Read Part One.

After a much needed nights sleep aboard Uniword's River Royale on the River Saône, and a yummy buffet breakfast (made-to-order omelet and French baguette), it was time to join the other 90 passengers and depart for our land excursion to Beaune. We boarded buses for a scenic 40-minute drive through Burgundy.
Our guide was Leslie and she chatted away throughout our drive explaining how Napoleon had divided the country into 96 different departments. (This fact apparently is arguable as a local said this separation was done prior to the French Revolution and the number is now 100). I do know that one of them is Burgundy.

This picturesque area is exactly what you expect when it comes to the French wine country. Although it was interesting to find out that a only a very small part of the area is covered in vines, the area is actually largely dedicated to agriculture (wheat, canola, sunflowers and especially Charolais cattle, which speckle the hills like balls of snow.)

Once in Beaune, we visited the Musee de l'Hotel-Dieu which literally strikes you speechless when you see the exterior.  The roof is completely comprised of colorful mosaic tiles and can be considered a work of art in itself.  This historic building served as a hospital back in the 15th century and except for a time of rebuilding after a fire, the hospital was a working one until 1979.  The beds, similar to old time train compartments (think Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe) line each side of the room and are draped in heavy red velvet on each side.  I was thinking this is really nice, especially since it served the poor.  That is until they mentioned that it was two to a bed.  Yikes!  Many of the people who were treated there paid for the services by donating parts of their vineyards so the benefactors, Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salines, ended up being vintners in their own right and would store wine in the cellars of the hospital.  Purchases of the wine today still go to benefit the facility (of course, I supported the cause).

Once through with the tour, I hit a sidewalk cafe for a cafe au lait before reboarding the bus for the return trip, via what they call the "fast road" which only takes 20 minutes.  Back onboard the River Royale for a lovely buffet lunch, then an afternoon stop in Tournus best known for its abbey, St-Philibert. 

Later, I sat out on the Royale's sun deck soaking up some rays and noticed when we began to slow down. It was time to pass through our first of 15 locks . Very cool to watch as you physically drop 10 feet but never feel a thing. I hear we'll be experiencing an 85-foot lock later in the week. Stay tuned!

Read River Cruising In France, Part Three