| Burgundy | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | France |
|---|---|
| Capital | Dijon |
| Surface | 31,582 km² |
| Inhabitants | 1.642.440 (2009) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
Burgundy (Burgundy) is a region of the France rich in history but certainly more famous for its wines.
To know
Burgundy owes its name to the ancient Germanic population of the Burgundians who in the 5th century founded a kingdom in south-central Roman Gaul.
Geographical notes
The territory of the region borders theÎle-de-France to the north-west, Champagne-Ardenne North, Franche-Comté at East, Rhône-Alpes South, Auvergne to the southwest and Center West.
Characteristic of Burgundy are the gentle undulations and endless green. In fact, this region maintains a low, rural population density. The region is almost entirely occupied by the Plateu de Langres, modest hilly heights that hardly reach mountain altitudes (639 m), carved by numerous rivers and streams, all tributaries of the Saon, on which there are the only small flat areas.
When to go
The climate is moderately continental, due to the distance from the sea; winters are therefore cold (average in January from -1 to 2 °) and mild summers, with highs in July between 25 and 28 °.
Background
The current French region of Burgundy corresponds only to a part of this ancient kingdom, namely that which in later times formed the so-called Duchy of Burgundy.
The realm created by the Burgundians or Kingdom of Burgundy was later annexed by the Franks and after the Carolingian era it became independent again before splitting up later in several more or less independent territories thus becoming the "kingdom of the Two Burgundy" and then again merged with the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1477, on the death of the last Capetian duke, Charles the Bold, the territory of the Duchy of Burgundy was directly annexed to the royal domains of France.
Spoken languages
In large centers (e.g. Dijon), theEnglish is understood, but if one ventures into rural areas the knowledge of the French will be essential.
Suggested readings
- C. Oursel, The art de Bourgogne, Paris-Grenoble, 1953
- V. Perret, The sculpture bourguignonne au XII et au XIII siècle, Paris, 1914
Territories and tourist destinations
It is made up of 4 departments:
Burgundy: full screen map.Urban centers
- Dijon (Dijon) - Capital of the region.
- Autun - Municipality located in the Saône-et-Loire department.
- Auxerre - Capital of the department of Yonne.
- Avallon - Located in the department of Yonne.
- Beaune - It was for a long time, in the Middle Ages, the favorite residence of the Dukes of Burgundy.
- Mâcon - Capital of the Saône department.
- Nevers - The city is located at the confluence of the Nièvre in the Loire.
- Paray-le-Monial - Municipality located in the Saône-et-Loire department.
- Saulieu - Located in the Côte-d'Or department.
- Semur-en-Auxois - Medieval village of the Côte-d'Or located on the banks of the Armançon.
- Sens - Ancient town with an interesting Gothic cathedral.
- Vézelay - Small medieval village located on an isolated hill in the plains of the nearby Morvan Regional Natural Park (on the road traveled by pilgrims from Santiago de Compostela), it was declared by theUNESCO World Heritage Site.
Other destinations
- 1 Morvan Regional Natural Park - large protected area (280,000 ha) with the aim of preserving the region's biosphere and educating visitors and inhabitants to respect the environment. Inside there are fabulous landscapes and ancient cities of Burgundy not infrequently enriched by a monumental castle and the Celtic archaeological site of Bibracte.
How to get
How to get around
What see
What to do
At the table
La Borgona is an area of characteristic wines, accompanied by equally exciting foods, such as Burgundian beef.
Drinks
Burgundy wines are among the finest in the world.
