Beaune - Part 1

While we’re in Lyon, we like to take occasional side trips.  Our first one this year was to the city of Beaune in Bourgogne (Burgundy).  David found a charming hotel, l’Hôtel Belle Époque, located just outside the ramparts of Beaune.  Beaune is fairly small and quite walkable so we had a great base.  Normally we would rent a car, but we decided to take the train for the 93 or so mile trip north.  Lyon’s Gare Part Dieu is a short walk from our apartment, and the gare at Beaune is an easy stroll to l’Hôtel Belle Époque – perfect!

l’Hôtel Belle Époque

Beaune itself has a population of a little over 20,000 – or a little over 50,000 if you add in the surrounding area. It is quite old; in fact, there are references to it going back to 664 in mérovingienne days.  (Clovis, recognized as the first king of France, was a mérovingienne).  It has been through multiple wars – including the war to unify France (since it was part of the Duke of Burgundy’s territory) and the 100 Years War .  Thus the ramparts.
Beaune is, of course, known as the Capitale des Vins de Bourgogne (Capital of Burgundy Wines).  In fact, beyond the ramparts there are 42 individual vineyard sites classed as “premier cru.”  There are a wide variety of tours of the vineyards available, but we decided to stay within the city.  And, you may rest assured that there were multiple opportunities to taste and purchase wine in Beaune!

Entrance of Hôtel-Dieu from street

Inside the Hôtel-Dieu courtyard showing lovely roof.

Beaune’s famous Hôtel-Dieu is undoubtedly its most recognizable landmark.  In 1441 Nicolas Rolin, the Chancellor to Phillipe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, married Guigone de Salins , and in 1443 they founded together the Hospices de Beaune, a hospital “palace of the poor.”  A new religious order, The Hospital Sisters of Beaune, was founded soon after.  This hospital took in impoverished people needing medical care without regard to their disease as long as it had room.  It also distributed bread to the poor outside the hospital.  The patients were given what was then state-of-the-art care in relatively private beds by doctors and devoted nuns who not only acted as nurses but also changed the linens, bathed the patients, cleaned the hospital, prepared and served meals, etc.  The hospital facility had an impressive laboratory and drug dispensary, kitchen facilities, and, of course, chapel.  The facility continued to provide free care well into the 20^th century. 

Showing individual beds and cubicles

Showing the full room of beds

Due to five centuries of donations and legacies of wealthy Burgundians and the good management of these gifts, The Hospices de Beaune are currently owners nearly 60 hectares of vineyards located in areas of designation first crus and grand crus.  In 1794 the hospices of Beaune began a tradition that lives on to this day – an annual auction of wines from their vineyards. The  auction takes place on the third Sunday in November, and the result of sales has, for five centuries, gone entirely to charitable and religious enterprises of former hospices and new hospital civil and secular institutions. The Hôtel-Dieu is now a museum, but the Hospices of Beaune lives on and employs 700 people in:
·         The Hospital Philippe the Good, a facility for short stay patients
·         The Centre Nicolas Rolin for medium and long stay patients
·         Two shelters for dependent elderly people
·         Management and maintenance of the Hôtel-Dieu and other charities

Statues of Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins

Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins would, we’re sure, be very pleased to know there legacy lives on!