Mature Flâneur
Fairytale Medieval Villages of Burgundy
Captivated by Noyers’ 15th-century charm
A two-hour drive from Paris, we passed over a stone bridge, under a stone arch, and into a forgotten world — a world of tilted tile roofs, dark-timbered houses and antique amber streetlamps. We had entered the village of the medieval town of Noyers-sur-Serein. Once the bastion of Burgundy — literally at the border where the Burgundian Dukes faced the often-hostile Kingdom of France — Noyers was one of the most powerful and resplendent towns of the duchy. That was five hundred years ago…
Teresa (my beloved spouse) and I were just starting our exploration of Burgundy, with plans to meander slowly from north to south through this land of rolling farmlands, vineyards, historic towns, castles and cathedrals. Teresa had chosen Noyers as our first stop. And yet, as we strolled through the village at dusk that first evening, she told me she feared she had made a mistake with this decision.
“I’m afraid Noyers might be the very best Burgundy has to offer…What if it’s all downhill from here?”
Indeed, the sheer medieval cute-osity of the town is overwhelming:
