Couchey to Dijon
Vélo Notes
The last day of this bike trip was also the beginning of another stage and looking forward to what comes up on the horizon. Having locals around, I got to know a bit of Couchey and the family who live there and cultivate the land, but it sure could have been to know a bit of French to get more connected. Well, that’s going to be a big challenge next time around. Luckily at this time, I got Monique and Dominique here in Burgundy and Regine in the Languedoc Region. I’ve got the feeling that I’ll keep coming back here year after year and acquiring French is something that I need to work on.
Today was the shortest stage. In took us half an hour to get to the vicinity of Dijon. With Monique leading, stops were expected. First to Cite de Gastronomy where we had wine tasting and checked their wine collection of wine in the basement. We noticed the vitrine where bottles of Romanée Conti were held were all gone — sold out — not that we intended to buy any, but as a matter of curiosity. After a few glass here and there from the appellation that we passed, it was lunchtime.
Summary of the trip
We created wonderful memories on this trip. The hardest ride was from Beaune to Couchey in the rain. We took side roads and explored scenic places like Aloxe-Corton and Reulle Vergy, passing by colorful displays for the Tour de France before arriving at Gevrey Chambertin, where we visited a spot we’d been to last year.
Then, it was time to say goodbye to Dominique. We biked our way to pick up her car and gave her best wishes to her husband and her friend who had a failiing health during our trip together. We were lucky to have her, because her husband was also in bad health. She couldn’t stay away for too long.
As soon as we reached the gates, we were warmly welcomed by her family. We parked our bikes and dried ourselves off. The vineyard is a humble, family-run place with a limited production — not aiming for large-scale recognition like many others in the Burgundy region.
Despite the rain, the welcome was full of warmth and laughter. We all gathered together, sharing stories and simple moments. Though I didn’t speak French, I still felt part of it — gestures, smiles, and shared presence filled in the gaps where words couldn’t.
After spending two nights together in Chagny, I thought it best to stay with Monique and Dominique. At this time, I stayed in a room next to theirs. That evening, while I was reading after a shower, Monique invited me to join her and her vineyard friends. I quickly got ready and joined them at the table, feeling comfortable even though I didn’t speak French.
The ride from Couchey to Dijon was our shortest. After navigating a few towns, we soon reached central Dijon. We first visited the Cite de Gastronomy for wine tasting, then had lunch together. Later, we biked to Fontaine de Dijon, where Monique lives, and said goodbye to Dominique, who had parked her car there.
That afternoon, Monique and I strolled around Dijon’s Centre Ville. After parking our bikes, we visited a bar for a glass of wine. As it started to rain, we biked back on Dijon’s quiet, wet streets, savoring the peacefulness of the empty roads.