Burgundy, and you would

Burgundy, and you would be hard pushed to find a more delicious city. You can read more about Dijon and its gastronomic excellence here. Chalon-sur-Saône – wine country… Around 40km south of Dijon brings you to the town of Chalon-sur-Saône – on the doorstep of the great vineyards of Mercurey, which takes its name from a temple built here by the Romans in tribute to the God Mercury. Mercurey’s wines charters go back almost 1500 years, to 557 AD, and this area is considered the “wine capital” of Burgundy, and one of its foremost appellations. But enough superlatives – what’s the wine like? Well head to the 17th century Château de Chamirey, in the heart of the Mercurey vineyards for a delicious tasting and to find out more about the vines. Vallée de la Gastronomie – a tasty trek through France Janine Marsh undertakes a gastronomic odyssey from the north to the south… Travelling the 620km route which follows a 1000-year-old trade route through France, straddling several departments, and stopping off at historic towns, enchanting villages, verdant vineyards, and ancient cities, there was so much to see, do, eat and drink, I have split the tale of my mouth-watering meander from Burgundy to the Mediterranean Sea into two equally delicious parts! Part I – the southern section of my journey is in the Summer issue of TGLF magazine – you can read it here. And now for the north… This epic-urean route of the Vallée de la Gastronomie starts in Dijon, capital of Amaury Devillard, Chateau de Chamirey I met with the chateau’s owner Amaury Devillard who explained that of the 37 hectares under the Chateau de Chamirey label, 15 of them are premier Cru, reflecting the diverse soils and microclimates within the Mercurey appellation. Sipping a superb fruity red and a fresh peachy white as we looked out over the countryside at a mosaic 48 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 49