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Gite les Tillets sits comfortably in the heart of Bois-Sainte-Marie in Saône-et-Loire. Gentle undulating countryside surrounds you, Charolais cattle graze contentedly in the green meadows and medieval history envelops you in the honey-stone buildings and churches. Read our guide to delve deeper into the area – its abundant markets, serene walks, local restaurants serving regional feasts and much more. You’ll feel steeped in La France Profonde.
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St Racho, 10km from Gite Les Tillets
May – Sept: open
Mon – Sun: 19:30 – onwards
Weds: closed
Chef Christophe Rocourt cooks sublime, highly original meals in this tiny little restaurant (only 12 to 16 covers) using vegetables grown himself and whatever ingredients are the freshest and most seasonal that day. There’s no menu and the 4 to 5 courses are always a surprise. It’s a great favourite with locals so booking ahead is essential. Bring your own wine for a magical evening.
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Charolles, 16km from Gite Les Tillets
Open daily for lunch and dinner during high season
An enchanting riverside setting in the heart of Charolles for this restaurant specialising in Charolais meat and traditional regional dishes such as snails in garlic butter. On balmy days you can eat on the terrace overlooking the river Arconce and be cooled by the breeze while you sip some local wine. Booking ahead is advised, especially in the summer months.
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Iguerande, 35km from Gite Les Tillets
Weds-Sun: 19:00 – 21:00
Thurs, Sat, Sun: 12:15 – 14:30
Léo Troigros, Lisa Roche and their magnificent team make eating here like reading beautiful poetry, enjoyable both indoors and out. Whatever the season, they’ll not only surprise you but introduce you to new flavours. Let yourselves go and take their advice about what to eat and drink, leaving you with unforgettable memories of a truly French culinary experience.
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Walk through the mixed woodland and pastures (bocage)
Charolais-Brionnais
There are more than a dozen hiking trails through gorgeously serene countryside straight from the gate and many more further afield. Wander hushed lanes past magnificent specimens of Charolais cattle, listen to birdsong, discover small villages often spotted from afar by the steeple of a Romanesque church.
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Bike rides along the famous greenway
There’s plenty of choice here whether you’re a lycra-clad slave to speed or just want a gentle pootle along traffic-free routes. Bring your own bike or hire locally and enjoy days sailing past glorious landscapes immersed in nature, stop in sleepy villages for good coffee and nourishing snacks – get further and go faster with pedal power.
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Climbing above the vineyards
Discover more than a hundred climbing routes, some leisurely, others trickier and climb to a summit for panoramic views of vineyards. If you want to try climbing for the first time, The French Alpine Club offers starter experiences supervised by Mathias Beuchot, a qualified instructor.
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Chamber Music Festival
Bois-Sainte-Marie, first week of August
Musique en Charolais-Brionnais’ is an annual event, founded in 2005 by the French-Brazilian pianist Juliana Steinbach. Three to four concerts take place in the church at Bois-Sainte-Marie with its wonderful acoustics. In nearby Romanesque churches you can enjoy concerts in the mornings and evenings, as well as conferences and guided walks.
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Curbigny, 4km from Gite Les Tillets
A very handsome chateau with formal gardens built in the middle of the 17th-century and transformed in the 18th-century into a ‘Versaillaise’ residence by Etienne Comte de Drée. Wander parterres, admire topiary, a rosary, sculptures and fountains in intricately landscaped gardens.
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Tours of the Roman Churches of Brionnais
Saône-et-Loire
The Charolais-Brionnais region is particularly rich in magnificent Romanesque churches and chapels built during the middle ages according to the precepts of Clunisiac Romanesque art. Discover much beauty and history at Anzy le Duc 34km, Charlieu 28km, Paray le Monial 28km and the church at Bois Sainte-Marie. All bear witness to the influence of the Clunisiac order and each has its own architectural features.
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46km from Gite Les Tillets
Built at the very beginning of the 17th-century and with a military-looking façade this fascinating building is filled with painted, sculpted and gilded interiors, characteristic of the decorative art of the time – pure Marie de Medici. The gardens are delightful with paths through colourful flower beds, box mazes and water features.
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Cocotte
2km from Gite Les Tillets
A friendly, family-run boulangerie/café/épicerie where you can buy delicious breads, pastries and cakes freshly-baked by Benoit and his team. Stop for a coffee or to buy organic cheeses, charcuterie and vegetables, sourced from a local cooperative. On Friday evenings Benoit makes great pizzas which you can order ahead and collect when you like.
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La Clayette
7.2km from Gite Les Tillets
Here you’ll find 2 caterers offering a variety of dishes prepared with local produce. Marc et Cécile Dupeyret in the Rue centrale and Le Comptoir Charolais on the Rue de la Genette. If you want to do a big shop there is also Intermarché, Lidl and ATAC open from 9am Tuesday to 12pm Sunday.
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Charolles
16km from Gite Les Tillets
Boucherie Charcuterie Patrick Jardin’, Rue de Général Leclerc and ‘Maxine Gauthy’ on the Place de l’Eglise both offer excellent local meats and have delicatessens attached. They also offer ready made meals which you can take away.
