Tuesday and Avalon Scenery.

Our cases needed to be outside our room at 7 am this morning, so it was an early start, with an early breakfast.

We shopped for food, as we had to have our own lunch to eat on the TGV (high speed) train that we were taking to Dijon.  This train travels at speeds up to 300 K per hour.   We were fortunate to have an upstairs seat, which gave us some nice views of the countryside as we travelled along. 

On reaching Dijon, we were met on the platform by our guides, who led us to our respective coaches for the journey to Bourne.  Our guide was Andreas, an Italian who spoke impeccable English with an upper class accent.  He had lived in London  for a couple of years, and had an English girlfriend in Paris!   He could also speak English with a heavy Franch accent !  Not to mention the Italian of course. 

He toured us around part of the town of Bourne, including the Hotel-Dieu, a "Palace for the Poor" 

Built as a hospital for the poor in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone de Salins, it actually provided care until 1971, when a new hospital was built. 

It has a beautiful tiled roof, which is not seen from the outside of the building.

This is part of the great hall, where patients were attended to by the Sisters.  Nicholas built it as part of his "good works" to ensure his passage to heaven. 

This river area was a public wash house, where women came to do their washing.

After some free  time to explore  the small town, we were shepherded back to our buses to to be transported to our ship, the Avalon Scenery, awaiting us.  On the way, Andreas pointed out to us the fact that even on the road roundabouts there were grape vines being grown, with the grapes harvested and made into wine.   This area is famous for its burgundy wines, and many, many hectares of vines.

  

 There was a busy schedule  on boarding; a short time to unpack,  then a drill;  meet the staff, and get the low down from Stefano, our cruise director, and then dinner.   The food was delicious, all four courses of it, and plenty of choice.   We were all exhausted, so fell into it our comfortable beds for a good nights sleep.