BURGUNDY - France 2014 - page 1335

Cluny
People come from great distances to admire Cluny's great abbey that is no more. This
mother of all abbeys once vied with the Vatican as the most important power center in
Christendom (Cluny's abbot often served as mediator between Europe's kings and the
pope). The building was destroyed during the French Revolution, and, frankly, there's not
a lot to see today. Still, the abbey makes a worthwhile visit for history buffs and pilgrims
looking to get some idea of the scale of this vast complex.
The pleasant little town that grew up around the abbey maintains its medieval street
plan, with plenty of original buildings and even the same population it had in its 12th-
century heyday (4,500). That's stability. As you wander the town, which claims to be the
finest surviving Romanesque town in France, enjoy the architectural details on everyday
buildings. Many of the town's fortified walls, gates, and towers survive.
Getting There: Drivers park at designated lots (best is Parking le Rochefort) and
follow Centre-Ville signs on foot. Bus Céphale provides a few trips to Cluny (4/day from
Chalon-sur-Saône, 1.25 hours; 7/day from Mâcon, 40 minutes; toll-free tel. [phone]