Social program

The HRMS conference features a social program for accompanying persons!

Here is the detailed program.

• Monday morning – Guided Themed tour of the Town Houses of Dijon

It was here in Dijon that in the 14th century the Valois Dukes of Burgundy founded one of the most brilliant courts in Europe. The Dukes lived in elegant mansions called "hôtels particuliers" that still grace the city with their impressive facades, monumental gates and superb enclosed courtyards. Discover the medieval center which is home to many of the city’s glories, including the outlandish townhouses of the richest burghers, the Nobles of the Robe, that reflect the city's aristocratic heritage and ... allows you to imagine the grandiosity of Ducal life.

The price will depend on the number of participants.

• Monday afternoon – Visit of Bèze

Visit Bèze, ancient village surrounded the small river Bèze emerging from the ground in the village and providing a scenic backdrop to several of the houses and monuments. The village developed around an abbey founded here in the 7th century. An interesting destination is the caves at Beze, used as a place as a refuge by the villagers since medieval times.

Price for the visit of the caves: 5.20 €

Other notable sights include the substantial Tour de Chaux and the 15th century Oysel Tower (both towers were once part of the fortifications of the abbey), the wheat storage building (the oldest building in Beze) and a traditional village washhouse. The gardens of beze Abbey are also a very peaceful place for a stroll.

• Tuesday – Visit to Vézelay and Avallon

This hilltop village, founded in the 12th century, is one of the most beautiful villages of France. Vézelay and its Benedictine abbey are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The abbey basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine at Vézelay is one of the most beautiful and important surviving monuments of architecture and sculpture of the Romanesque period. It was a pilgrimage church in its own right, holding the relics of St. Mary Magdalen to whom it is dedicated, and was historically the departure point for pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, in the north-western corner of Spain. The most notable event in the history of the abbey took place when Richard the Lionheart and Phillippe Auguste embarked on the 3rd crusade from this abbey. Discover existing up today lofty towers, ramparts and fortified gateways of the village including half a dozen excellent restaurants.

Price: 1 € for the guide

     

Visit to Avallon. Avallon is in the Yonne department of Burgundy that has been occupied since Roman times, and is an attractive town of cobbled streets, open gardens, and fine balconied townhouses.

The main centre of Avallon which is of interest to visitors has a pedestrianised shopping centre and an interesting historical old town, large enough to include plenty of side streets in which you can discover unspoiled ancient buildings.
The 'centre' of the town, reached by the imposing 15th century gateway-clocktower, is the square that includes the 12th century Church of Saint-Lazare. The church is known as being one of the finest examples of 'roman' style architecture in Burgundy.

• Thursday – Visit of Castle Gardens of Barbirey and Vallée de l'Ouche

This 19th century landscape garden extends over 8 hectares of the Ouche valley.Beautiful views combine in a harmonious interaction between garden, landscape and village. The superb terraced kitchen garden, the orchard, natural meadow, lakes and undergrowth form a highly diverse collection of atmospheres and biotopes. The château, constructed around its inner courtyard, has preserved its 17th and 18th century service quarters. With its mixture of past and present, this site, full of life, combines both nature and culture with events and festival.

Lunch in the Restaurant de l'Abbaye de la Bussière-sur-Ouche

     

Promenade dans la vallée de l'Ouche - A tour at the country side

Discover the faboulus « Ouche valley » with beautiful landscapes along the meandering canal of Burgundy and its picturesque Ouche valley through the old railway line between Bligny sur Ouche and Pont d'Ouche, established in 1830's and one of the oldest railways in France. Its special feature: the steam locomotive! Go back in time and give you a ride along the valley of the Ouche like our ancestors! This promenade through postcard landscapes will give you a short view of the hidden burgundy. What better way to spend around 90 minutes than travelling through the fields and woods along the River Ouche valley. The travel with tasting and degustation! All the carriages are fitted with a sound system that allows passengers to hear a commentary about the journey before departure.

Price: 5 €