116 



COTE d'oR. 



from the maitre d'hotel, I proceeded at an early hour this 

 morning for Gevray and Clos Vougeot. It was a re- 

 tracing of part of the road by which 1 had arrived from 

 Beaune. The appearance of the range of hills is almost 

 in every respect similar to what it was from Chagny to 

 Beaune, but towards the top it was more generally 

 covered with wood. On both sides of the road the soil 

 also appears similar, but on the north side it is in most 

 places evidently too moist for the vine, and is under 

 cultivation with corn. The young wheat looks healthy 

 and vigorous, but is not nearly so far advanced as in the 

 south. The country is thickly peopled along the whole 

 range of the Cote d'Or. There are said to be fifty 

 villages between Dijon and Beaune, a distance of twenty- 

 six miles. Some of these villages are of very consider- 

 able extent, and the houses are in general large, and all 

 whitewashed and in good order. 



The village of Gevray is about five miles from Dijon. 

 In its immediate neighbourhood is the small vineyard of 

 Chambertin, as well as several others which yield wines 

 scarcely inferior, though less known to fame. The person 

 to whom my guide was desired to take me was a merchant, 

 as well as a proprietor. He said he would, with the 

 greatest pleasure, give me all the information in his power, 

 and he made some general remarks upon the requisites 

 which must concur to afford a good wine. But he said 

 that the postillion had informed him that he was also 

 directed to take me to the Clos Vougeot, where I would 

 find the confidential manager of M. Ouvrard, the pro- 

 prietor, who could explain much better not only the 

 management of the vineyard, but the making of the wine, 

 for it was the largest and best managed vineyard in 

 Burgundy. In the meantime, as I had expressed a desire 



