We had traveled upriver on the Saone to Macon overnight. This town was merely an access point for the excursion as it seemed to be fairly industrial. It used to be noted as the European base of Kodak but the plant closed in 2009. The day started with a coach ride for an hour and a half into the vineyards of Burgundy. Beaune is the capital for this wine area. It is a really pretty town and our guide Sophie who spoke excellent slightly accented English took us on a short orientation tour. We then had two hours free to spend in the town centre where there was a Saturday producers market and to buy our own lunch.
Fortunately Bob and I found a Boulangerie which had indoor seating as the day was very cold. The tights, new warm jumper, jacket and gloves in my collection came into use. Bob had a jumper and jacket on but wished he had worn both his jumpers as he felt cold all day.
After lunch we visited the Hotel Dieu, a hospice which was built in 1453 by a rich man in his 60's to provide care for the poor. The theory is that he was trying to ensure admission to heaven when he died. It is known that he and his wife were genuinely committed to the project and introduced some very innovative strategies. His wife was only in her 20's when she married this much older man because she was wife number three.
I was very disappointed as we walked into the Hotel because it was built of pale stone with a slate roof and very austere profile. I had seen photos of a marvellous verandahed brightly tiled building and thought my expectations had been misguided. However as I queried our guide and we walked through the administration area I was delighted to find the colourful building behind. This was a deliberate decision by the creaters to provide an inviting and bright environment for their patients. In those days you only went to hospital when all else failed and you expected to die. The interior was similarly draped with red curtains and the ceiling beams were dectorated to give the patients a bright environment. Small gargoyIes of local notables and a companion animal for each were mounted around the ceiling to entertain the patients as they reclined in their beds. I said there were innovative ideas and some were that all linens were burnt three times per year to dispose of disease. There were comode chairs behind screens where the waste dropped into flowing water under the floor to be carried away. This had to be discontinued when after some considerable years it was realised that this kept the hospice cleaner but spread disease down stream. The nuns did all the work including the cooking and cleaning and they eventually had their own dispensary. There were 31 beds but 62 patients. Yes , two to a bed, positioned sitting up facing the alter so they could participate in the mass. Men and women were in the same ward until about 100 years later when a new ward was created. There were a few private rooms for paying patients. 25 nuns at any one time cared for the patients and when the powers that be in the Order wanted to rotate the nuns steps were taken to prevent this. The owners believed that they needed continuity to ensure that their care methods could be maintained. They appealed to Rome and in an unprecedented move the Hospice had it's own Order of nuns created. This was only discontinued when the hospice (by then a hospital) was closed in the 1990's and restored as a museum. When the husband died his wife became a nun and worked in the hospice for the rest of her life. She lived to be 64. The Hotel was endowed with it's own Burgundy vineyards which still support the Hotel Museum but also three new hospitals and other good works.
We were back at the ship by 4pm and contrived another load of laundry. It was very social down there as others did the same. Dinner was the usual excellent standard and we has a lively conversation with a couple from Yorkshire about favourite authors. Early departure from our cabin on Sunday but we can stay on board for lunch before taking a taxi to our hotel.
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