Grape Rentals

Burgundy From the Sky

Flightseeing Tour of the Côte de Beaune - Panoramic views of Chateau de la Rochepot, the valley of Bouilland, the winemaking villages of Saint Romain, Meursault, Beaune, Savigny, Villers-la-Faye, Magny-les-Villers, Aloxe-Corton, and Pommard, among others...

I'll admit it - I'm a white-knuckle flyer. I have even at certain junctures in my life resorted to chemical assistance in order to relax during a flight.

So I was a little put off when Franck informed me - enthusiastically, no less - that he had met a local pilot who offered to take us both on a sightseeing tour of the area in his four-seater plane. Franck was thrilled. I was...not thrilled. In fact, I broke into a clammy sweat just thinking about it.

Yet I couldn't say no. That would be letting fear win, and luckily I have a stubborn streak that more often than not counteracts my more paranoid tendencies.

So on the appointed morning we met the pilot, François Joliot, in the school parking lot in Beaune after dropping off the girls. Franck and he chatted happily in the front seat, while I sat in the rear and observed François with all my senses on red alert. I always find myself subjecting pilots to thorough scrutiny, as though I could decipher a flight's fate from the state of the their hair.

I had to admit that François inspired confidence. He was exceedingly polite and professional, not to mention the fact that his clothes were well-ironed. All in all he looked eminently capable. Franck had told me a few days previously that François had been an instructor at the Flight School in Beaune for 10 years, and I had already mentally added that to the "good" column in my head.

It was a beautiful day. There wasn't a single cloud and a bright ball of sun already hung low in the sky. When we arrived at the airstrip, a private one, located on the bluffs above the village of St. Romain, I noticed that it was beautifully maintained. So was the plane which François quickly set about rolling out from underneath a sealed hanger. Its white flanks gleamed in the sunlight.

Everything was looking very auspicious indeed, and yet I couldn't forgo my usual pre-flight routine - shaking legs, churning stomach, little dots swimming in front of my eyes, and so on.

With François' help I climbed up into the cockpit, where I had the place of honour beside the pilot. In front of me were several little knobs and dials, and I felt comforted at the simplicity of it all. Unlike the cockpits of 747's and airbuses with their ceilings full of flashing lights, thingamabobs, and do-hickies, this reminded of the dashboard in my father's boat.

François had a very comforting presence - he clearly knew his way around a cockpit and did all of the pre-flight checks with a calm diligence that calmed the somersaults in my stomach.

I was then fitted with a pair of earphones which served the double purpose of blocking out some of the engine noise and allowing us to talk to each other during the flight.

We motored down to the far end of the runway, François performed a few last minute engine checks, and then we were off, bumping down the strip until he gently eased the plane off the ground. I had to seriously contain myself, as I felt a great whoosh of exhilaration and would have whooped out loud with joy, but was worried that that might just alarm François. I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie, and I loved it.

François banked right and then left, always letting me know exactly what he was going to do before he did it. We flew over the beautiful medieval castle of La Rochepot and I thrilled at the brightly coloured tiles glinting in the morning light.

Over the next half hour I discovered a Burgundy that I never knew existed. Everything looked so different - the geometric precision of the rows of vines, the sleepy little villages clustered around church steeples, the streets of Beaune curled like an escargot shell with the church of Notre Dame at its centre.

Then we flew over Villers-la-Faye and Magny-les-Villers, and I found La Maison de la Vieille Vigne and La Maison des Deux Clochers and the little stone chapel of Notre Dame de Bonne Espérance which marked the midway point between the two villages.

The whole flight I remained with my nose pressed against the plexiglas curve of the cockpit, and marveled at the wonders flowing underneath me. I can honestly say that I wasn't frightened for one second. In fact, while I was up there I understood for the first time in my life why people become passionate about flying.

On the ground again, François served us a lovely glass of chilled Meursault from his family's Domaine (yes, he's a winemaker's son to boot). A perfect end to a perfect morning.

I can wholeheartedly recommend taking a flight with François during your stay in Burgundy. I can honestly say it was one of the highlights of my first year here, and I'm sure it would be one of the most memorable experiences of your vacation as well.

©2008, Laura Bradbury & Franck Germain - All Rights Reserved.