- ANNECY AND MONT BLANC -

Beaune Part 3

LINKS to other pages in the Annecy and Mont Blanc website and to the Travelling Days series:

The St Nicolas room houses a permanent exhibition depicting the history of the Hôtel-de-Dieu. It contains a model of the hospital made of straw by a patient in the 18th century (left).

The kitchen, which functioned with modern appliances until 1985, has been restored to its early 20th century appearance. Note the swan neck taps! (right)

The dual hearth Gothic fireplace still has its original accessories.

The wrought iron grille (1785) leads into the Founders' Courtyard (left). The 1914 statue of Nicolas Rolin (below) is by Henri Bouchard.

The well, with its Gothic ironwork, is situated in the main courtyard. It supplied the water for the entire hospital (left).

The floor tiles bearing the motto of Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins (above). The Seulle * motto accompanying it shows Guigone as the only person to be in her husband's thoughts!

A plague victim attends the hospital (left).




An important charity wine auction is held each November in Beaune. The venue for this event was formerly the great hall of the Hôtel-Dieu (below).

The St Louis room was instigated by Louis Bétault in 1661 on the site of a barn which enclosed the Hôtel-Dieu courtyard and served as a wine fermentation room. An extension contained the Hospice ovens where bread was baked and distributed to the poor. Beaune bakers took over this work in 1828.

The room contains various artefacts including a chapel altar and several wooden chests. Important series of tapestries dating from the 16th century line the walls (left and below).

The 15th century poyptych believed to be by the Flemish artist, Roger Van der Weyden was commissioned by Nicolas Rolin. It represents the Last Judgement.

It was originally placed above the altar in the chapel but was only allowed to be seen by the sick on Sundays and feast days.

The damned and despairing are represented on the right-hand bottom panels (right), and blessed on their way to paradise on the left (below).

Acknowledgement is given to the Administrators of the Hospices de Beaune for the information contained in their official guide and reproduced in these pages.