Camping Huttopia Meursault and exploring Beaune
On our drive to the north of France, we booked 2 nights at Camping Huttopia Meursault. The campsite is beautifully surrounded by the burgundy vineyards, making it an ideal destination for exploring not only Meursault itself but also the surrounding towns and the historic city of Beaune. We have always found the Huttopia campsites to be modern, well maintained and this visit was no different. On site, there was a welcoming central hub with a café serving small plates such as charcturie and escargots, as well as stone baked pizzas. They had a fantastic selection of regional wines, which are also available to purchase in their shop at reception. The reception area additionally offers a convenient bread service including fresh croissants and pain au chocolats each morning. Right next to the café, is the children’s play park and entertainment area. Just a short walk along the road from there is table tennis and access to the pools. Children’s activities and entertainment are also scheduled on different days.
On arrival, we pitched up at the very top of the campsite.The campsite is terraced, with each pitch offering views across the surrounding vineyards that stretch out into the distance. We arrived late in the afternoon, so we quickly headed down to the pool to cool off. There is a small shallow splash pool, which was quite cold, and a large pool that we thought was heated, as the water was cool yet still comfortable to swim in. The surrounding deck area is equipped with plenty of chairs and a number of umbrellas and trees to provide shade from the sun. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool before heading over to the cafe. There, we took a seat on the terrace, enjoying a few beers and different local wines.
The next morning, we decided to cycle into Beaune. The ride was estimated to take around 20 minutes, but it took us longer with Sam cycling. We made our way towards the centre of town to visit the iconic landmark, Hospices de Beaune, a former 15th-century hospital that has been transformed into a fascinating museum. Entrance tickets were priced at 12 euros, with guided tours available for more. We theb made our way to the Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune, finished in the mid-12th century and one of the few remaining Romanesque churches in the region. It was beautiful inside with a huge organ standing at the back. After our visit, we spent some time exploring the shops of the old town, including several brocantes—always a favourite for a good rummage around. After realizing that many of the items I had my eye on would neither fit in the van or be carried on the back of my bike, I eventually settled on some cutlery to take home.
Next on our list was La Moutarderie Fallot, the last remaining Mustard Mill in Burgundy, a family business that has been proudly operating since 1840. Although Steve is not particularly fond of the smell of mustard, he was happy to explore the visitor area and shop. Visitors can choose between two different tours: the “Découvertes” tour, which is focused on the rich history, and the “Sensations Fortes” tour that takes you through the working factory itself. At the conclusion of the tours, there’s a mustard tasting session available to sample a variety of flavors. We discovered an excellent assortment of mustards and other local products in the shop, and ended up bringing home several different jars, all of which were very reasonably priced!
There are many charming bistros scattered around the centre of Beaune, but we decided to head to a coffee shop where we picked up a variety of fresh baguettes. We then settled down to eat in Place Carnot, a peaceful courtyard area nestled in the middle of the busy streets, which features an old carousel. The children were promised a ride on the carousel if they finished their lunch.
We walked back through the old town to pick up some ice creams and then made our way towards the bikes, heading around the outside edge of the centre. This path allowed us to see The Remparts de Beaune, also known as the Ramparts of Beaune, which encircle the entire town. These historic walls date back to the medieval era and were originally built to serve as defensive fortification.
The bike ride back to the campsite felt even more challenging in the intense afternoon heat. By the time we arrived, we were eager to jump straight into the pool to cool off. We spent the rest of the afternoon splashing around in the water and relaxing. Later, we decided to have dinner at the campsite pizzeria. We began with a charcuterie board and ordered two kids’ meals, which included ham and olive pizzas, a drink, and an ice lolly each. After finishing our meal, we enjoyed some more wine while watching a very entertaining and hilarious kids’ show featuring clowns that had everyone laughing.
There are so many options for wine tasting around Meursault and in Beaune itself. We didn’t get a chance to try these, however, there are still plenty of wine caves and vineyard shops to explore. We picked up wine whilst driving out of the area!
