Flavigny-sur-Ozerain: Medieval Magique

August 26, 2024|Rick Juliusson

Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche fell in love here in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain. Belle lamented that "there must be more than this provincial life" in a French town just like this. For one week at least, there was nothing to lament about this Peaceful medieval town.

A few hours by fast train South-east of Paris, the long history of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain oozes into its ongoing rich texture. We walked paths around the camp where Cesar (yes, Julius Cesar!) launched his attack on neighboring Alesia in 59 BC. Visited the Abbey built in 719 AD. Sat in the 12th century church where the movie Chocolat was filmed (and slept 4 doors down from Juliette's chocolate shop). Sucked on anise candies (similar smell and taste to licorice, though a completely different plant) at the monastery candy factory still operating since 1591.

Every walk, shop, church bell (every 15 minutes) and meal tasted ancient and yet current; rooted and healthy and vibrant.

Chocolate shop from the movie "Chocolat"

Main gate (formerly with moat and draw bridge)

Swim in a gallo-Roman bathhouse - don't mind if I do!

Gallo-Roman washhouse

We ate rabbit soup in the square outside the church where Chcolat was filmed

Iconic characters from the anise candy factory

Statue inside the church

Many many monuments to youth killed in World War One

Equally breathtaking were daily walks out into the French countryside. Living in a hilltop fortress means every walk starts with a big Down, to a network of walking paths between farms and quiet country roads. We would pass well-maintained 13th century estates, and stacked-rock walls holding back hills, sheep and cows. Hay fields, sunflowers, even a boutique snail farm. Perfectly Pastoral and Peaceful (and helped balance the daily trips to the boulangerie for fresh baguettes and pastries).

Back inside the walls, walking through the winding, narrow, hilly roads of this old town was a delight. Small plaques would indicate the building's century (12th-13th being a boomtown time here). Our own place - generously shared by Canadian friends who bought it for their future retirement - had the same thick stone walls, uneven floors, wood-shuttered windows.

But inside each historic structure was a current family, listening to a symphony, cooking a meal, watching Netflix. It took some imagination to then push back decades and centuries to those families in earlier times also living their normal lives (albeit without Netflix) - sleeping, eating, fighting, worrying, falling in love. Flavigny may have the structure of a medieval museum, but its true charm is the continuity of real people living real lives in a magical place.