Auxerre, Vezelay, Beaune

SATURDAY Auxerre. I want to live in Auxerre.  We left Yael and Robin back at La Bonne Etoile with Jerome.  Yael flew home to Israel. Robin is taking some needed time off. We drove to Auxerre, parked the car and walked the twisting narrow 15th century roads, peering into windows, imagining what on earth it would be like to live in such charming surroundings, had lunch on a plaza, wandered throughout the walled city, dropped into antique shops, visited the abbey, and waited and worried about Kippy and Judy, who were 45 minutes late meeting us at the car (very uncharacteristic of them), while they we locked in a crypt (another story).

We continued our trek to Vezeley. I want to live in Vezelay. We checked into a charming chateau at the base of a steep hill, whose winding road led up to the Abbey of Mary Magdelene. We arrived in time to sit in the abbey and listen to the heavenly songs of the nuns and monks. Really. I haven't heard such beautiful music.  SUNDAY morning we woke to a brocante right at our doorstep. All the way up the steep winding road toward the abbey, venders set up their booths to sell antiques. I bought vintage posters and framable, lightweight, easy to travel with things  for people waiting for me at home. We checked out of our hotel at noon and headed north to Beaune. I want to live in Beaune. We visited the Hotel-Dieu, a magnificent hospital built for the poor  by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to the Duke of burgundy, and his wife in 1443, then back on the road toward our hotel in Semur en Auxios. We drove past fantastic villages, whose steeples dominated each landscape. Village after village, we passed beautiful family vegetable gardens, vineyards and hollyhock framed doorways. Sometimes it seems too beautiful to be real.