Day 17 - Are We in Scotland?

Tuesday 15th September 2015
We are up early in the Hotel Viellar, Cuiseaux because the diggers fire up at 7am. So we are on our way before 10am. We ride along long flat straight roads crossing the valley of the River Saone. After Chalon-Sur-Saone we leave the main road and head up the Route des Grands Crus.
Statue of Lazare Carnot in Nolay
I see lots of familiar names on the road signs from the many wine bottles I have chugged over the years. Gamay, Saint Aubin, Beaune, Mersault, Chagny. We pass a sign for Chateau de la Tour. It is a directory of fine wines. There are wine 'caves' in every village exhorting the passing trade to buy direct.

 We stop for coffee in the charming little village of Nolay. There is a statue in the square dedicated to Lazare Carnot, who was born here in Nolay.
Here's what Wikipedia has to say about him:"Lazare Carnot, a feverishly productive member of the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror. His part in raising the levée en masseprobably saved the French Revolutionary armies from defeat at the hands of their numerically superior opponents."

Half timbered building in the square
On a whim I wander up a side street where I can see an impressive church tower. At the far side of the church is a wonderful mediaeval covered market / tithe barn dating from the 14th century and a lovely old bistrot with outside tables and chairs. It is a serendipitous find.

14th century tithe barn

Reconstructed timbers inside the tithe barn
I go back and fetch Mick to come see this wonderful old village redolent with history. The church of Saint Martin seems impossible big for such a small village. The information plaque tells us that it has been added to and restored since the 14th century.
St Martin's church


The nave

Carved pulpit
We take a look inside. It is obviously a busy and well-used church. There is a pipe organ up in the loft at the back and an intricately carved pulpit for belting out the sermons.

Lady Chapel

The old inn opposite the church
We saddle up and leave Nolay heading west towards the Park.
The rain starts in earnest as we enter the Morvan National Park. Time to stop and take a view.

 We pole up at Le P'tite Millette, a small bar/restaurant with hotel rooms attached. Looks good, and turns out to be excellent. Clean, neat room with twin beds, great shower and gated yard parking for the bikes.
Le P'tite Millette

 Demi-pension is €50 each and dinner is four simple courses; pate, beef bourgignon and pasta, white cheese (sloppy curd like yoghurt taken with sugar), apple tart and coffee. Great.
It is raining again when we turn in and still raining when we wake up. More like Scotland Than South Central France.

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