LOCAL FLAVOUR

And let us start with something different, a vegetarian traiteur (Ed: In Burgundy? Sacre bleu La Fée Végé is located 5 minutes’ drive out of Nolay in the village of Cormot-Vauchignon on the D111E.

This is the first delicatessen in Burgundy to be certified as a fully organic catering establishment. La Fée Végé is committed to creating dishes where all the ingredients are organically grown. But just as importantly, it is all home-baked and made exclusively from seasonal products. And we bet you did not know that in Côte d'Or lentils, buckwheat, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes are grown and so the staff at La Fée Végé can draw inspiration from a variety of cultures and traditions to provide a real stimulation of the senses. Plus, two bits of good news, the owners speak English and if you are staying further afield in the region, La Fée Végé can be found at local markets in Chalon-sur-Saône, Beaune and Longecourt-les-Culêtre.

You do not have to travel far to find a decent-sized supermarket to shop for all those other things you need while staying in the area. In Nolay on the Route d’Autun there is the Bi1 store (like Super-U for those who have shopped in France before).
“This is all very well,” we hear you say, “but what about chocolate!” And that is a fair comment as France is renowned for its chocolatiers. Look no further than 19 rue de la République. Here you will find Maison Cochard Nolay and a quite stunning array of ‘des pâtisseries’ (Ed: if you want a recommendation then the large meringue is great and their bonbons are even better… just saying!).

If you fancy a meal in Nolay, there is a broad selection of restaurants to suit your taste and wallet. Check out TripAdvisor for the Top Ten places to eat in Nolay. In that list, you will find ‘Le Menu,’ a small cosy restaurant overlooking the old market hall in the town square. Here you are guaranteed a tasty and wholesome lunch prepared by its owner, Nathalie. But there is a catch, you need to go early, say 12.00 pm (at latest 12.15 pm) and there are no reservations so once the restaurant is full, that is it for the day!

Of course, it may be that you want to cook your own lunch. Well for that you are going to need some vegetables, There’s a tiny shop called ‘A deux pas d’chez nous’ located at 10 avenue Lazare Carnot (the main street running through Nolay). It sells an assortment of things from biscuits, nuts, pasta, and beans to fresh vegetables (unwrapped of course). Madame Linda Dafri is the owner and she’s renowned for giving a warm welcome. But watch out, or you will miss her, the shop is only open on Tuesday mornings and all day on Fridays.

Nolay is a well-serviced town, with quite a few shops to meet most needs. Whilst not about food or drink but reflecting local flavour, perhaps worth a mention is the nearby antiques emporium (brocante) run by Muriel Chapet-Roy and called ‘La boutique de Nolay.’ The name might be a little unimaginative but the selection of items on sale is impressive, and the store is definitely worth a visit; you will find it at 21 rue République in the centre of town (it's closed Sundays and Wednesdays).

(Editor: Hold on, something is missing from this article! We always mention a local winery where we can have a tasting!)

And finally, its back to the village of Change and time for a ‘well earned’ sampling of the local nectar. Our local winery is Domaine Demangeot with 10 hectares (25 acres) of vines producing a limited selection of whites (Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Santenay) and a wide range of reds including a Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Santenay, and Maranges (look out for the 1er Cru ‘Le clos des rois’ and the 1er Cru ‘La Fussière’).
There are of course many other viticulteurs in the region, we have chosen the one that is nearest to ‘Les Cabottes,’ home to our featured couple Alexane and Felix, who run a successful tourist accommodation business in Change (see LIVING THE DREAM in this newsletter).