Food (a recurring theme) and it’s time to say au revoir, adieu, jusqu’a plus tard until next season.

 

Rabelo is now in her home port and it’s time to say Jusqu’a plus tard.  Until the next time. 

The town of Chagny is the home of two Michelin star restaurants.  They also have an open market on the weekend which covers the majority of the town.  It is extremely popular and well attended.

A small cheese selection at one of the cheese trucks of the Farmers Market. 

Tom is checking out one of the stalls at the Chagny open food market. 

You can buy anything you want at the street market.

Lameloise in the background is a Michelin 3 star restaurant. 

It’s mushroom season but we were disappointed with the selection this year. 

This character was baking delicious breads and selling his loaves almost as fast as they came out of the oven. Tom raved about the corn bread and I couldn’t resist a bite. 

The giant rotisserie chicken stand was so popular the line went on for blocks. 

We find the chef’s at the many restaurants throughout France show great creativity in their food presentation.  Here are just a few dishes we enjoyed while in Chagny.

Eggplant, goat cheese and rosemary tartlet.

Ray terrine with basil and citrus fruit.  Espelette pepper mayonnaise.


Monkfish medallion, gremolata condiment, roasted broccoli with parmesan mashed potatoes with Sichuan pepper.

We enjoy the changing scenery during daily walks. 

Sunset on the river.

Tom wishes you all good health, but he isn’t sharing his wine. 

We’re coming to the end of our cruising season.  It’s been a short, sweet and great three months. 

As our cruising season ends I wish you good health, a happy holiday season, and a prosperous new year.

Fall Cruising and Walking Along the Canals in Burgundy

Fall is a magical time of year in France.  Particularly if you are fortunate enough to spend it on the canals and rivers.I hope these pictures give you a little taste of what barging life is like here.

It’s a long and winding road.  This canal was not designed for a barge of our size.  Tom slowly worked his way around the many tight curves.

This is a particularly tall lock of 5 meters (or 16 feet) and we will lock down to the water level you see below.

Rabelo is coming out of a lock as well as going under a bridge.

Tom has been admiring this house for years.

Happy Charolais cows who don’t know their fate.

It is common to see the Charolais cows grazing in lush green pastures.

Cute knitted and painted decorations on some trees along a canal.

Someone decorated the trees along a canal.

A cold and misty morning

Mission accomplished.  Tom has his morning baguette and we are returning to Rabelo. 

House along a canal.

When the canal was moved an old lock was left in place.  Here you can see the original lock doors which were made of wood.

The light in France is magical.

A huge storm had come through (before we arrived) uprooting trees for miles.

Many trees were blown down along the canal.

Magnificent fall display.

It’s peaceful walking here.

A typical sight as we walk or cruise.

Rabelo waiting for her lines to be brought in so she can carry us on to our next destination, wherever that may be.

It’s fall and the leaves gently land on the water with each little breeze that passes through the trees.

The end of a day and the sun is setting.

Farmers Market at Montceau-Les-Mines and Another Dinner at Jerome Brochot

 We returned to Montceau-les-Mines on our way back to our home port of Saint Jean de Losne.  We needed to experience another dinner at Jerome Brochot.  We again chose to allow the chef to surprise us.  We had no menu and the chef performed his magic.

To your health

I can’t tell you what the various dishes were.  They were beautifully presented and delicious.  A wonderful experience for taste buds and eyes. The emphasis that evening was seafood which thrilled us.

To begin with the amuse bouche 

Seafood starter with a unique presentation.

Scallops

A different fish dish. 

The meal did not disappoint us.

Montceau-les-Mines has a wonderful farmers market that seems to be endless.  You can purchase anything you want there.  We managed to attend the market on two separate days. We were tied up directly next to the market. That was a good thing as I purchased so much the first day Tom had to carry the groceries back to the boat and then find me with my arms again loaded.

Purses made from cork.

Charcuterie 

You never know what you might see.

This way you know your chickens are fresh.  You can also purchase ducks and geese.

The long lines tell you which vendors have the best quality products.

There seems to be some confusion here.

Olives anyone?

Lovely selection of flowers.

La Charite-sur-Loire, Digoin at Night, and Cruising at its Finest

La Charite-sur-Loire was also known as The Charity of the Good Fathers founded early in the 8th century.  By the 11th century, when the present church was built, the reorganized abbey began to attract travelers and pilgrims. The hospitality became so widely known that the poor came in droves to ask the good fathers’ charity (charité) and thus the town acquired its new name. 

Eglise prieurale Norte Dame in La Charite-sur-Loire

The back of the church, they didn’t make doors for people our size.

The Sainte-Croix Bell Tower and the Gothic Gates.  The Towerbell is the only surviving feature of the Romanesque western front of the church.

Back of the church

Inside the church

Another view of the interior.

Stained glass window.

Rooftop view of the city

La Charite-sur-Loire overlooking the town and Loire River

Statue in a garden

The scenery is always changing as we cruise the waterways of France.

Cruising by a little village.

Beautiful day of cruising

We love the peacefulness 

Sights along the canal

Cute Lock-house with garden

After dinner in Digoin with our new friends we walked through the town and discovered some of its charm.

Dinner in Digoin with new friends.

Church in Digoin

 

Sunset along the river in Digoin

Arriving in Montceau-les-Mines we were given a rousing greeting from the patrons of the local bar.