Vezelay, In Burgundy
Moving less than a half hour to the southeast leads us to one of France's most
widely-visited religious monuments and among the earliest to be included on
UNESCO's List of World Heritage Sites, the village of Vézelay and its
masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Basilica
(http://www.art-roman.net/vezelay/vezelay.htm).
Perched atop a rolling hillside, this holy place was first consecrated in the
11th century and built in the purest of Romanesque traditions through the early
12th century. Though the building lay in ruins following the Revolution through
the mid-19th century, its restoration has been carried out over the past century
and a half with such attention to detail that the majority of its features,
whether the original Romanesque or subsequent Gothic additions, still remain
intact. The nave, narthex, apse and choir are truly sublime vestiges from the
heyday of the Romanesque period.
When touring in Vézelay and if in the mood to dine at one of France's
grandes tables, chef Marc Meneau is renowned as one of the country's culinary
champions and opens his restaurant doors at L'Espérance (http://www.marc-meneau-esperance.com/fr/navigation.htm).