Page 198 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2020 South Africa

While the region is only 3.5 hours by car from
Paris, it must have felt like he was flung far away
into a different universe to Roger de Rabutin,
Comte de Bussy, the 17th century count who was
banished from court and exiled here. Author of
the Histoire Amoureuse des Gaules, a satiric ac-
count of court love affairs, he was exiled for sev-
enteen years by King Louis XIV. His aristocratic
residence, Château de Bussy-Rabutin, is famous
for its collection of over 300 portraits including
generals, warriors and court ladies.
There is one that I find fascinating, titled “Levior
aura” meaning lighter than air, and indeed it shows
a woman who seems to be weighing less than
nothing on a balancing scale. Didier Doré, a his-
tory professor showing me around solves the mys-
tery. “You need to look closely as some of the
paintings have a deeper meaning. The lady in this
particular painting depicts Roger de Rabutin’s
lover Cécile, Marquise de Montglas who left him
when he was sent to exile.”
There are more châteaux in Burgundy than any
other region in France. Nearly 100 castles, me-
dieval strongholds and manor houses of every ar-
chitectural style dot the landscape from Vézelay
to Cluny. It’s impossible to see them all but many
have been converted to small luxury hotels such
as Château d'Igé at which I get spoilt with award-
winning cuisine (more snails, this time in red wine)
and a good night’s rest in the 13th century castle.
The next morning I drive through vineyards and
medieval villages with their narrow lanes, rose-
bush-clad houses and old fountains. Occasionally,
a châteaux, often seemingly privately owned,
comes into view – it doesn’t get more idyllic than
that.
From the 13th to the 15th centuries, the village
of Brancion was an important regional centre for
the Dukes of Burgundy and many buildings date
from that epoch. “Its location on a hilltop meant
that the ruling family became rich by ambushing
pilgrims on the way to Cluny”, explains guide Leslie
Cleaver. Today, there are only about one hundred
residents left though it is a popular destination es-
pecially for families because of the craft fairs. A
hidden gem is the Romanesque church of St. Peter
with its wall paintings from 1325. Service is still
being held occasionally in the dark and somewhat

198 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2020