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Friday, 17 February 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Property search in and around Beaune - what a treat!
Just recently I had the pleasure of searching out properties in and around the area of Beaune. This is actually on the outskirts of my Southern Burgundy territory but as it was such a precise search and the time-scale was quite short (2-3 weeks over the Christmas period) and my clients were coming from far away in Australia, I decided to take on the challenge!
I am very pleased that I did as I really enjoyed discovering the many renowned wine villages that this area of Burgundy has to offer. My clients knew the area very well and wanted me to concentrate on the villages that can be found mostly to the south and west of Beaune, within easy driving access to the city centre.
My favourite villages were Savigny-les-Beaune, and Santenay as they have everything that you could wish for in terms of commodities plus a few extra restaurants! However I also loved the smaller village of Volnay which is very rich and known throughout the world for its delicious wine produce!
As the visits took place in winter time I was obviously not seeing it at its best (!) but it managed to capture my heart even with the lack of the summer heat, so I know that in the summer time I will definitely be taking time out to take a day trip up the wine route and stop off at some of the little cafes and restaurants I have found throughout my search.
I understand why Beaune and its surrounding wine villages attract so many visitors from all over the world, however property prices are a lot higher than if you were to look just that little bit further south nearer to Cluny. The scenery is just as beautiful with just as many charming villages and the temperatures are that little bit higher as Macon is the official border where the South of France begins. I guess until people discover this part of Burgundy house prices will remain relatively low which is good news for those who have already fallen in love with Southern Burgundy!
Here are some photos of some of the properties and areas I visited, enjoy....
I am very pleased that I did as I really enjoyed discovering the many renowned wine villages that this area of Burgundy has to offer. My clients knew the area very well and wanted me to concentrate on the villages that can be found mostly to the south and west of Beaune, within easy driving access to the city centre.
My favourite villages were Savigny-les-Beaune, and Santenay as they have everything that you could wish for in terms of commodities plus a few extra restaurants! However I also loved the smaller village of Volnay which is very rich and known throughout the world for its delicious wine produce!
As the visits took place in winter time I was obviously not seeing it at its best (!) but it managed to capture my heart even with the lack of the summer heat, so I know that in the summer time I will definitely be taking time out to take a day trip up the wine route and stop off at some of the little cafes and restaurants I have found throughout my search.
I understand why Beaune and its surrounding wine villages attract so many visitors from all over the world, however property prices are a lot higher than if you were to look just that little bit further south nearer to Cluny. The scenery is just as beautiful with just as many charming villages and the temperatures are that little bit higher as Macon is the official border where the South of France begins. I guess until people discover this part of Burgundy house prices will remain relatively low which is good news for those who have already fallen in love with Southern Burgundy!
Here are some photos of some of the properties and areas I visited, enjoy....
Friday, 25 November 2011
A piece of Southern Burgundy countryside for a tiny price...
Property of the month
If you are looking for great views, a countryside location, a little retreat away from your daily life but on a budget... this property could be for you!
Nestled between the pretty village of Les Echarmeaux and the lively town of La Clayette, this classical French country house offers habitable living straight away with character features like wooden beamed ceilings and a spectacular view over the Burgundy countryside.
The property is all on one level with a large open plan living room and kitchen area opening out onto the spacious garden. There are two good sized bedrooms with storage space and a shower room and laundry.
Set on a plot of land of 900m2 this property offers peaceful holiday living but not far from local commodities for the small asking price of 110,000€ - definitely worth a look!
If you are looking for great views, a countryside location, a little retreat away from your daily life but on a budget... this property could be for you!
Nestled between the pretty village of Les Echarmeaux and the lively town of La Clayette, this classical French country house offers habitable living straight away with character features like wooden beamed ceilings and a spectacular view over the Burgundy countryside.
The property is all on one level with a large open plan living room and kitchen area opening out onto the spacious garden. There are two good sized bedrooms with storage space and a shower room and laundry.
Set on a plot of land of 900m2 this property offers peaceful holiday living but not far from local commodities for the small asking price of 110,000€ - definitely worth a look!
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Day trip to Paris - cheap and easy from Southern Burgundy!
One of the main reasons that I decided to move to this area of Burgundy was its great location in France with easy access to Paris, Lyon and the Alps.
After booking our tickets to Paris a few months in advance I was able to treat my mum to a day in Paris travelling first class on the TGV for only 70€ each. Obviously you can travel to Paris for under 50€ if booked in advance and in second class, but as this was her 60th birthday I thought it would be nice to travel in style!
The nearest station to us is Macon, which is ideal as there are several direct trains to Paris taking just under 1 1/2 hours, which leaves plenty of time to spend a pleasant day taking in the sights of the French capital.
We were greeted by a sunlit Paris and after a morning of wandering round the antiques area of Saint Germain and visiting the Musée d'Orsay, we crossed the river and took in the sights along the Champs Elysée.
We then stopped off for afternoon tea at the famous Ladurée tea room, treating ourselves to a vanilla tea and being spoilt for choice with the large selection of exquisite macaroons and delicate cakes. The Ladurée shop next door tempted us with all its sumptuous offerings and we ended up buying a box of their famous mini macaroons.
