WJ Tested: Globus La France Tour – Grenoble to Dijon
WJ Tested: Globus La France Tour – Grenoble to Dijon
WJ Tested: Globus La France Tour – Grenoble to Dijon
Day 13 – Lyon
Another day with a fairly large distance to cover meant our wake-up call rang out at 6:15 a.m., followed by breakfast in the hotel cafe at 7 a.m. Then at 8 a.m. we departed the Mercure hotel in Grenoble for France’s second largest city, Lyon.
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon
By 9:35 a.m. we were driving into Lyon where we spent 40 minutes at Le Fourviere Basilica, perched on a hill, affording wonderful views of the city and surrounding areas. Vic gave a 10-minute presentation in front of the cathedral steps and then left us to visit the inside (under construction) on our own.
Notre-Dame de Fourvière Statue
Lyon Fun Facts:
- Is second only to Paris as the largest metropolitan area in France
- Is capital of the Rhone-Alpes region
- Is known for its gastronomy
- Is the birthplace of cinema by the Lumière brothers in 1895
- Is a city of industry and used to lead in silk production
- Is home of Fourvière Basilica, built in 1872 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary (made of white marble and honors the patron saint of Lyon)
View of Lyon – France’s Second Largest City
Before returning to the coach we made a short walk (3 minutes) over to the Roman amphitheater (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) where Vic gave a brief history overview.
By 11 a.m. we were driving out of the city; and during the drive from Lyon Vic discussed a variety of topics, including Beaujolais wines, boeuf bourguignon (beef and wine stew), and escargot (snails).
Beaune in Burgundy
Beaune
After a short drive we arrived in Beaune, (an unscheduled stop that Vic added for us), which made a lovely place for a lunch break. Although our time was limited here a few did visit the Hospice d’Beaune just to be able to see the impressive roof tiles.
Hospice d’Beaune
Beaune Fun Facts:
- Is the principal town of the Côte d’Or
- Is the wine capital of Burgundy
- Offers a major fine food market on Saturdays
- Is home of the magnificent Hôtel-Dieu, a medieval charity hospital
- Is hugely popular with art lovers, wine lovers and gastronomes
Burgundy Cremants – Excellent Sparkling Wine
Burgundy Travel Tips – Wine and Sparkling:
- Burgundy Sparkling = Veuve Ambal Cremant de Burgone = euro 7.80/bottle. Inexpensive, yet excellent quality.
- Louis Boullot = Cremant de Burgone
- Nuit St. George = Best Burgundy wine
Departing Beaune by 2:35 p.m. on a 90-minute journey towards Dijon, Vic spoke about some of the traditional regional specialties – mustard and crème de Cassis.
Dijon
The old town of Dijon was also under construction and difficult for traffic (especially large coaches) to get around, so Vic had Antonio drive us into the center and drop off those passengers joining him on a 30-minute walking tour. Those guests that opted to go straight to the hotel stayed on the coach.
Mercure Dijon Centre Clemenceau Hotel
Unfortunately, we had too many gadgets and valuables in our daypacks to carry around while the coach went to the hotel to unload so we were part of the group that skipped the walking tour of Dijon.
Mercure Dijon Centre Clemenceau Hotel
Dijon Fun Facts:
- Is the historical and current capital of Burgundy
- Boasts a restored medieval town core
- Avoided devastation during WWII
- Is the birth place of Gustave Eiffel as in the Eiffel Tower in Paris
- Is famous for its mustard and is also the source for cassis
- Is the home of the original Kir cocktail
Burgundy Ham Starter
After checking in to the Mercure Dijon Centre Clemenceau Hotel at 4:30 p.m. we had free time until meeting the group in a hotel conference room at 7 p.m. The included 3-course dinner was quite good – starter of terrine of Burgundy ham, main course of boeuf bourguignon, and dessert of Paris Brest – pastry with vanilla sauce.
Boeuf Bourguignon Main Course
A glass of red or white was included with the meal (for those wanting more wine, bottles were available for purchase).
Paris Brest with Vanilla Cream Dessert
As this was the last night when all passengers in our group would be together, it was also time to give our gratuities to Tour Director, Vic, and driver, Antonio.
If You Go:
Read More About WAVEJourney’s Globus La France Adventures:
| Overview | Paris Day 1 | Paris City Tour Day 2 | Normandy Day 3 | Normandy and Brittany Day 4 | Loire Day 5 | Loire Valley and Bordeaux Day 6 | Saint Emilion Day 7 | Biarritz and Lourdes Day 8 | Carcassonne and Nimes Day 9 | Pont du Gard and Avignon Day 10 | Monte Carlo Day 11 | Grasse to Grenoble Day 12 | Lyon to Dijon Day 13 | Dijon to Paris Day 14 |
