All the participants and registered accompanying persons are cordially invited
- to attend the Welcome Reception (June 11th - 6:30 pm) for a cheese and wine tasting party,
- to attend the Mayor Reception at the City Hall (June 12th - 6:30 pm),
- to take part in the excursion to Beaune scheduled in the afternoon of Wednesday June 14th,
- to enjoy the Conference Dinner served on Wednesday evening.
EXCURSION
On Wednesday afternoon, buses will take us to the famous "Route des Grands Crus" that stretches south from Dijon along the wine cost and crosses some of the most prestigious vineyards of Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits Saint Georges, Aloxe-Corton, to our final destination, Beaune. From its Roman origins to the golden age of the Dukes of Burgundy, this medieval town enjoys a rich history and is the capital of Burgundy wines.
Culture. In the heart of the city, guided-tours will enable to discover a masterpiece of the XVth century architecture, the Hospice de Beaune (1 hour). Also known as the Hôtel-Dieu, this former almshouse was founded in 1443 shortly after the end of the Hundred Years' War by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone de Salins, as a hospital and refuge for the poor.
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The design of the building was probably overseen by the Flemish architect Jacques Wiscrère and remained as a hospital until the late 1970s. The facade is today regarded as a famous example of Northern Renaissance civil architecture and a treasure of panel painting, while the polychrome roofs immediately attract the eyes of each visitor.
The Hospices de Beaune received the first patient on January 1, 1452. Elderly, disabled and sick people, with orphans, women about to give birth and the destitute have all been uninterruptedly welcomed for treatment and refuge from the Middle Ages until today. In conjunction, Rolin established the "Les sœurs hospitalières de Beaune" religious order. This Catholic institution focused on healing both the body and spirit of its patients.
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Thanks to numerous donations by grateful families and generous benefactors, the institution is one of the best and oldest examples of historical, philanthropic, and wine-producing heritage, and has become linked with the economic and cultural life of Burgundy. Since 1859, a charity auction attracts every third Sunday in November professional and private wine buyers from all over the world.
Wine tasting. The excursionists will moreover have the chance to visit a cellar and taste some wines at the Marché aux Vins http://www.marcheauxvins.com, located in the ancient Cordelier Church, in front of the Hospices de Beaune (1 hour).
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Conference dinner. The dinner will follow the guided tours and a free stroll in the medieval city-center of Beaune on Wednesday evening at the Bastion, located ca. 100 m away from the Hospices. After a welcome drink, you will enjoy the dinner in the vaulted reception room decorated by 11 Aubusson tapestries woven between the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries.
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The dinner is also included in the accompanying person's package.
