Beaune for Burgundy

Beaune, a 4-hour drive north from Avignon, is one of our favorite places in France. My wife, JoAnn, and I have been there three times and will go again if we have the opportunity. Beaune doesn’t change much. It’s a charming city and the focal point of Burgundy’s wine industry.

There are many places for wine tasting in and around Beaune, with quite a few open seven days a week. On our last visit we stopped at Patriarche Pere & Fils (5-7 re du Collège; phone 03 80 24 53 79), which has thousands of bottles in underground caves, in the center of Beaune. We tasted 15 wines, some costing as much as $40 a bottle. It was well worth the €10 (near $14) per person we paid.

About a block away, Marche aux Vin (2 rue Nicolas Rolin; phone 03 80 25 08 20) was another (also €10 to taste 15 wines) — very good. Be sure to visit the nearby wine museum, which exhibits methods of cultivation, traditions and the way of life in Burgundy.

BILL KOFOED

Ft. Pierce, FL