Beaune tourist information
In the begining the Roman fort on the site is given the name "Belen" in praise of the sun god of that name in the gaulish pantheon.
During it's 2000 year existance Beaune was for a short period the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, then a busy commercial centre for the cloth and wine industries. The town took on a defensive character through the continous fortification of it's ramparts and castle whose functions were to protect it's interests and inhabitants.
The Hotel Dieu with it's magnificent multicolored roof dates from the period of the Valois Dukes , it bears witness to the munificence of the period.
On the death of the last Valois Duke and after a brief rebellion Burgundy and with it Beaune were reintegrated into the French kingdom. The town shares in the history of France .
At different times it faced difficulties such as, plague, famine, fire and wolves. It came under attack from armed bands of demobilised military after the Hundred Years War, was involved in the resistance to Henry IV and suffered an incursion from the kind hearted bandit Mandrin.
Finally in the 18th century Beaune became the centre for the commerce of Burgundy's fine wines.
Beaune has several famous sons, Gaspard Monge, well known for his work on descriptive geometry and one of the founders of l'Ecole Normal. Felix Ziem a 19th century painter "the painter of light" a brillant colourist and a precursor of Impressionism.
Etienne Jules Marey through the invention of his photographic gun contributed to modern cinema
Today, at the dawn of the 3rd milenium the visitor finds confined within the walls of Beaune a charming blend of medieval half timbered houses, the gentle curves of romanesque architecture, rooftops ornamented by weathervanes, fascinating townhouses and the multicoloured tiles and lead "lacework " of the Hôtel Dieu.
Bastions and towers nowadays offer a peaceful protection to the region's most prestigous products, the moat has been transformed into public or private gardens sheltering century old plant collections.
by Office de Tourisme de Beaune France
Beaune aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Beaune aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Beaune.
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