Also born in Dijon was the sculptor François Rude, creator of "Napoleon Awakening to Immortality", "Neapolitain Fisher Boy Playing with a Tortoise" and "Mercury fastening his Sandals". Rude, the Tracy Emin of Trouville, sadly died in 1855 before he could finish either "Immortal Napoleon Realising He's Left His Wallet Behind" or "Same Neapolitain Fisher Boy Discovering that Tortoises are Really Boring During the Winter Months". No trip to Dijon is complete without a visit to the The Rude Museum.
Burgundy wines have been described as "varied", "complex", "human" (?) and "sophisticatedly homely" (like Armani dishcloths or Rolls-Royce slippers). You should, however, beware spending more than half the value of your house on a bottle of Bourgogne Grand Cru. The most expensive Burgundy wines have also been described as "Veblen goods" after the Norwegian economist Thorstein Veblen. Veblen identified the phenomenon of "status symbol" goods and pointed out that a nice pair of £9.99 slippers from BHS will keep your feet just as warm.
Auxerre is home to Chablis Grand Cru ©, a bottle of which will set you back about £50. (Somerfield, by comparison, do a very nice Frascati for £3.29, which will get you just as drunk). Auxerre is twinned with Redditch. In 1995 Auxerre was named "Town of Art and History", whilst in 2007 Redditch was named "Town of Jacqui Smith". Auxerre is also famous for a bishop and an actress. Bishop Helladius, no slouch with a pair of scissors, performed the first recorded tonsure on St Amator, creating the classic "monk look" which remains popular today. Amongst monks. Auxerre-born Carol Ficatier, meanwhile, was Playboy's Playmate of the Month in December 1985.
La Résidence - THE French Property People
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