In the idyllic canal side village of Marigny le Cahouet and surrounded by lush Burgundian countryside, La Maison Lemoine is a wonderful escape in the geographical heart of France. The region’s fine wines are no secret but look beyond the vines and you’ll unearth a fascinating landscape steeped in history, with medieval towns, hilltop villages and friendly locals eager to share its charms with you. It’s deeply peaceful yet just over an hour by train from Paris.
A jewel of a place in the historic heart of the medieval town. Laura and Martin present exquisite dishes from a seasonally changing menu, with remarkable flavours in an atmosphere that is both relaxed and special. Summer lunches on the terrace overlooking the lush valley that crosses the town are a joy.
A lovely setting in the oldest part of Semur-en-Auxois down on the banks of the river Armancon. Fred and Manu serve classic hearty Burgundian fare from a reassuringly small menu, all locally sourced and lovingly cooked, with carefully chosen wines to match. You eat in the vaulted dining room or out on the terrace in the sunshine.
C.A.N.A stands for Cuisine Artisanale Naturaliste et Audacieuse and has a menu based around local produce. Johnny Miah, in the kitchen and Charles Do Vale, sommelier, offer a fine list of wines and beers along with platters of local or Italian charcuterie. The atmosphere is delightful and there are lovely views.
A small farmhouse restaurant where most ingredients are produced on the farm. Farmer and chef Frédéric Menager produces seasonal menus with flair and style. You may sit at a long table with people you have never met, but that is part of the pleasure. The small dining room has pictures, posters and a working juke box playing rock music, Frédérics other passion.
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Walks & Outdoor activities
Château de Marigny le Cahouet
Moated Château – Walk
A moated château with a beautifully tiled and coloured roof. Only a few minutes’ walk from Lemoine and a nice post lunch or early evening stroll. The château is private but during the summer when the owners are present, you may be lucky enough to meet their young sons who sometimes offer impromptu guided tours. Utterly charming.
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Château de Saint Colombe en Auxois
Historic Monument – Hike
2-hour round trip walk uphill from Marigny le Cahouet, or 10-minute drive
This château has been restored by ARCADE, a local arts collective who also host a programme of exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year. The château was built in 1640 and has been listed as an Historic Monument since 1991. Savour the history then wander down the hill (or freewheel on your bike) into Marigny for a delicious lunch.
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Cycling in the Auxois, The Canal Tow Path
Cycling – Bike Hire
Limoine
This is a gentle, flat place for cycling but the owners have a portfolio of lovely routes of varying length and challenge from the village and can guide you if you prefer. Their ethos is all about slowing down and enjoying the journey not racing to a destination – they can provide a few bikes but if you want better/faster ones you can hire them from Xavier at Venarey Cycles.
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Vintage Renault 4 Tour
Guided Tour – Picnic – Authentic French Experience
Pick up from your door
The owners’ have a restored Renault 4 Savanne in white, also known as Patsy. It doesn’t get more authentic, driving a Renault 4 down sleepy French country lanes with a picnic in the back to a place unplanned and dictated only by serendipity.
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Cultural experiences
Semur-en-Auxois
Medieval Town – Shopping – Entertainment
15-minute drive
A lovely medieval town with many restaurants, cafés, bars and shops. At the beginning of May it is transformed for one week while locals dress up as peasants and camp around the church of Notre Dame, chickens and sheep wander about and you can enjoy spiced wines and cakes while watching music and dance. At the end of May you can enjoy the oldest horse race in France, The Course de la Bague.
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Flavigny Sur Ozerain
Hilltop Village – Workshops – Local Food
10-minute drive
This pretty hilltop village was the location for the film ‘Chocolat’ and is regularly listed as one of the most beautiful in France. The famous ‘Anis de Flavigny’ bonbon is made here and you can take a guided tour of their workshops, wander through their beautiful sweet shop or take a little pause in the courtyard cafe. During the summer at weekends, there is a DIY cafe called ‘la Grange’ next to the church where local farmers cook and serve simple quiches, salads and tarts.
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Chateau Bussy Rabutin
Gardens – Maze – Outdoor Theatre
20-minute drive
An elegant small chateau set in its own parkland with an ornate garden to wander and a maze to get lost in. This is the place where Roger de Rabutin, comte de Bussy was exiled after writing salacious stories about the Sun King and his courtesans – you can discover all about that while admiring some wonderful pictures and furniture. During the summer there is a programme of outdoor theatre and music.
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Abbaye de Fontenay
UNESCO World Heritage Site – Cistercian Architecture – Museum
1.5 hr cycle or 20-minute drive
The magnificent Abbey, founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved examples of Cistercian Architecture and engineering in France. A gloriously dreamy place often used as a location for films and TV, including the 1990 film Cyrano de Bergerac. You can also wander the museum, a bookshop and a gift shop.
