Dilemma! We are visiting friends in Pully, Switzerland (have been before so we've toured their area) and find that we will have a couple of nights/days to go off and explore. We have researched both Burgundy and the Val d'Aosta and both sound very charming. We selected these options because they are both approx. 2.5-3 hour drive from Pully. We love both French and Italian foods and wine, etc.
We love to visit charming historic villages, castles and ruins, etc. I guess I'm looking for input from anyone who has visited either or both of these regions. We have to make a decision pretty soon and are really torn between the two.
An interesting dilemma! I've linked your post also to our Italy forum.
I've spent some time in Burgundy but only driven through the Val d'Aosta. But I'd say it depends on whether you are looking for a French experience or Italian, perhaps what language you're more comfortable with, what cuisine you'd most enjoy. You might even look at the routes to each and which drive/scenery would most interest you.
Burgundy definitely has all the things you love (charming villages, castles, ruins), and wonderful food and wine. We stayed in the area between Beaune and Dijon-- highly recommended!
We've driven through the area around Pully a couple of times-- spent a night in nearby Cully-- and love the Lavaux wine region on Lake Geneva. Lucky you! I hope you'll post back more about your experiences in Switzerland.
We feel really fortunate to be going back to this area of Switzerland. We also loved the Lavaux wine region. Our friends live in an apartment that overlooks the lake & alps! It is so gorgeous...
We are looking forward to our trip, no matter where we end up!
In fact French is widely spoken in Val d'Aosta, so if you parlez Francais no problem in either place.
If wine is your principal attraction then Burgundy wins hands down over Aosta (unless you drive another hour to Piedmont and then you are in wino paradise
If you prefer beautiful scenery, mountain valleys and oodles of old castles then Val d'Aosta should be your choice. Also if you are thinking about coming in summer, Aosta will be cooler and less crowded. Drive over the top of the St Bernhard and say hello to the famous Hospice dogs too.
If you prefer beautiful scenery, mountain valleys and oodles of old castles then Val d'Aosta should be your choice. Also if you are thinking about coming in summer, Aosta will be cooler and less crowded.
We loved the area and can't wait to return and explore some more! It is amazing!
Denise
Posts: 342 | Location: Central California | Registered: 12 February 2006
We will be there during the week of Sept. 14. I would think that the weather would still be pretty good in either location. Although we love to hike, our main interest on this trip is to explore the quaint old villages, castles and ruins. We would love a hike to a castle or ruins though. Thanks for all the info., although it isn't making our decision any easier!
I agree with Kathy that it depends on whether you prefer an Italian experience or a French experience. For their innate qualities, both are sort of par. I may have a slight preference to Burgundy for its food (please don't jump me; I know, I know, a most personal choice), the vineyards on the rolling hills around Beaune and Burgundy's proximity to such a concentration of points of interest: archeology, architecture, castles, beautiful villages, canals. And Burgundy is also a very convenient location for going on to other ace destinations like Ardèche, Provence, Annecy and … the Val d'Aosta !
I love the north of Italy but I'd still recommend Burgundy. With just 2 days, the drive down and back from Switzerland would take longer than you realize and the motorways would get you to Dijon much quicker. I'd even suggest staying somewhere like Noyers-sur-Serein or Semur-en-Auxois. Both are amazing in their own right and also close to any number of other chateau, and villages, or even Abbaye de Fontenay and the wine no matter where you go is a bonus.
Gavin, I remember seeing some lovely photos from your visits to Noyers: weren't they on your site?
It's a bit unfair, because I've only ever driven through the region without really stopping, but I've never thought of the Val d'Aosta as being particularly stong on 'quaint villages'. Scenery's another matter, though! Burgundy would be my choice, too, for all of AiP's reasons (plenty of good food descriptions in Gavin's trip report!).
Jonathan
Posts: 3395 | Location: Stroud, UK | Registered: 18 November 2001
Thanks Gavin. We've been going back and forth on this and your comment about the actual driving time is an excellent point! Thanks also for recommending places for us to base out of. That is extremely helpful. I think you've convinced us that Burgundy is our best choice for this trip.
Gavin's report is a great read. And his take on the sense of smell is fascinating. I "suffer" from the opposite. My sense of smell has been becoming more and more acute; many times it is a burden and not a blessing. But after reading Gavin's report, I come to the conclusion I must not complain about it; it would be like complaining about having too much hair or having too much money...
