In character Burgundy is very different to Bordeaux. Whilst Bordeaux is largely made up of small vineyards spread across a wide and diverse area, Burgundy is dominated by large family companies, all spread down a single river valley running north to south for hundreds of miles. The region is founded on an ancient trade route that runs north from Auxerre to Lyon in the south, Chablis to Beaujolais, and on southwards through the Rhone Valley region, to the Mediterranean, joining northern to southern Europe. Many of the Burgundy wine companies have beginnings lost in history and their vineyards represent a strip of land sometimes only a few kilometres wide, clinging to the river valleys of the Serein and Saone, following south to the Rhone. Every company seems to own rows of grapes in every domain and region, each companies domain vineyard being indistinguishable from the next companies along side it. The official capital of Burgundy is the city of Dijon, famed for its mustard. Situated on the plateau between the two river sources, it has the commanding situation in the region, but as far as wine is concerned the title of capital of the wine region must go to Beaune, where most of the wine merchants have been based for hundreds of years. Indeed, it has been said of Beaune, that it is the most wine orientated city in the world. Situated half way along the north-south trade route, in the mist of Burgundy country, it was the natural trading place between north and south and the perfect place to make wine. Burgundy (Bourgogne) only became part of France in 1477: up until then the region was an independent dukedom that was more affluent and more influential than the Kingdom of France itself during the 14th and 15th centuries. Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English during the Hundred Years War.