Shortly after we turned up the Saone River, we see the entrance to the system of canals, built to aid ever increasing traffic....
As I mentioned earlier, I think, we spent the wee hours of the morning on Saturday sailing up the Saone Valley, and about 6 A.M. dock in Chalon sur Saone, in the heart of burgundy and a major center of France's wine trade. More about Chalon sur Saone later. Meanwhile, after breakfast on the ship, we depart by bus for Beaune, learning about the history of wine in the region as we go.
Beaune was the seat of the dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century, and the result is a lot of magnificent regional architecture, starting with the Hotel Dieu, or the Hospice of Beaune.
This is where the sick and poor were cared for, so, naturally, the beds were all facing one direction, the direction of the chapel....
...so that if the primitive implements in use (above) didn't work, maybe praying would....
By the way, the good deeds involved with a hospital for the poor were financed by - wait for it - a wine auction!!! If the poor were cured - and sometimes if they weren't - they (or their survivors) deeded over to to the hospice monks wines and vinyards to pay for the care they provided, and inevitably, the monks started to auction their wine in order to help support their chartible work. Apparently, the tradition continues to this day, and it remains a working hospital for the poor - luckily, in more modern facilities next door.
We come back out into the real world of a bustling, crowded Saturday farmers' market, full of regional produce - sausages, cheeses, fruits, vegetables and crafts.
We had lunch in Beaune, at a small cafe (fine, but not memorable), and then boarded the bus to head back to the ship.
Peter opted for a rest, but I joined a few hardy others (by this time it had started to rain, or at least drizzle (certainly not a Vancouver rain). Chalon sur Saone is also a picturesque little town, fitting as it was the birthplace of Nicephore Niepce, apparently a well known (although, I must admit, not to me before this trip) pioneer of modern photography.
Chalon sur Saone also had a lovely city center set around St. Vincent (there he is again) Square and in the shadow of the Cathedral....
We return to the ship, for our last night on board. Everyone is loud and boisterous and friendly (and drunk) and sorry to leave our fellow passengers. Several members of the crew confirmed that this had been a particularly friendly and interested group, and I think even they enjoyed their week with us.
So, a few final ship photos, of crew, fellow passengers, and yours truly.
...our chief steward (he looked better in his dress whites the night before at the captain's dinner, but as usual, the camera was missing in action when it was needed)...
....our fearless cruise director Emmanuelle (who is much cuter than she looks in this picture) and the captain...
....and, of course, the bar staff.
Our fellow passengers (including a number of Canadians, from PEI, Toronto and Calgary...
...and, as promised, yours truly....
So, Sunday, the final goodbyes are said, the final cheeks are kissed (three times, in the French way), and we are off the ship. Some people are off to Paris, others off to their respective homes. We have different plans. It is a short taxi ride to the Chalon sur Saone train station, where we are headed.......back to Beaune, a less than 20 minute train ride!
Peter has arranged two more days in Beaune, a very worthwhile stop! We are staying at the Hotel Bel Epoche, an Art Nouveau masterpiece immediatly outside the city gates.
In spite of the photographs, it is by now really raining, but no matter. We are headed to the establishment of Mr. Edmond Fallot, the last gamilial mustard factory in Burgundy. (At one point, there were apparently 300 such establishments in Burgundy; now there are only 4, and only one in Beaune (the other three are no longer family owned.
It is really a simple process - pick seeds, press seeds, and wine or vinegard and other flavours if desired, and voila (as Emmanuelle was fond of saying), mustard. I have to tell you, though, this mustard bears only a slight resemblance to the bland stuff we get at home!
The tour and tasting is followed by lunch at La Grilladine. It was right across from where we ate the day before, but a much better choice. And besides, there was entertainment. We - and the rest of the cafe - spent a good 15 minutes watching a young girl and her passenger trying to park her car. The whole cafe burst into a round of applause when she finally succeeded (half on the sidewalk, of course), much to her mortification!
What follows are pictures from our afternoon walk, including the cathedral, the local flora and fauna, and even some modern architecture.
It was a lovely day, and we top it off with dinner at the Auberge du Cheval Noir, a belt-notch for me as it is my first Michelin star restaurant (only one star, but even still....)
I haven't bored you guys with a lot of food drools (by the way the food on the ship was quite okay, but alcking in the "wow" factor), but this you have to hear. We atart with the Kir Royale (Kir and champaigne)) followed by a "mise en bouche", an appetizerofo a (deconstructed) asparagus tarte (Suzanne, take note, the white asparagus were in season, and everywhere), followed by the first main course of roast fish and risotto, followed by the second main course of shoulder of lamb, followed by an assortment of cheeses, followed by a dessert (strawberries for me and a chocolate concoction for Peter, all accompanied, appropriately, by a lovely bottle of Cote de Beaune. Well, if we were missing the "wow" factor, this supplied it. Once again, foodies take note).
The rain has stopped, and the perfect meal if followed by a lovely fresh walk (or stagger, if you will) back to our hotel.
More Beaune tomorrow (or perhaps later), as our Monday in Beaune is a series of wine tastings. So, til then.....
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