Before travelling in the Burgundy region we’d assumed that it was pretty much just vineyards producing what the region is known for. But there is a lot more to it than wines as we discovered heading west to the Morvan Regional Natural Park, one of the first to be created (or designated?) in France, and a huge area of lush forest, lakes in the centre of Burgundy. We chose Lac des Settons in the heart of the natural park as our base for a few days at stops with direct access onto the lakeside. The lake is held back by a dam made of granite blocks, apparently unique in France, and the stone Victorian engineering buildings on the dam are a listed monument. A 14 km cycle / walking path takes you right around the lake, through forests, past water sports areas and the occasional bar or restaurant. We enjoyed seeing all this on our bicycles and Joe was even able to do some late evening and early morning paddle boarding before the wind picked up. Overnight stops directly by the lake side seem to be tolerated at this time of year but we can’t imagine it would be the same in high summer.
From the lake we headed south, still in the Burgundy region, to Autun for a lunchtime stop at the 16 metre high Croix de la Libération on the top Mont Saint Sebastien, a spot with a wonderful view down over the town and far beyond. The cross commemorates the liberation of Autun in September 1944 and the first stone was laid in September 1945 by the Bishop of Claremont on his return from Dachau. The view certainly made the numerous hairpin bends to reach the top worth the effort.
After descending from the mountain via the same hairpin bends we made for a potential stop at Chateau-Chinon , the lure of a chateau and possible view. In fact the town’s name is now a misnomer and there has been no chateau for many centuries. Nonetheless it was an interesting stop and wandering around the back streets in search of the elusive chateau we came across a modern fountain between the post office and town hall which seemed very similar in style to one you can see outside the Pompidou Centre. The plaque next to the fountain confirmed that it is one of only five such fountains in the world designed by Niki de Saint Phalle et Jean Tinguely, and one of only two in France – the other being the one in Paris. We also discovered that François Mitterrand, former president of France, was mayor of the town from 1959 to 1981, when he became President. It was Mitterrand who commissioned the fountain for the town although it’s strange that it is so tucked away and with no obvious signage to make you aware of its existence.
Many of our overnight stops seem to be near water of some kind, a lake or canal, mainly because they’re more scenic than a town centre car park type motorhome area and you might as well have a view to look at if there’s one available. Also, of course, because they give Joe an opportunity to get his little boat out and pootle about for a while – he’s certainly had his money’s worth from that boat and engine. So we headed slightly further west to Chatillon-en- Bazois for another canal side stop, this time overlooking the lovely Canal du Nivernais which links the Yonne and Loire rivers and largely follows the path of the Yonne.
