiles. A day in Dijon would not be complete without buying yourself some pots of the real stuff, available in many flavours. The mustard with blackcurrant is quite something else! Apart from mustard, Dijon is the culinary capital of Burgundy; what better way to complete your day out than to sample what one of the many excellent restaurants has to offer.

In the département of Rhône, where the Rhône and the Saône rivers come together, is the large city of Lyon. Lyon was once the silk centre of Europe. La Croix-Rousse is the district where this industry flourished and where the silk workers (Canuts) lived and worked. In the old city (Vieux Lyon) you will find small hidden alleyways (traboules) between and within the houses; when you find out how the system works, you will spend all morning going up and down these secret passages enjoying the fun of discovering where you reappear on the other side. Their real intention was to enable the long heavy rolls of silk to be transported to different areas of the city by the quickest route whilst of course keeping them dry. For those who want to window shop, the Rue de la République on Presqu’île (the nineteenth century business centre of Lyon) is the place to be. The Musée des Beaux Arts, which next to its immense collection of paintings from around Europe has 35 famous impressionist and modern paintings, is also in the same district. Not to be missed is a visit up the Fourvière hill in the funicular railway, or for the fitness fanatics via the very long staircase, to visit the basilica and take in the spectacular views over Lyon. On top of the hill you can also see the very well preserved Roman remains of two theatres built when Lyon was called Lugdunum. Lyon is also well known for its wall paintings. In a number of places throughout the city you will find whole buildings covered in frescos. Some of these painting are more than life size!

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Food , Wine and Cultural Activities

Over and above all else, Burgundy is known for its food and wine. Good living has been made into an art-form here. You can enjoy the wine tasting available in the local "caves" that you discover on your travels or you can follow the numerous "wine trails" (Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais and Beaujolais) that take you past the best and most famous houses of the region. Lunch and dinner are essential parts of the daily ritual in France and particularly here in Burgundy. These events should be taken very seriously and are to be enjoyed to the full. So why not be like the locals, sit down, chill out and take the time to savour your meal. Whether you sit on the terrace of the local brasserie or you experience the full silver service of some of the best restaurants in France, each meal will be a real treat. For that special dinner, you can choose from one of the many highly rated restaurants within reach of La Tuilerie.

But you don't have to go home kilos heavier; the great outdoors of Burgundy is ideal for pursuing a wide range of sporting and leisure activities and is also perfect for nature lovers. " La Voie Verte", translated as "the green trail", passes within yards of La Tuilerie and runs the length of South Burgundy. This path used to be in part an old railway line and it is now used by cyclists, skaters and walkers, and takes you easily from one delightful village to the next in perfect safety. Just to the north of here, the Voie Verte runs along the tow paths of the Canal du Centre, making for very flat and easy travelling.

You could of course just walk around the local lanes or in the forest across the road from La Tuilerie and breath in the pure air, enjoying the wildlife along the way. Organised walks (randonnées) are held on Sundays throughout the year, where you are given a route to follow and you can enjoy refreshments along the way, or you can follow the number of Balades Vertes (green strolls) that have recently been laid out in the area, letting you enjoy a walk without getting lost! One of the walks goes almost past the front door here.

Had enough of nature and want to do something cultural? There are many local festivals going on all year round. All summer long there are classical concerts given in the beautiful Romanesque church in Chapaize organised by “Chapaize Culture”. In Cormatin and surrounding villages there is the yearly festival “Guitares en Cormatinois”. This series of concerts is not only classical guitar music but also includes lighter concerts as well as folk music. Also in Cormatin there is the annual theatre and music festival “Les Rendez-vous de Cormatin” which attracts many visitors. Most of the performances are in the château or château grounds. We keep up to date with all the latest events so we can tell you what's on and where during your stay. The real way to experience France is to do as the French do, visit these festivals, visit the markets and poke around in the local brocante. You can even try and find that essential souvenir to bring a little bit of Burgundy home with you.

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