I just have a slight disagreement with Gavin on 3 tiny points: - spelling of "Noyers sur Serein"; - spelling of the cheese "chavignol". Why is it that so many people misspell it, and in so many ways? On the web there are pages and pages of "chauvignol" or "chevignol" or even "chevignon" cheese. Excuse me for being a spelling stickler with proper names. You will find much more reference info if you spell things correctly. - Lastly, Gavin, do give la Charité sur Loire another chance. If I may be fascist enough as to suggest an approach to town that would give you the most breathtaking view. Approach from the other side of the Loire; then the town and its skyline - and remember Victor Hugo's words describing it "crumbling away stone by stone"- looming over the misty river will just hit you...
Actually loved the town, and you are right, we did approach from the other side of the Loire and I have some fabulous photos, including a number that I reworked into "sepia" images that really capture the "crumbling". It was just that our expectations were so high for some of the best food in the region. On the recommendation of another slowtraveler living in Paris, this was our only foray south of Sancere and the whole day was pretty dissapointing. The town itself was not responsible.
And I'll edit my journal and correct the spelling mistakes .... a major weakness of mine, but I have a good excuse.
Yes Jonathan, I had a swag of photos of Noyers at my ""apple" site but it has been discontinued. It's a town not much photographed, so I'll probably post them to Slowtravel. The other thing about Noyers is that it benefited by the bucketloads of money made available in Europe to restore old town and villiages. When we visited in 2000, 80% of the town was in poor shape and 20% close to ruin. For example a mansion at the head of the main road leading in to town was available for around 100.000E; the catch being that the roof alone would cost around 250,000E to restore. In 2002, not only was the mansion fully restored but the top end of town where the cottages had been collapsing, all seemed to have been restored. Only the church was still under threat of a collapsing roof.
[QUOTE] [/QUOTEWith just 2 days, the drive down and back from Switzerland would take longer than you realize and the motorways would get you to Dijon much quicker. I'd even suggest staying somewhere like Noyers-sur-Serein or Semur-en-Auxois.
I just looked on the map to locate these suggested bases and I'm a little concerned that they are a bit too far north for our timing. Our friends who live in Pully Switzerland (our starting point) just got back from a trip to Chablis and the northern part of Burgundy and they said it took 4-4.5 hours to drive it. We were actually thinking of doing the area around and south of Beaune because it looks like that area is only about 2.5 hours drive. We would love to hear about quaint villages in this area and recommendations for a base there? We thought we would visit Brancion, Cluny & Cormatin but would love to hear from others who have been to this area of Burgundy.
Thanks for your suggestions, they have a great help!
Cluny is , although I hate the term, a must-see. Southeast of Beaune on the côteaux, you can drive for a long time and go from one beautiful vineyard village to another. That would be a very good base. Many of the vineyards - including very prestigious ones - have reasonably priced 3-star b&b's. That would be a good base for what you explain your needs are. From there there is a "vineyard route" all the way down to Cluny. Brancion is also lovely and very interesting. Lastly, try not to be too ambitious and cramp too many villages and sites into your 2-hour or 4-hour timetables. If you cramp in too much, you end up hopping out for a pic and hop off again, which is the opposite of enjoyment. Might as well join a package tour and beam into and out of Burgundy in one hour on your way from one country and to another country.
Thanks so much for the info. We have a couple of days which is not a lot of time, but we definitely plan on savoring each place that we stop to explore.
Hi JeanJo Bells! Just a word of warning about where you stay in Burgundy. We spent 3 weeks camping around the region in June and we found the towns charming and Noyers in particular was indeed a favourite. We like to camp in smaller towns and we found many of those. We would check that they were quiet and ask some of the other campers too (it's hard work packing and repacking tents and gear just for a night!). Nearly every town we went to had church bells that rang on the hour at the very least and they rang day and night. Getting to sleep was difficult even with ear plugs. A lot of people like the charm of the bells and it doesn't annoy them but if we booked in advance and paid for a place that had bells every night I would go mad (der?) Near Noyers we enjoyed the following towns: Auxerre, Avallon, Velezay, Chablis. Over near Dijon the following are towns I would recommend: Pouilly en Auxois, Autun (a lovely Roman town) Beaune (a lively bastide town with museums,wine) and then the wine route on the N74 Nuits de St Georges, Vougeot and on up to Dijon.(route de grand crus) In between these two regions are mountain ranges and forests. If you are short of time I would keep to the Dijon region. Enjoy your stay.
