Cruising the Route des Grands Vins

We deliberately slept in on Tuesday morning because we had been out late the night before, and we also deliberately skipped breakfast due to that large, late dinner.  The day was clear if a little hazy, and we decided to find a place to have lunch in the vineyards, then drive parts of the Route des Grands Vins that are near us. 

We had an excellent lunch in Volnay at the Auberge des Vignes, a small place overlooking the vinyards of Volnay, Pommard and Mersault. 

Pommard and vineyards from the restaurant

The daily menu was three courses, and we both got that but chose differently. 

• Rabbit terrine (Craig) and oeufs en meurette (Valyn), a burgundian speciality of poached eggs in a red wine sauce.  We were neutral on the rabbit but Valyn gave a way thumbs up on the eggs.
• Duck two ways - roasted breast and confit leg (Craig) and salmon wrapped in proscuitto (Valyn).  The duck was great, and Valyn says she's found a new way to prepare salmon.
• For dessert, pear chutney (Craig) and fromage blanc (Valyn), another local specialty of soft white cheese served with sugar.  Neither did much for us.

Then it was off to the vineyards.  Going from south to north, we visited Puligny-Montrachet, Mersault (our favorite village of the day and definitely a place to where we could return), Volnay, Pommard, Bouze-les-Beaunes, Savigny-les-Beaunes and finally home.

Houses in Puligny-Montrachet

Town Hall in Mersault

Wine bar break in Mersault

At each village, we parked and wandered with our cameras.  As this is not the high season for France, every place we've been has been blissfully quiet.  Some of the villages were totally empty which would be understandable in the middle of a weekday if it was some normal place, but this is Burgundy with one of the highest tourist populations in the world.
   

Vineyard worker's storage and shelter