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Burgundy considers itself the heart of France, a prosperous
region with world-renowned wine, earthy but excellent cuisine and magnificent
architecture. Franche-Comté to the east combines gentle farmland with lofty
alpine forests.
Under the Dukes of Valois, Burgundy was France's most powerful rival, with
territory extending well beyond its present boundaries. By the 16th century,
however, the duchy was ruled by governors appointed by the French king, but it still
managed to keep its privileges and traditions. Once a part of Burgundy,
Franche-Comté - the Free Country - struggled to remain independent of the
French Crown and was a province of the Holy Roman Empire until annexed by Louis
XIV in 1674.
Burgundy is a wealthy region, a centre of medieval religious faith that produced
Romanesque masterpieces at Vézelay, Fontenay and Cluny. Dijon is a splendid
city, filled with the palaces of the old Burgundian nobility and a collection of
great paintings and sculptures in the Musée des Beaux Arts. The vineyards of
the Côte d'Or, the Côte de Beaune and Chablis yield some of the world's most
venerated wines.
A long-time a favourite destination of European travellers, Burgundy is quickly
becoming "discovered" by tourists who are eager to leave the
hustle-bustle of Paris behind them and experience the pleasures of Eastern
France: storybook villages, winding wine roads, fascinating museums, splendid
cathedrals and a wealth of outdoor activities. With such an exceptional
geographic location, Burgundy has been called the meeting place of
civilizations. Right in the heart of Europe, this area still bears the marks of
a glorious and turbulent past that has great appeal for tourists.
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