Renowned of course for its wine, Burgundy is perhaps more than any region in France, a perfect union of nature, culture and history. On this unique journey, follow the country roads of the central region to uncover the roots of religious reformism, colonialism, industrial manufacturing and prestigious wine production.
Burgundy was the stage of many pioneering events. Learn more of the medieval rivalry between Autun and Vezelay which resulted in some of the most beautiful Romanesque sculpture and architecture in Europe. Witness medieval history being re-lived at Guédelon Castle or visit Château d’ Ancy -le- Franc, one of the grandest and best-preserved Renaissance buildings in Europe. Discover the cultural legacy of the Duchy of Burgundy, one of the greatest European superpowers of the late medieval era and see how its ground-breaking advances in politics, art and culture affected the course of European history.
In the venerable and aristocratic capital of Dijon, admire the Duchy’s political legacy and its artistic treasures. Dijon’s historical core is an eclectic mix of architectural styles from the medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century periods.
As well as a chance to learn more of Burgundy’s great cultural and historical heritage, there will also be a focus on the region’s fine wines and gastronomy. Meander through the beautiful vineyards – climats – of the Côte-d’Or and taste the world-famous Grand Cru wines in the ancient cellars of Beaune or enjoy specially arranged meals of the region’s wonderful and much loved dishes.
This journey has been especially created by Nirvana who is currently living in the Burgundy region and the restaurants and food and wine tastings have all been personally selected by her.
The start and finish of the trip have been planned to make use of the excellent train connections from/to the UK and other parts of Europe which mean many journey times will be much less than a day’s travel.
Trip Leader: Mrs Nirvana Romell
Nirvana has been lecturing on the social history of Western art for nearly 25 years and has also worked on many museum collections and thier interpretations.. Her passion is cultural travel and she has created many unique cultural tours in the Italy, France, Sweden, the Balkans and South Africa. In her work, she links the past with the present by combining aesthetic, historical and social theoretical approaches to art and culture. Those who travelled with Nirvana have particularly praised her ability to engage the audience and use her solid grasp of the subject matter to impart a lasting understanding of the artists, artefacts and their broader context. Since 2010 she has accompanied twelve journeys for Distant Horizons and several of these for the Alumni of Oxford and Cambridge Universities.