Sunday in Beaujolais - Part 1

Sunday, October 24th, we went on another AVF excursion. This “field trip” was to Beaujolais, where a local winemaker and his wife were to serve us their wines and various regional food specialties. Since, as you know, we don’t have a car, we were offered a ride by Marie-Claude and her husband, Pierre, who were hosting the event. All we had to do was meet them at their home in Lyon at 9:00 AM and be on our way.



That’s where we got our first surprise. We pushed the button next to their name and entered a spacious courtyard. This was obviously an older building but was in top condition. We pushed another button, another door opened, and we walked up a flight of very old stone stairs showing the wear of many, many feet. (There was an elevator, but who needs one for one floor?) Marie-Claude opened their front door, and we walked into an entry hall with gorgeous parquet flooring. From there we went into the dining room. And, what a dining room! It is HUGE and beautifully decorated. I was really amazed! (Side note: we have learned that many of the truly gorgeous homes in Lyon have very unprepossessing exteriors. The Lyonnaise definitely did not flaunt their wealth and kept their beautiful homes very private.) I asked Pierre about the history of the home, and he said the building dates back to the 17th century. It has been owned by his family for generations, and his flat was left by his grandmother to his mother, who left it to him. When he was growing up, he had aunts, uncles and cousins on all the floors above. What fun for a child! It also is right across the street from the Saone River, and has a view that encompasses the river and 180 degrees of that side of Lyon.


Then we drove to their country home outside of Ville-Sur-Jarnioux. They have transformed what started out as a very modest 16th century cottage with barn and stable into a lovely country home that has all the conveniences of modern homes while retaining many of the charming features of the original home. 

View of house from drive (covered pool in front)



View of main and second floors from entry.

It now has four bedrooms, modern bathrooms, a modern kitchen, a large dining room, and lots of space for family members to either find a quiet spot or join in the fun in the main rooms.

The yard is nicely landscaped as a country garden and includes a swimming pool. Here are some of the pictures I took while we waited for the rest of the tour group to arrive (the sky was gray, but certainly didn't dampen our experience):

Welcoming fire in the living room.

David, Marie-Claude, and Pierre in the living room