Beaune
Landed in Beaune this afternoon after the train down from Champagne, four days ahead of me in one of my favourite places in the world, vintage finally finished. Had a glass of Meursault at a restaurant just down from the hotel, then found a window seat at Le Conty for my first solo dinner of the whole trip. Watched the food come up from downstairs on a little high tea style stand, with the chefs delivering it to the table themselves, such a good bit of theatre for a meal on your own. Had a mini red wine alongside and just sat there, genuinely happy to be exactly where I was.
Second day I wanted to be a local rather than a tourist, which Mikey and I never quite managed here two years ago. Got pointed to La Belena for lunch because it's where the locals actually go, and it was right, not one tourist in sight. Only one table free and it was sitting in full sun, but the staff put up a huge umbrella just for me so I could eat in the shade, which is exactly my kind of place, since I can't stand eating in direct sun. Ordered the traditional salad with chicken added, a glass of the 2022 Viré-Clessé from Domaine Le Chai Duchet, then a Rully 1er Cru, the Rabourcé climat, from Domaine Paul Michelot.
Same hotel both times, Le Central Boutique, the one Mikey and I stayed in for the cycling trip two years ago. I miss him doing this bit on my own, and that's fine, I'm learning to travel solo fast. Wanting to live like a local on day two rather than tick off sights felt like part of that too, not rushing to see Beaune, just being in it for a while.
Funny start to Saturday. Decided to have breakfast at the hotel and could not, for the life of me, peel a boiled egg properly, ended up crunching shell through the whole meal. Noted for next time, go out for breakfast instead.
Got the bike and headed out through Pommard, stopped in Volnay for a glass at a gorgeous little local wine bar, then on through Meursault. Lesson for next time, and for anyone I bring here one day, everything in Meursault shuts at two, so get there before half one if lunch matters. Two years ago it was raining here and Mikey and I sheltered in the ice cream shop. This time the sun was out in full force, so I stopped in anyway, just for the excuse.
On through Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, so many little bars and spots along the one street I half wanted to just stay there for the evening, then out onto a gravel back road toward Santenay. New ground for me, rocky and a bit raw, genuinely exciting to be somewhere I hadn't ridden before. A couple more wine tastings along the way, glasses running eleven to twenty two euro depending on where you stop, everything in this part of the world costs a bit more than you'd think.
The ride home was a long one, later and hungrier than planned, and then the chain came off, so there was a good stretch of walking and fixing before I finally made it back to wash up and get out again.
Dinner was at L'Épinette, expensive but the food was excellent, though a screaming baby at the next table took some of the shine off it, and for a minute or two I just wanted to be home in bed missing Mikey. Didn't last long though, because later that night at L'Affrachi someone opened a bottle of Louis Roederer for me, and I ended up meeting Catherine Lebeaud, Imane Buatois and Thierry Buatois, really good company, got a business card, connected on LinkedIn. Long day. Good one in the end.