Five Nights, Four Cities and Three Chateaux

It's never quiet for long on Rabelo.  Back for their second season, my brother and sister-in-law Jerry and Arlene came to check out the improvements we've made and have a different type of experience from last year.

We picked them up in Chagny-en-Bourgogne.  For a little town they have amazing food!  There is a Michelin three star restaurant, and two other one star restaurants with equally amazing food.  Le Grenier a Sel (Grill) is perfect for those who crave a simply prepared big piece of grilled beef.  Since that didn't appeal to us, we went to Pierre & Jean the sister restaurant to the Michelin three starred eatery.  We were fortunate to get the last luncheon table without having made reservations.

We greeted Jerry and Arlene at the train station.

The suffering begins on Rabelo with a proper greeting of Kir Royal and appetizers on deck.

 Then the work begins:  Moving the boat, eating, drinking, sightseeing, moving the boat, eating, drinking, sightseeing, you get the idea.  Five nights, four towns, three chateaux, delicious food, wine champagne, French pastries, cheese, baguettes...wonderful!  This is how we suffer on Rabelo.

Sometimes the stars align just right and we have a perfect day.

Chateau de Rully now owned by Count Raoul de Ternay was our first stop.  The historic monument has belonged to the same family from the beginning (1194, Hugues de Rully was the owner), is private property and lived in by the family year round.

The Count (current owner) gave us a private tour of his home.  Fantastic!

The walls are covered with portraits of Raul de Ternay's relatives.  Unfortunately, he only knows who are a few of them are.  I imagine it is difficult keeping track of your relatives for so many centuries.

Charles de Saint Leger (d1584) had a famous drinking cup that holds three liters. It was said he travelled with it and drank it to the dregs.  This is the famous drinking cup.

My lunch was delicious at Pierre & Jean!

Driving thru these little villages you must keep your eyes open and camera ready!  Perhaps this will be a painting one day?

We needed to walk off some of the wonderful food and wine we were consuming.

Then more wine tasting...after all this is Burgundy!

And more food back on Rabelo...

 Chateau de Sully, another private residence owned by a widow, Scottish-born Dutchess of Magenta and her children.  She is in her early 50's and struggling to maintain and hold on to her home.  They are descents of the Dukes of Burgundy and live here all year long.  I can't imagine the responsibility of trying to keep up a home and property such as this.  She has a fabulous sense of humor as evidenced by the written guided tour we were given.  The grounds were magnificent  The chateau is fully furnished and is an impressive medieval moated fortress.

Chateau de Sully

I found this cute guy holding up this column.  I think I'll take him home with me.

The third Chateau we visited was the Chateau de Couches de Marguerite de Borgogne.  This castle is also fortified and a medieval monument.  The current owners make this their year round home.  

When it was time to move the boat, I would take the car to the next town and walk back to meet Rabelo.  Some of the vista's were spectacular.

Do any of you know where the word Barbeque comes from?  France!  When a pig is going to be roasted it is put on a skewer.  It goes in their mouth and out the other end.  Barbe is beard (front end of the pig) and cul (use your imagination).  Barbe-au-cul became barbeque.