France and Italy, 2004

Semur-en-Auxois is a walled medieval city (with modern building around it), on the river Armançon about 50km from Dijon. It was our first stop and, unlike many of the others, it was a real town having a purpose other than just tourism.

We had booked at Hôtel les Gourmets, but the owner had "forgotten" our booking and gone to the horse races. Not a good start to the holiday! The local tourist bureau found us a room at this pleasant hotel.

Across the road from the hotel was this typical French collection of road signs.

A view of the town from across the river bridge.

Another general view of the town.

Below the town walls, next to the river.

The church has a number of interesting carvings, some of them religious....

And some not!

We visted the nearby village of Epoisses, hoping to buy some of its renowned washed-rind cheese, but it was lunch-time so the entire village was shut. The chateau had this delightful little watch tower on its surrounding wall.

The other place we visited from Semur was Fontenay Abbey. The rest of the photos are from there.

The dovecote and roses

The interior of the church, very austere as Cistercians liked.

The cloisters