Joëlle and Marc’s vacation starts now. While Brian and Clare have been able to relax and enjoy their hospitality, they were still at home taking care of everything and everyone. Eleven people one night! Now, for the next four days, the four of us travel to special sites, some of which Marc and Joëlle have not yet explored.

First, we visited the Hospices de Beaune, a 15th century hospital dedicated to healing the less fortunate.

The building surrounded a large courtyard. The part of the building with the lower ceiling was for the people who could pay for their treatment and included some single rooms. The huge room with 28 beds along the sides and a chapel at one end was where the poor were cared for.

An ornate, glass tile is only visible from the courtyard. WOW!

We toured inside both parts of the old hospital, with entertaining lectures (on audio tour device) from actors depicting the couple who created the hospital. The hospital itself was run by nuns, who believed that they were taking care of both the bodies and souls of their patients.

• Europe 2022