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Saint Christophe en Brionnais
19.6km from Gite Les Tillets
This is a little further away but well worth the extra time for foodies. Head for Sébastien Chabanon, who will delight your taste buds with his excellent Charolais meats, homemade pates and sausages and a number of prepared dishes you can take home with you.
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The Charolles market
16km from Gite Les Tillets
Weds: 8:00 – 13:00
This fairground market takes place close to the picturesque district, in the Place de l’Eglise, passing by the Quqai de la Poterne to the Promenade Saint-Nicolas, so getting here is half the fun. This is a very friendly market where stalls are laden with colourful fruit and vegetables, local cheeses and meats and other regional produce.
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Marcigny market
32km from Gite Les Tillets
Every Monday in Town Centre
This large market is fun even in the winter, when more than eighty lively traders tempt you with their artisan cheeses, organic fruit and vegetables, natural wines and Charolais meats as well as clothes and hats. In summer there are more than a hundred and twenty traders.
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La Clayette
6km from Gite Les Tillets
La Brocante du Chateau is open every day except Monday and takes place next to the magnificent chateau. Here you can find antiques for the home and garden and browse interesting objects d’art. In Sarry, 25km, you can have a rummage in Bruno Neyrand’s fabulous antique store.
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25km from Gite Les Tillets
Come to find out about how these magnificent stoneware pieces for the kitchen (preserving, cooking, stewing and containing) are prepared, or to buy some to take home. The stoneware clay, which is prepared entirely inside the manufacturer’s workshop is made from natural French mineral materials and shaped and enamelled by hand.
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The Prieuré Glassworks
Book ahead to visit this wonderful workshop where you can watch a traditional glassmaker at work. Jean Charles creates unusual objects of all kinds, including farmyard animals and insects using glass clay.
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Manufacture Riviére
Charlieu, 28km from Gite Les Tillets
Bright and pleasant, Monika Riviére handles porcelain and painting on porcelain like few other artists. Jewellery and tableware, lamps and vases are all on display. Please call before visiting and Monika will give you a private tour not to be missed.
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La Roche Vineuse, 49km from Gite Les Tillets
There are four words to describe Merlin wines – balance, purity, depth and harmony. It’s a family affair with Corinne Olivier working alongside his two sons. The wines, whether white or red are born from the terroirs of Southern Burgundy which perfectly nurture the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay grape varieties.
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Jean-Pierre Michel
Quintain, 61km from Gite Les Tillets
Both Jean-Pierre and his son Quentin are passionate wine growers. The vineyard is in the heart of the Viré-Clessé and Macon-Villages appellations. Each vine plant is homegrown, there is no use of herbicides and organic fertilisers are used, producing top-quality wines.
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13km from Gite Les Tillets
Unusual and delicious white and red wines from Chardonnay, Auxerois and Gamay grapes, for the curious connoisseur. With more than 8 acres of vines Thierry Hellin and his wife Sophie Barcella, two passionate wine enthusiasts, aim to develop and evolve the endless potential of La Roche des Bancs and to bring their exquisite wines to a wider audience.
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Arboretum de Pézanin
Dompiéres les Ormes, 16km from Gite Les Tillets
Covering an area of 27 hectares, including 4 hectares of water, this lovely arboretum displays some 450 species and varieties of trees and shrubs from all over the world. Find signposted discovery trails, meadows and an area for picnics with tables, benches and barbecues. You can book a guided tour with commentary at a price, but entry is free.
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51km from Gite Les Tillets
Worth coming for a day and a night to make the most of this natural leisure park with playground, mini golf, theme park, discovery trail, trampoline, animals and sports parks. If you’re spending the night reserve your Kota-Grill and enjoy a convivial evening round a central brazier.
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20km from Gite Les Tillets
Slide into the zone here with swimming pool, sauna, massage and spa treatments. The wellness area is a place where you can take care of your body and mind in a warm, serene and caring environment. One of their aims is to help you take charge of your own health and wellbeing.
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Paray le Monial, 28km from Gite Les Tillets
Not just for a rainy day, this super museum houses two 12th-century masterpieces of Roman art alongside a major collection of 17th and 18th-century Italian paintings, works by contemporary artists like Hélene Mugot and Thomas Gleb and many others.
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Lyon
94km from Gite Les Tillets
The capital of Gaul lies at the junction of the Rhone and Saone rivers. Its centre shows 2,000 years of history with the Roman amphitheatre of the Trois Gaules, the medieval and Renaissance architecture of Vieux Lyon and the contemporary buildings in the Confluence district. From the end of June to mid-July the Fourviére Festival attracts numerous artists to the arena for brilliant concerts and performances.
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Beaune
124km from Gite Les Tillets
A fortified city surrounded by France’s Burgundy wine region and the vineyards of the Cote d’Or. The cobbled streets are famous for its annual wine auction held at the Hospices de Beaune. With its roof of colourful geometric tiles this 15th-century former hospital has now become the Hotel-Dieu museum, displaying masterpieces such as Rogier van de Weyden’s Last Judgement.
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