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Boulangeries, traiteurs and supermarkets
Le Fournil de l’Aubes’Pain
Fresh Bread – Pastries – French Breakfast
Venarey les Laumes, 10-minute drive
Nip down first thing to collect the freshest breads and pastries for your very French breakfasts and if you’re not in a hurry you can enjoy a very good coffee too. Just don’t keep everybody at home waiting too long.
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Bouhot 11 and Boulangerie Michelot
Bakeries – Delivery – Pick Up
Semur-en-Auxois, 15-minute drive
Honourable mentions also go to these two bakeries for good breads, croissants, pastries and more. Deliveries can be arranged – or if you ask nicely – the kind owners can drive you there in Patsy the white Renault 4 – a true French experience.
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Super U and B1
Essentials – Food
Venarey Les Laumes, 10-minute drive
Everything you could possibly need under one roof – good for stocking up with the things you can’t buy in the local markets.
Here you can buy all your groceries and also order bread and pastries. There is a charge of 2 euros to temporarily join the épicerie.
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Markets
Semur-en-Auxois Market
Bustling – Fresh Produce – Live Entertainment
15-minute drive
Sun: AM
This lovely market takes place in the heart of the city and attracts plenty of locals and visitors, creating a wonderful bustling atmosphere. You’ll find fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, honey, jam, flour, snails, liqueurs and pastries alongside a fishmonger and sometimes live music or performances. Bring plenty of shopping bags and enjoy a coffee afterwards.
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Saulieu Market
Weekly Market – Fresh Produce – Culture
15-minute drive
Sat: AM
The weekly market in Saulieu takes place on the Monge esplanade under the shade of mature trees in the summer and at the covered market in winter. Either way you’ll enjoy a colourful array of fresh produce and a cultural experience that has become an unmissable event in the area.
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Dijon Market
Local Produce – Bar
1 hour drive
Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat: AM
A bit further away but well worth it for the magnificent market building created by Enterprise Eiffel, who also built the tower in Paris. A truly cosmopolitan market used by the people of Dijon and visitors alike with a fantastic array of local produce and even a bar where you can sit with a glass of chilled Burgundian Chardonnay and eat oysters. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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Brocantes and ateliers
Puces des 3
Clothes – Homeware – Bargain Hunting
Villeneuve sous Charigny, 6-minute drive
Mon – Weds: closed
Thurs – Sun: 15:00 – 18:00
This brocante is run by the force of nature that is Flo. You can spend 5 minutes or 5 hours just browsing the ever-changing stock of plates, glassware, furniture, clothes, vinyl or something that just takes you by surprise. The best part is it’s not expensive so you can find a bargain.
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Poterie d’Alesia
Pottery – Demonstrations
Alise Ste Reine, 15-minute drive
This tiny pottery is run by David who produces lovely pieces reflecting the styles and colours of the Gallo-Roman history of the area. He also offers demonstrations of throwing and creating using a wheel.
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Flowver Glass
Glasswork – Workshop – Exhibition
Missery, 25-minute drive
Florian is a gentle soul who creates beautiful pieces in glass. His workshop is also his exhibition space and shopfront. You can visit his atelier most days and he will welcome you warmly and talk with passion about his work. An absolute gem of a place.
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Vineyards and distilleries
Brasserie de Flavigny
Micro-brewery – Bistro – Views
10-minute drive
A super micro-brewery and bistro. Perched on the edge of the hill with fantastic views of the countryside, this is a grand place to sit and enjoy a refreshing cold beer and a platter of charcuterie especially if you’ve been walking or sightseeing.
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Domaine de Flavigny Alesia
Bespoke Wine Tasting – Date Night
In the village
Andrew used to work as a wine buyer for a luxury travel company based in Burgundy. With contacts he has made over the years he can arrange visits and tastings or bring a collection of wines together for a bespoke tasting at La Maison Lemoine.
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Family activities
Parc de l’Auxois, Zoo
Family Day Out – Picnic – Swimming
Arnay sous Vitteaux, a 10-minute drive
This small zoo is a great place to visit, particularly for families with smaller children. You can spend the whole day there, take a picnic or enjoy some of the many food outlets on site. It has grown from a small farm with some interesting exotic animals in the 1960s into a grown-up zoo with some actual fierce animals including lions, tigers and bears. You could try out the nostalgic 1970s playground rides or even go for a swim in the zoo pool.
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Lac de Pont Reservoir
Wild Swimming – Terraced Restaurant – Water Sports
15-minute drive
Cold water swimming at Lac de Pont, one of Lorna’s passions, a swim in the lake or maybe a shorter dip depending on the time of year (12-15°C in summer, 2°C in winter). This lake also has its own lake beach and Club Nautique where you can hire canoes, pedalos and have a go at water skiing. Hotel du Lac restaurant opposite the lake serves great lunches on its terrace.
