The following is a
sample itinerary only. On the Sunday of arrival Jamie & Dennis will
review the week's programme over cocktails. Papillon endeavours to
balance the week to make it as comfortable as possible; for instance, if
we have a longer day out then dinner will be at the house. Our
weeks are designed so that we do not spend too much time driving, though
invariably some of the major sites are further away. We have two
minibuses and drivers for added flexibility, so if some members prefer
to stay closer to home that is always possible. We realise also that
some group members will wish to explore Dennis’s wine connections a
little more deeply!
Sunday
Your party will be met
at its prearranged arrival point by Dennis & Jamie, and driven back to
the property for a champagne welcome. Dennis will escort you around the
house leaving plenty of time to unpack & settle in. Before the first of
Ellie’s magnificent dinners and over cocktails Jamie & Dennis will
preview the week.
Monday
After breakfast we
shall visit the beautiful Abbey of Fontenay and its well-tended
gardens. The Cistercians seeked out peaceful locations suitable for
tranquil meditation – it is hard to imagine anywhere more perfect.
Lunch will be back at the house and one of Ellie’s popular buffets.
Since dinner is in a neighbouring hilltop village we suggest taking a
stroll and cocktails in the village as well as stopping on a panoramic
viewpoint believed to be the point where Julius Caesar overcame the last
stand of the Gauls.
Tuesday
This morning we take a
drive through the beautiful countryside to the pretty half-timbered
medieval town of Noyeres, stopping en route at the Chateau of Epoisses.
Close by Noyeres, we recommend lunch at a restaurant popular for its
local Burgundian dishes. On the way home is the pretty village of
Montreal with a spectacular vantage-point and a Romanesque church noted
for its wooden carvings. Back at the house Dennis will host a wine
tasting before Ellie’s dinner.
Wednesday
Today we head to Dijon
for the day, home to the ‘Great Dukes of the East’ who in their time
were wealthier than any European king. Dijon has a fantastic produce
market, great sites and excellent shopping. Lunch will be on your own
in Dijon and dinner back with Ellie.
Thursday
We visit Vezelay this
morning this morning: a pilgrim town and a World Heritage Site where
kings and knights mustered to be blessed by St. Bernard before the
disastrous second crusade. Lunch will be another Ellie buffet. This
afternoon we will visit nearby Semur-en-Auxois, our personal favourite,
a town full of charm and delightful vistas. Dinner is out at one of our
favourite restaurants.
Friday
This morning we head to
the spectacular Cote d’Or, the fabled wine ‘slopes of gold’. We will
stop at the fairy-tale castle of La Rochepot and then pass on to the
regional capital - wealthy Beaune -having lunch, visiting its famous
Hospice and allowing plenty of browsing time. Our last supper is
naturally back with Ellie.
Saturday
Dennis & Jamie will
drop you at your departure point after breakfast.
