Beaune

Following on from my Angouleme posting of a couple of weeks ago, the car search continues. Now the Alfa's gone (expensive to insure, tricky and pricey to service, lack of use doesn't justify the expense of ownership, petrol guzzler, etc.) I'm left with just the trusty dogwagon Citroen ZX. But it's had a good innings, getting a bit flea-ridden and smelly, is now 24 years old, is rapidly approaching the 100 kilometre mark, has just passed its CT test (French MoT) without a serious flaw (tester mentioned exhaust system may need replacing soon) so maybe it's the right time to move it on.

I've been scouring Leboncoin (French sales website) for a replacement for a couple of months. It's a nightmare occupation. Budgetary constraints rule out dream cars, while internet car reviews rule out practically everything else. Then just as I was about to call the whole thing off and stick with the smelly old dogwagon, up pops an ad for a 2003 Ford Fiesta, 5 door, one owner, 1.6 litre petrol beauty with just 930 kilometres. 930? I presumed it was a typing error. But, no. Genuine. Emailed the garage seller and bagged it immediately (just under my €6k max). Then had to visit the bank to transfer €500 deposit and arrange a cheque de banque. Then arranged insurance. Then booked travel: bus from Felletin to Clermont Ferrand, train to Lyon, train to Beaune. Did the trip on Wednesday 27 Feb. Left at 9ish and arrived at about 5ish, picked up car, booked into Beaune hotel at about 6ish, sat in nearby restaurant bar with well earned vin at about 7ish, had paté, steak and chips and pud at about 7.30, and hit the horizontal in the land of Nod at about 9.30.

Been a busy day. Loads of stress. Would I miss the bus or the train connections? Would I have a heart attack - Georgie had told me to tap 15 into my phone if disaster struck, but if the ticker gave out would I remember the number (yes, it was written down) and would I be capable of pressing the phone buttons, and would I be capable of speaking the right words in French, or would I just go "bleurgh, blubb, graaaahblebubble" thereby confusing the heart attack knight in shining armour helper doctor? Too stressful to even think about. And..., would the car be a load of old rubbish, and therefore a wasted journey, and how would I then get back again without wheels? Pah, worry ye not. All's well.

Breakfasted at 7.30. Made the mistook of chopping the head off a boiled egg, only to discover it hadn't been boiled. Apparently the boiled eggs were in a different basket. The raw egg I'd scalped was supposed to be put into the boiling pan to cook for as long as the hotel guest desired. Had to visit the kitchen to explain my mistook and to bin the oeuf. Merci monsieur Bean. Excellent fresh orange juice though. And coffee, ham and croissant. Next, the car. More stress. Would the battery be flat, ditto the tyres, would it refuse to start, etc.? But, no problemo. Hit the road at about 8ish and did a few laps of the Beaune ring road looking for a sign to Autun. Couldn't see one. Wanted to head west so when the rising sun was behind me I escaped the dreaded ring road and headed towards Auxerre, even though it didn't feel right. Sure enough, it was wrong. Turned back and once again joined the ring road racetrack. Eventually spotted a sign to Autun and lurched right. Left Beaune.

Car was driving well. I'd been impressed with its racy performance on the Beaune racetrack, and I was now beginning to bond on a meandering country road. Suddenly aware of being in the midst of wine territory, I slowed down a bit to take in the views. I'd forgotten that Beaune is not only famous for its magnifique roof tiles but also its excellent vins. And here I was on the Route de Grands Crus (or whatever it's called) in the morning sun and mists of one of France's most highly regarded wine regions. Such moments are captivating. I should have stopped and taken a few snaps with the mobile phone, but I didn't. Great shame.

Onwards. Autun, Moulins, Montluçon, Aubusson, Felletin, then home. Arrived about 2ish. Got out the car and noticed the passenger door was missing a plastic panel about a foot long. That would explain the loud bang I heard back on the autoroute (I guessed I'd hit something in the road, maybe a rogue mudflap or summink). The panels appear to be glued on, and maybe the glue's too old. Ordered a new one on eBay and bought some strong glue at the supermarché. Also bought a couple of bouteilles of Beaune region wine - a Bougogne pinot noir and a Macon, both reasonably priced at around six euros each. Am now eagerly anticipating a guzzling session, purely educational of course, as an essential part of my vin learning curve.

Pics: pudding, hotel room view, wine region map (Beaune purple), couple of nicked wine fields photos, nicked snap of Beaune roofs, car (note supertape holding door panels in place - old glue liable to fail anytime soon), deux bouteilles de vin de Beaune region.