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Discover the real France of farmers' markets, Burgundian cooking, country B&Bs and small producers passionate about their vineyards, with Sue Style's Mâconnais travel guide.
Mâconnais travel guide: Where to stay, shop, eat and relax
HOTELS
Montagne de Brancion, Martailly-lès-Brancion
Jacques and Nathalie Million offer Mediterranean-inspired food in a spectacular dining room with wraparound vineyard views in this modern 12-room hotel, plus four apartments.
Château de Besseuil,Clessé
This restored 16th-century château has six apartments, plus 14 ultra-modern duplex rooms, surrounded by the hotel’s own vineyards (wine made by Jean Thévenet). There is also a gourmet restaurant and wine bar.
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La Source des Fées, Fuissé
A stylish B&B, owned and run by wine growers. The dining room is for leisurely breakfasts, tastings or set menus (on request).
RESTAURANTS
Le Relais d’Ozenay
This small restaurant is run by chef-and-wife team, and is a favourite with local wine growers. Despite being eye-rubbing value for money, it is big on culinary creativity, with a wine list that’s concise yet well constructed.
Hostellerie d’Héloise, Cluny
An old-school restaurant offering honest local cooking (epic jambon persillé) in deliciously faded décor with deft advice on some of the top Mâconnais wines.
Restaurant Pierre, Mâcon
Cosy-chic, barrel-vaulted restaurant close to Mâcon’s St Pierre church, with stellar food (€34 menu a snip for the quality) and a wine list studded with gems.
Le Carafé, Mâcon
This handkerchief-sized wine bar/ bistro (14 seats, booking essential) in Mâcon’s centre focuses on natural wines and Burgundian dishes.
SHOPPING
L’Atrium, Solut ré
A stylish one-stop shop and showcase for Pouilly-Fuissé, with opportunities to taste and buy.
Le Cellier St-Pierre, Mâcon
An eclectic selection of Old and New World wines and fine service from this well-informed husbandand-wife team.
10 Rue St-Nizier
Farmers’ markets
For picnics and treats to take home browse the Saturday morning markets: Mâcon’s is on Esplanade Lamartine and Tournus’s is close to the Abbaye St Philibert.
ACTIVITIES
Brancion Air Tourisme
For the adventurous, take off in an ultralight motorglider piloted by Jacques Million of Hôtel Montagne de rancion for an unforgettable bird’s-eye view of the Mâconnais vineyards, and appreciate the terroir.
Abbaye de St-Philibert, Tournus
This jewel of Romanesque architecture has fine frescoes, intricately sculpted columns and a 10th-century crypt.
paroisse-saint-philiberttournus.fr
Musée Départemental de Préhistoire de Solutré
This museum, archaeological site and botanical park lies beneath the famous rock of Solutré, an extensive hunting site of Upper Paleolithic man for more than 25,000 years.
Musée Lamartine, Mâcon
The poet’s life, times and work are celebrated in the Hôtel Senecé, a superb Regency townhouse.
Sue Style is into food, wine and travel and writes about all three – sometimes separately, often in combination. She comes originally from Yorkshire and has migrated over the years to London, Madrid, Fontainebleau, Mexico City and Basel. She lives in southern Alsace, within spitting distance of the region’s vineyards and conveniently placed for cross-border raids into Switzerland and across the Rhine to Baden/Germany, both of whose wines and food she explores at every opportunity. She also travels regularly to Catalunya, where both her children have had the good taste to settle. She's the author of nine books on subjects ranging from Mexican food through the food and wines of Alsace and of Switzerland to creative vegetable cookery.