Baumé-les-Messieurs, France 🇫🇷 2023

Date: 29-30th June 2023

Travelled: 100 kms from Vandenesse-en-Auxois to Baumé-les-Messieurs 

Visited: Baumé-les-Messieurs 

Stayed: Camping des Toupes, €12, N46.71180, E05.53880  

Budget: 39 days @ €95 per day

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Our day starts with another long walk along the Bourgogne Canal to the east this morning. More êluse (locks) and the tiny cottages that were once homes to the lock keepers. The canal is a post card of plane trees reflecting off the mirror smooth water. There’s the odd fisherman and the occasional barking dog in the distance but it’s a beautiful morning.

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Back at the port we serviced the Hymer and set the GPS for Baumé-led-Messieurs. Saying goodbye to our English neighbours who are heading west and the chunnel home. Baumé will be a 3 hour drive on the D roads and a Lidl shop at Beaune and a coffee break at a road-side park with some shade 90 minutes later.

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Despite the corn field chaos pictured above we arrive Baumé-les-Messieurs without any fuss. We did stop and check a free aire at Domblans but it was not the sort of place I’d feel comfortable leaving the Hymer for an extended period.

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So the campsite in Baumé it is. Situated on the backs of the River Seille on the edge of the Jura Mountains it’s a picturesque if not expensive stop. The campsite stretches for perhaps 3-400 metres but it’s very narrow with spots only on either side of the track which passes through.

It’s a hot steamy afternoon, so we decide to walk up into the village after a long shower and some R+R.

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Baumé-les-Messieurs boasts a royal abbey complex, surround by 200 metre high limestone cliffs. There are several walks, cave and it’s only 7 kms from another interesting village but that’s a story for another day.

From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you’ll find Baumé-les-Messieurs on page 59. Baumé is once again situated in the Bourgogne Region of France.

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It’s 4 pm when we walk off along the river path into Baumé. Past a tiny chapel, enjoying views of the surrounding cliffs and crossing ancient stone bridges, there’s always something to see.

Eventually we find the entrance to the Abbey complex and its church. Baumé stands on the old Roman Road. An abbey was founded here in the late 6th century but the Benedictine monks took over the abbey in the 9th century and it would flourish for a thousand years.

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After the dissolution of the abbey the remaining buildings that once formed the abbey complex were divided into houses and sold.

Pam prowls a few of the artisan shops looking for something special. Stroke of luck we are running low on cash and the campsite is the only place that takes a credit card. Central and eastern France seems to run on the cash economy.

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We’ve enjoyed our walk around Baumé, its abbey church and the flowers of the village cottages. Walking back the breeze has disappeared and the air a little oppressive, by the time where back in the Hymer Pam is giving me that look and the air-conditioning goes on.

Dead to the world at 2.30 am, we awake to the sound of thunder and rain beating on our roof. The temperature has dropped dramatically. Looking out the Hymer’s kitchen window I see the tent behind us appears to be floating.

It’s still raining when coffee time is called and it continues through till lunchtime. Eventually the drizzle eases around 2pm and we put on the Gortex and go for a walk.

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What started as a short walk continues on up the valley for another 3+ kms to Baumé Cascades. It’s a picture perfect place with a lovely boutique hotel. Whilst the cascade would be considered petit in Norway, where not in Norway and it’s impressive.

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Another 500 metres around the bend we find the entrance to Grotte de Baumé or Baumé Cave. This cave system is claimed to be the largest and most spectacular in France. So we cough up €9.50 pp and wait 20 minutes until the next tour commences.

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First thing we note is the water cascading at the falls is coming directly from the cave system. We presume the overnight rain has added to the flow, but there’s a lot of water churning through the cave.

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Obviously the tour is in French but the guide has excellent English and from time to time he throws us some facts about the cave in English. All in all Baumé cave is big, has some very interesting features and a lot of water. We enjoyed it and it caped off an interesting afternoon.

So that was our visit to Baumé-les-Messieurs…

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Michael + Pam