When we think of the landscapes of Burgundy, especially the western part with the Côte d’Or and the Saône et Loire, we think of course of all of the rolling vineyards. However, it would not be right to reduce the South of Burgundy to only the vineyards. When you go to the East of the river Saône, we abandon the vineyards to find a lovely rural landscape with traditional old farms. Let’s discover the Bresse area in Burgundy…
The rural Bresse, land of traditions
Situated between the Jura in the East and the Saône river in the West, the Bresse are is the most Eastern part of Burgundy. The Bresse area has always been a little more orientated towards the Jura and the Franche-Comté than Burgundy. The area is a large, green rural plain, composed of rolling little hills, ponds and forests. This very rural area with only few inhabitants counts many typical Bresse farms (built with bricks and half-timbered). Funny enough, these picturesque farms have not been built to look good: in this area, it was hard to find stones, so people built houses with what they could find, like wood, argile and straw.
Around the town of Louhans, the circuit «Vieilles Demeures Bressannes» will make you discover some of the most beautiful Bresse farms in the area . The circuit can be done by car, but as the area is very flat, the nicest way to discover this wonderful circuit would definately be on a bicycle.
The Bresse is a very traditional area where modern days don’t seem to have gotten a hold of every day life. The symbol of all traditions in this area is the famous « Poulet de Bresse », chicken with blue legs and white feathers, bred in the open air and the only chicken in the world with its own actual “Appellation d’Origine Controlée”!
To understand and learn about the traditonal ways of the Bresse area, you need to visit the Eco Museum of the Bresse at Pierre de Bresse. In a magnificent 17th Century castle, the traditonnal life in the Bresse area is presented to you. One can also discover the inside of a traditional Bresse farm in the Forest museum.
The arcades and market of Louhans
In the heart of the Bresse area, the town of Louhans is renowned for two things: its Grande Rue with 157 arcades and of course its Poultry market held every Monday morning. The Grande Rue dates back to the Middle Ages. The old houses with wooden and stone pillars form a alignment of 157 arcades unique in its kind. This is where the famous Louhans market is held every Monday morning, known to be one of the mosot important markets of France. A great occasion to get a real taste of the authentic Bresse area.
But we won’t let you leave Louhans before you have visited the superb Hôtel-Dieu (old hospital) and particularly its old pharmacy, decorated with Louis XIV woodwork.
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