As you saw in Chapter 121, we (L’Escapade, Melba, Peary, and Aleau – along with the hotel barge L’Impressionniste) tied up in La Bussière-sur-Ouche – an idyllic spot to moor. The town has a population of 817 – large enough to have a boulangerie and a restaurant.
Above, the boulangerie. Nice crumbly croissants for breakfast. But it was the town’s only restaurant we really wanted to see. We were booked for lunch at Abbaye de La Bussière. Seeing it is not easy. The gates are kept locked. There isn’t even an intercom. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation for a meal or a room in the hotel, you are given the code for the gate. Without that, you can’t even get a peek at the spectacular grounds.
The locked, no intercom, gates. Not even a peek at the grounds unless you are on the list – and have been given the code.
Earlier, I said the grounds are spectacular. It was an understatement.
Even the back entrance and parking lot were made to look as inviting as the front. In a town with a population of 817!
The hotel is popular with newlyweds and the sculpture garden reflected that.
As did some of the indoor sculptures.
All through the grounds, that motif was present – although one might say it was a bit phallic.
For those in more of a post-honeymoon mood, there were less evocative sculptures throughout the grounds.
After admiring the grounds, it was time for lunch.
We ate outdoors – under one of the umbrellas. (Every table was taken. I grabbed these shots after everyone had finished their meal and left.)
There were eight of us for lunch – L’Escapade, Melba, Peary, and Aleau. I was too shy to take photos in such surroundings. Fortunately, another person in our group was able to discretely do so. The first photo is a foie gras entrée. The second, a Mesclun salad with poached egg and Époisse dressing. The third, a plat, trout. Finally, two desserts. There were many other choices on the menu – I just don’t have photos to show you.
Fortunately, after a three-hour lunch, there was a hammock.
Jeannie and I took advantage of it.
If you would like to learn more about Abbaye de La Bussiere, here’s the website.