Choir Boy or Court Jester?

I heard the clip clop of the horses and ran to the window.  What a surprise.  Swans were trying to take off using the canal as their runway.  Their big feet beating the water sounded like horses.

Having not done any research before coming to France I was surprised to discover that Burgundy has many chateaux.  They are all so varied in size, style, condition, furnishing, etc.  We were given La Route des Chateaux en Borgogne du Sud at the tourism office.  This brochure alone had 17 Chateaux we could visit.  At one per day we could be kept busy a long time.  Narrow, curvy, country roads force you to slow down, relax and take in the scenery.  Now that it is September many are only going to be open on the weekends.

This is Chatau de Cormation XVII.  The first decades of the 17th Century saw the rebuilding of a large number of chateaux.  The building of a castle was an essential component of social recognition.  A castle was not built in order to have a beautiful country house, it was to make a statement about its owner.  (Some things never change.)  The medieval site is retained to affirm the family's antiquity.  This chateau originally of the du Ble family could boast of belonging to the oldest nobility in the kingdom.  They were already recorded as noble in the charters of the Abbey of Cluny in the year 1000!

This is the privy closet which later became the boudoir or sulking room.  The tub is draped in cloth because the sides of the tub would become slimy.  Do you like the toilet?

There were amazing paintings on the walls and ceilings.  The study had a great deal of gold leaf.  Gold was used to reflect candlelight which makes a dark room seem brighter.

Another view of the chateau from the back.

A piece of art along the canal.

My shoulder has healed enough that it is time for me to re-learn how to handle the lines.

We left Jerry and Arlene in Montchanin.  We went to Montceau-les-Mines, Genelard, and then Paray-le-Monial where we stayed 5 nights while Wilco had a much needed break.  It was a chance for us to go exploring which we enjoyed.  We spent one night in Genelard where we went to a boulangerie that had wasps flying in the display case with the pastries. Montceau wasn't very interesting but the marina was decent.  The tiny market was overpriced. I did find a top to buy at a woman's clothing store.  Retail therapy is important once in a while.

Paray-le-Monial is a lovely town with beautiful mosaic streets.  It has gained in importune and is a major centre of Christianity and pilgrimage dedicated to the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  We met Canadians Marc and Mary whom we hope to see again next year.  They were a wealth of information.  Thanks to their advice we had a couple of lovely dinners in town.  Trois Pigeons was good with a nice setting and La Basillique was excellent.  The Charolais beef is amazingly tender.  The Basilique is run by 4th generation owners with the next generation learning the hotel and restaurant business.

Now a little history:  Marguerite-Marie Alacoque entered the convent of the visitation at Paray-le-Monial in 1671.  She had a series of "visitations" and wrote down the revelations made to her, thus initiating the worship of the Sacred Heart in France.  This town is dedicated to the Sacred Heart and pilgrimages have been repeated every year since 1873.  Even Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to Paray-le-Monial.  Today someone with "visions" is diagnosed as schizophrenic, given medication and possibly locked away in a mental hospital.  Back then people who heard and saw things could be persecuted as witches, or become saints as happened with Marguerite.

A view of the basilica from across the canal.

Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) dating from around 1525-1529.

Another view of the Basilica.

We are in the Brionnais and Charolais regions of the southwestern corner of Burgundy.  This is where the more distinctive white muscular Charolais cattle are raised.  They are feeding on beautiful green pasture lands and are delicious eating.  Everywhere we have been driving and cruising we have seen fields and fields of these beautiful cows.  No feed lots for them.  It must be time for them to go to market as trucks filled with them have been driving by.

It was time to visit Chateau de Digoine considered by some to be the jewel of the Charollais region.  It is pure 18th century classicism with formal french gardens and a greenhouse set in English parkland with ornamental ponds and an Italianate theatre on 75 acres.  We didn't stick around for the inside tour.  We were tired of not understanding a word of the tour guides.  We peeked in some windows and it did look very special.  This is the front view.

We enjoyed a walk around the grounds.  This is what we saw in the back.  The castle is being restored and the gold leaf on the balconies is beautiful.