We then had just over an hour to wander around the small streets surrounding La Concorde where you will find all of the chic boutiques like Dior, and Chanel before deciding to take in some of the other sights Paris has to offer by taking a bus ride from La Concorde to Gare de Lyon where our train to Macon was on time returning us to the Burgundy countryside just in time for supper.
Now that we know that a day trip to Paris is this easy and enjoyable we shall definitely be making the best of this location by doing this again soon!
After booking our tickets to Paris a few months in advance I was able to treat my mum to a day in Paris travelling first class on the TGV for only 70€ each. Obviously you can travel to Paris for under 50€ if booked in advance and in second class, but as this was her 60th birthday I thought it would be nice to travel in style!
The nearest station to us is Macon, which is ideal as there are several direct trains to Paris taking just under 1 1/2 hours, which leaves plenty of time to spend a pleasant day taking in the sights of the French capital.
We were greeted by a sunlit Paris and after a morning of wandering round the antiques area of Saint Germain and visiting the Musée d'Orsay, we crossed the river and took in the sights along the Champs Elysée.
We then stopped off for afternoon tea at the famous Ladurée tea room, treating ourselves to a vanilla tea and being spoilt for choice with the large selection of exquisite macaroons and delicate cakes. The Ladurée shop next door tempted us with all its sumptuous offerings and we ended up buying a box of their famous mini macaroons.
We then had just over an hour to wander around the small streets surrounding La Concorde where you will find all of the chic boutiques like Dior, and Chanel before deciding to take in some of the other sights Paris has to offer by taking a bus ride from La Concorde to Gare de Lyon where our train to Macon was on time returning us to the Burgundy countryside just in time for supper.
Now that we know that a day trip to Paris is this easy and enjoyable we shall definitely be making the best of this location by doing this again soon!
Friday, 4 November 2011
Autumn time in Southern Burgundy
It has been years since I have been able to really appreciate this wonderful time of year, as for the past 10 years I have been living in cities! However autumn in Southern Burgundy is a real treat!
The rich colours, the crisp sunny mornings give me a real boost and confirm yet again that I have made the best choice ever to move to this beautiful part of France.
I just wish I was good at painting because yesterday I was walking past the château in La Clayette when it's view in the sunshine reflecting perfectly on the river actually made me stop and take it all in. Instead of a painting I took a few photos to capture the moment!
This area is still rather unknown to foreigners, but as I have learnt from my experience, once you discover the beauty of this area you never want to leave!
Should you wish to know more about this area and what hidden gems in terms of property South Burgundy has to offer then take a look at this link, or keep following my blog!
Friday, 28 October 2011
Friday, 21 October 2011
Food delight in Southern Burgundy
When you think of Burgundy the first thing that comes to mind are the fabulous vineyards, and usually you next think of the gastronomical delights that this beautiful region is known for.
Last Friday I was fortunate enough to get the chance to combine exquisite food with some of the regions best wines when I was invited by an expat client to have lunch at the well known Charollais restaurant Frédéric Doucet.
Famous for its fine creative cuisine such as the famous Charolais steak, breast of pigeon, fillets of Erquy sole or warm grand marnier soufflé. Frédéric Doucet offers elegant dining in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, where the waiting staff are extremely attentive and are the perfect image of the true French waiter with their crisp white aprons and black suits.
I chose the Menu "Instant Gourmand" which for 39€ you get starter, main and dessert. On top of this you have the pleasant surprise of being served two amuse bouches before the starter which are a small meal in themselves! These little savoury delights make you realise that you are in for a real treat with the rest of the meal.
For the starter I had fried foie gras with roasted apples, spinach salad with a rich sauce, followed by roasted hunted duck, candied apples and french chanterelles mushrooms, and for dessert I had the Doucet "All Chocolate" which consists of four small chocolate desserts:
My expat client had the warm soufflé with Grand Marnier:
Last Friday I was fortunate enough to get the chance to combine exquisite food with some of the regions best wines when I was invited by an expat client to have lunch at the well known Charollais restaurant Frédéric Doucet.
Famous for its fine creative cuisine such as the famous Charolais steak, breast of pigeon, fillets of Erquy sole or warm grand marnier soufflé. Frédéric Doucet offers elegant dining in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, where the waiting staff are extremely attentive and are the perfect image of the true French waiter with their crisp white aprons and black suits.
I chose the Menu "Instant Gourmand" which for 39€ you get starter, main and dessert. On top of this you have the pleasant surprise of being served two amuse bouches before the starter which are a small meal in themselves! These little savoury delights make you realise that you are in for a real treat with the rest of the meal.
For the starter I had fried foie gras with roasted apples, spinach salad with a rich sauce, followed by roasted hunted duck, candied apples and french chanterelles mushrooms, and for dessert I had the Doucet "All Chocolate" which consists of four small chocolate desserts:
My expat client had the warm soufflé with Grand Marnier:
After all of this delightful food I was rather full but we were in for another treat as when we were brought the coffees we were also served four small mignardises which was a dessert in itself!
Throughout the meal we were able to taste some of the wines the region is famous for: Pouilly Fuissé, and Givry. The wine menu was a very thick black book, and offers any wine imaginable!
I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is in the Southern Burgundy area, or for those a bit further away it is definitely worth the extra miles as this experience will remain one of the pleasures that you will want to repeat again and again! And at the small price of 39€ it is definitely great value for money!
Enjoy......
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