Feeling the need to escape the growing tourist crowds in Sarlat, we decided to spend a few quiet days in the Parc naturel régional du Morvan in Burgundy before heading to Paris airport.

We stayed in a beautiful apartment owned by Kada, a Frenchman, inside a 16th-century chateau deep within the park. The setting was wonderfully remote and peaceful. The small community around the chateau had embraced an alternative, back-to-nature lifestyle — growing their own vegetables and living simply. It felt like the Nimbin of Burgundy.

The original owners of the chateau were Dukes who later built a grand Renaissance-style chateau nearby in the 19th century. They now use it for just three weeks a year and live in Luxembourg the rest of the time — a telling reflection of the French tax system.

Kada turned out to be a brilliant host and a fascinating character. A compulsive traveler, he had walked around the Mediterranean and shared captivating stories, such as crossing the Sinai Desert with an old Bedouin and two camels. He was also an exceptional cook, preparing gourmet meals for us every evening. Highlights included salmon and scallop quenelles, a wild duck dish reminiscent of shepherd’s pie, and a spinach and smoked fish open pie — all perfectly paired with excellent local Côte du Rhône wines.

We didn’t just eat and relax. One day we visited the ancient Celtic site of Bibracte, once a major fortified hill city later occupied by the Romans. Julius Caesar spent a year here and wrote his “Commentaries on the Gallic War.” The site is still an active archaeological dig with an excellent museum.

We also explored the beautiful hilltop village of Vézelay, home to the magnificent Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the starting points of the Camino de Santiago. Richard the Lionheart once stopped here on his way to the Crusades. The grandeur of these historic churches is always awe-inspiring.