Even better, it is berry season.  I had to stop and stuff my mouth with their delicious blackberries.  The country roads are lined with blackberries now ripe for the picking.  We see people stopping their cars, armed with bowls picking fruit.  We aren't that organized.  When we take our walks we simply pick and eat as we walk along.

Here is the side view with the greenhouse on the left and the kitchen gardens in the foreground.  Since no one lives in this chateau (or maybe they do?) we couldn't resist helping ourselves to a bit of fruit from the trees in the garden.

On to Roanne where I met up with these two characters.  I think they're trying out for the church choir.  Either that or court jester.

Here is the local church with a tiny timber house next door that has a definite tilt to it.  Roanne is a town where we had one of the best meals of the season.  Troisgros is a Michelin 3 star restaurant who share their kitchen with Le Central (right across the street from the train station).  We had lunch at Le Central.  We took a chance (not completely understanding the menu) and ordered the reasonable 3 course prix fix lunch.  It was delicious!  I noticed they had crepe suzettes for dessert on the menu. They were kind enough to make that substitution for me.  I was in heaven!  To top that off, they served meringues afterwards.  Oh my!

After that amazing lunch and a walk around town we drove to Le Chateau de la Roche.  This chateau would be just the right size for us.  Originally built on a river that has since been damned up, it now sits in the middle of a lake.  Can't you just imagine a princess coming out of the front door? I think my darling granddaughters would do well in that roll.  They already have their princess dresses.

Side view of Le Chateau de la Roche.

It is always interesting seeing what the eggs look like when I open the carton.  I love the speckled egg.

My second painting of Girl in the Mirror inspired by Picasso.  I think I will call her Claire.  The deformity in her face is caused by a wrinkle in the canvas.  I can't imagine how this will be stitched.  Claire and I will have some deep conversations as I add my stitching and hopefully make her come to life. 

The weather has changed dramatically.  Last week it was hot and humid.  A storm blew through and now I am sitting writing wearing sheepskin boots, long sleeves and a down vest.  I am thinking of putting my down vest.  I am thinking of putting on my down parka instead.  It is still possible we will have another heat wave before fall starts.

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.

Burgundy Keeps Getting Better

So many wonderful things come from Burgundy:  wine, cheeses, escargot, cassis, regional foods, specialized pastries...I'm sure there are things we haven't discovered yet.  But we intend to keep exploring the area for more "finds."  Just the other day we tied up in Verdun-sur-le-Doubs.  Up at the top of the dock was a cheese and cassis tasting!  That's hard to beat for just stepping off the boat.  The cassis is the fruit juice you add to wine and champagne for drinks like Kir Royal.  Tom couldn't stop with one bottle, so we took three bottles back to the boat.  I've discovered adding a splash to my morning smoothies kicks up the flavor a notch.  I had to try the local dinner which was four types of fresh water fish in a wine and cream sauce.  (I didn't know about the cream)  It included cod, eel, sandia and a fish from the local river.  I'm not sure I'd have that again, but it was worth a try.

The weather is so variable.  It is hot and humid, then a storm comes thru and it becomes cool and pleasant.

I love mussels.  What better place to have them than a restaurant that ONLY serves mussels!

Take the picture so I can dig into these escargot.  Can you smell the garlic?

Our friends Jerrie and Abbott came by train from Paris to visit for an afternoon.  We had lunch and a delightful cruise up the Saone on Rabelo.

New friends Steve and Helen own the Bed and Breakfast Barge Jubilant.  We had dinner with them on Rabelo.  If you are in the area of St. Jean de Losne I can highly recommend their B and B.  You won't find friendlier hosts.  (And they speak English!)

The town of Verdun-sur-le-Doubs is built on the old fortifications.  We just walked up the dock to discover the cassis and cheese tasting.  This is truly a medieval town.

A few sights as we cruised along the Soane after leaving Verdun-sur-le-Doubs.

And then came Chalon-sur-Saone.  A city worth returning to for further exploration.  The short time we were there we saw many hotel river boats come thru.

Sunday they have a fabulous open air market beginning in the town square and going on for blocks.

The half timbered buildings are picturesque.

One of these days I'm gong to try the Paella which smelled wonderful.