Dijon and Chocolat

Thursday, September 24 -- We're off to the big city, the one Rick Steves does not recommend at all.  But a good friend has signaled that there are some especially good things to see and do in Dijon.  We are not surprised to see a well decorated calliope driving through the streets.

But we soon walked into the surprisingly grand and pleasant Place de la Libération, clearly the center of the historic city. This is a hemisphere shaped plaza with the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon in part of the Ducal Palace at the east side of the plaza.  We immediately noted that Dijon architecture is distinguished by, among other things, toits bourguignons (Burgundian polychrome roofs) made of tiles glazed in terracotta, green, yellow and black and arranged in geometric patterns.  Dijon was a major city in Europe, a seat of parliament, and a center of  wealth, religion, and education from the 11th to the 15th centuries.  Today, it is a pleasant surprise.

At 11 o'clock on a warm fall morning, the sunny tables of the cafes circling the Place de la Libération were already beginning to do a good business.  Originally called Place Royale, it was designed  by the architect of Versailles.  We looked around a little but our objective was the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the the Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne.  The main attraction for us were the tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy: Philip the Bold, John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria with their mourners from the Chartreuse of Champmol, a Carthusian monastery on the outskirts of Dijon.

I'm still thanking Ed McBride for having encouraged us to see the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon.  What a magnificent surprise to walk into the Salle des Gardes and see the tomb of Philip the Bold.

He lies there, somewhat larger than life (I guess), guarded by two very lively angels, on a black marble slab.  His feet rest on the back of a lion with gilded mane.  The figure is supported by alabaster arches that form a cloister sheltering a procession of 41 very realistic mourners.  Each is about a foot tall, and they have remarkable features, expressions, and clothing, all carved in the alabaster. (The guide book says three men worked for a total of 25 years, from 1385 to 1410 on this tomb.)

The depicted mourners are clergymen, relatives, family, friends, and officials of the Prince's entourage, and each is unique and full of character, as though they might step off the tomb in real life.  Clergy are always wearing a hood and cloak, while regular folk are in period clothing.

Nearby are the tombs of John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria, dating from 1443 and 1470.  They are in a similar style, but perhaps even a little more flamboyant.

Philip the Bold and Brian the Tourist

In a nearby room are gilted wood altar pieces and paintings of scenes like the Annunciation, the Visitation, and the Presentation in the Temple. the beheading of John the Baptist seemed especially lifelike, and the devil gets pretty theatrical treatment too.

The Dijon version of "bikeshare"

As we walked back to the car, we passed le Musee Rude, in a former church, and devoted to the works of sculptor Francois Rude (1784-1855).  His most memorable work is on display there, 1792 Volunteers, also known as La Marseillaise.





 

"Chocolat" shopfront

We drove on winding two-lane and what seemed like one-lane roads to the simple hill village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain.  Its narrow streets are flanked by old mansions and it still sports some fortified gateways and the remains of medieval ramparts.  On the main square stands the L'église Saint-Genest, a 13th century church built on the site of an even earlier religious building.  A lady there launched into an extensive description of the church and its history, drawing attention to various features such as the 12 century Virgin nursing the infant Jesus. 
Of course it was not the church that lured us to

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Côte-d'Or, France This is the village used as the location for the film "Chocolat."  Right there on the main square was the little storefront used as the chocolate shop, and nearby were the church and the mayor's home.  Many village scenes were shot here too. 

What struck me was the steady stream of foreign tourists that kept arriving, even in late September, to see the shopfront, look around, and take their picture in front of it.  Someone explained that while the film was never a big hit in France, it played well in Europe as well as in the United States.  It's a popular stopping point.  The little cafeteria in the La Grange was doing a good business.

L'église Saint-Genest

So, one wonders why the storefront is empty?  Is there no enterprising young Frenchman who can see that you could open a chocolate shop and sell some appropriately-labeled candy and souvenirs?  Is there not an opportunity here, especially in a country with high unemployment?

Lace curtains

We had lunch in La Grange (the only place in town serving food -- pretty simple fare but it solved the lunch problem and took a few minutes to examine the Carolingian crypt under the former abbey.  The abbey now houses the factory which manufactures Les Anis de Flavigny, small aniseed-flavored pastilles distributed worldwide. This is in fact what the village is famous for among Frenchmen -- not the movie.

Our last stop of the day was Fontenay abbey. Late afternoon was definitely the right time to come, for the sun was warming the sandstone walls of the Romanesque church, reflected in the still water of a lake.  Like most Cistercian abbeys, this one was placed up in a quiet valley, protected and isolated by hills, yet near a rushing stream. To add atmosphere, a small group of nuns and abbots were touring the property just in front of us, lending an air of authenticity to our explorations. 
 
Fontenay is one of the oldest and most complete Cistercian abbeys in Europe. Of the original complex comprising church, dormitory, cloister, chapter house, caldarium, refectory, dovecote and forge, all remain intact except the refectory and are well maintained. Some buildings were signposted as "private" and we understood that the family that renovated Fontenay still live and work here.

We spent some time on a self-guided tour, simply walking around and remarking on the views, and imagining what it must have been like when some 300 hundred monks worked and prayed here. The Cistercians had a certain fondness for work, and especially work with metals, so we were not surprised to see a forge and the attendant water wheel for power. 

On the way back to Pommard, we did have to stop and have a photo of Dick with a Charolais cow.  We have seen so many of these white cattle on the hillsides in Burgundy, where they are the second most prevalent breed of taurine beef cattle in France.  In this case, I think the cow was surprised to see Dick, and may not have recognized him as a senior U.S. Department of Agriculture official.

Here are a couple of pictures of our dinner preparations back in Pommard, where we had plenty of space and no small amount of Burgundy wine to appreciate.

>