Date: 28th June 2023
Travelled: 10 kms around Vandenesse-en-Auxois
Visited: Château de Châteauneuf
Stayed: Vandenesse-en-Auxois, Port, €10, N47.22040, E04.61650
Budget: 38 days @ €96 per day
After a long walk on the Bourgogne Canal this morning it’s a pleasure to unleash the Kisbee. Like any 50cc scooter in the UK the Kisbee has a speed restrictor that limits it to about 50 kph. Every year I think about having it de-restricted but after 4 years of ratting around Europe I never seem to get around to it. I did some Googling and found a fix, two scotch locks and 100mm of wire and it was done.
Since then we can wiz along a bit quicker and even pass the odd tractor.
It’s only 2 kms to Châteauneuf but the road is steep, the scooter struggles up the climb but gets us there as usual.
The Château of Châteauneuf is described as a 15th century fortress, but its origins as a castle go back to 1132. It stands on a rocky outcrop some 475m above the surrounding countryside.
From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you’ll find Châteauneuf on page 61. Overlooking the Auxois valley, Châteauneuf is situated in the Bourgogne Region of France.
We park the scooter in the shade and start exploring. Our guide book highlights the turrets that dominate many old merchant houses.
There are many lovely old stone cottages restored as artist galleries or wine caves and cafes.
A vintage Bugatti (Type 37) makes its way through the village.
We finally make our way to the Château which is now a museum. Most of the front is under renovation, so we get a discount ticket €5 pp. The Château has lived many lives and walking through various buildings reflect the period they were last used as living space.
Although sparsely furnished, looking at the changes in flooring from stone, through slab and heavy parquetry told the story of its use. We thought the visit to the Château very interesting.
The views across the Bourgogne Canal and the Auxois Valley are panoramic.
We finally find the Église up a narrow lane way it’s a little austere to be honest and we find the door locked which is very unusual for a French church. I’m sorry to disappoint you but no photos of a church in our blog today.
Michael + Pam
