The Wednesday market in Beaune, wine capital of Burgundy, is not the grand affair that takes over the heart of the town every Saturday. Come Wednesday, it has shrunk back on itself, out of the adjoining streets and the Place Carnot, and huddles outside the Place de la Halle, venue for the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction. For the auction the hall is robed in scarlet, and every Saturday it is crammed with stalls, but yesterday the solitary butcher’s stall belonged to Pascal Gravelais, the best butcher in town. With a steady drizzle falling from a pewter sky we were not tempted to linger; the necessary purchases were made and after a brief confab under dripping brollies it was agreed that we should cheer ourselves up with a light lunch in Le Gourmandin.

Located just around the corner at 8 Place Carnot, Le Gourmandin is a little slip of a restaurant, its length to breadth proportions being probably about the same as the Côte d’Or’s. We arrived on the stroke of midday, too early for lunch at home perhaps, but not in France. A table was easily got and we started with the lovely jumbo sized gougères that are a house speciality. Think of a generous blob of choux pastry shot through with a whiff of cheese and you will have the picture. Then, displaying a worrying degree of self-restraint, we settled for a main course each: cabillaud for herself (sounds more exotic than the prosaic cod) and confit duck leg for me. The latter was the winner, served with sinful creamed potatoes and ratatouille. A glass each of Gaunoux Meursault 2008 completed things nicely, though no matter how long we dawdled over coffee the rain just kept coming down.

Check: www.hotellegourmandin.com

Tags: Beaune, Burgundy