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00:01Hey, I'm Rick Steves,
00:02back with more of the best of Europe.
00:04This time, we're in France,
00:06and our crew includes a captain and a chef.
00:09We're barging the dreamy canals in Burgundy
00:12on a gourmet cruise.
00:13Thanks for joining us.
00:30More than any TV show we've ever produced,
00:49this episode is unapologetically hedonistic,
00:53an ever-changing graceful view from our barge,
00:56gourmet meals, fine wine, merci,
00:59and memories of a lifetime.
01:01Santé!
01:03Our goal? To experience a canal cruise
01:06and the local Burgundian cuisine
01:08in this laid-back corner of France.
01:10And you've got so many options.
01:12Small boats, big boats, full service or do-it-yourself.
01:17Budget or luxury, they all work just fine.
01:21Our cruise today comes with a great cast.
01:24Captain Max, Hostess Meg, Chef Wojtek,
01:28and first mate, Philippe.
01:30On est bon?
01:31Along with the crew,
01:32I'm joined by the co-author of my France guidebook
01:35and mentor in all things French,
01:37Steve Smith,
01:38who actually lives just down the canal.
01:41While industrial-age canals are all over Europe,
01:45we're in France, in the region of Burgundy.
01:49And we'll be cruising on the Seine River
01:52and the Canal du Centre,
01:54with side trips into the fabled Burgundian vineyards
01:57of the Côte d'Or.
02:00Bonjour!
02:01Hello!
02:02Bonjour!
02:03Steve and I are boarding our barge
02:05in the town of Chalon-sur-Seine,
02:07or Chalon-on-the-Seine River.
02:12Departing from an industrial city like this
02:14is a reminder that an economic power like France
02:17has long relied on rivers and canals
02:20to get cargo in and out of ports,
02:22and we'll cruise a bit of this river
02:24before entering the canal.
02:26Huge riverboats are popular for relaxing vacations
02:29on rivers all across Europe,
02:31but with over 100 passengers,
02:33they're too big to venture into the canals.
02:36A rusty old industrial barge
02:39and beached cargo boats along the riverbank
02:42beneath an abandoned factory,
02:44they're all reminders of how these waterways
02:46were originally all about transporting freight.
02:49Coal, wheat, corn, you name it.
02:52This massive lock has lifted barges up
02:55to France's Canal du Centre for a century.
03:00And today, it's raising us.
03:03Up away from all the industry of the river
03:06and into a more charming world.
03:11These delightful green belts support
03:13a playful wonderland of people enjoying life.
03:17The scenery is like a slow-motion parade
03:20through the rural charms of Burgundy.
03:23Delightful village scenes, sleepy cows,
03:27a mesmerizing tranquility.
03:30It is so beautiful.
03:31Yeah, it's amazing.
03:33Do you get tired of this beauty,
03:34or is it always...
03:35Oh, I am never born without it.
03:37Oh.
03:38No, it's always interesting.
03:39Many different places, many different canals.
03:42Captain Max grew up on canal barges.
03:45He loves his boat, he loves his work,
03:48and he enjoys sharing his chart.
03:51Denneville.
03:5222 here.
03:53Nice.
03:54And you have 21, of course.
03:55So, three locks to Saint-Léger.
03:56Yeah.
03:57Yeah.
03:58While originally built to carry coal and grain,
04:00these days barges carry tourists.
04:03And the canals are all about recreation.
04:05Yeah.
04:06So we could really explore almost all of France
04:08on canals like this.
04:09Exactly.
04:10And rivers.
04:11And rivers.
04:12It's a beautiful way to travel.
04:13Yeah.
04:14And it's a wonderful way to travel,
04:16because everybody takes care of you.
04:18Yeah.
04:19As a captain, Max, you have to be patient also.
04:22If there's a boat in front of you...
04:24You need to wait.
04:25Because you can't turn around, you can't pass?
04:27I know.
04:28Locks are an integral part of any canal trip.
04:31One at a time, barges slip in.
04:34Fitting like a glove, they rise or fall with the water level.
04:40As the size of the locks hasn't changed in 200 years,
04:43generally, neither have the barges.
04:47Locks like these...
04:49This is an extreme example in England...
04:51Allow boats to climb or descend steadily,
04:54little by little, a few feet at a time,
04:56stair-stepping all across France.
04:59Using rivers, canals, and locks,
05:01you can float from the Mediterranean
05:03over the continental divide
05:05and all the way to the Atlantic.
05:07And the pace of barging almost forces you
05:10to slow down and relax.
05:14A big part of the fun of cruising on a barge
05:16are the stops.
05:19Tiny ports along the canal serve as a cross
05:21between a park and a marina.
05:25And they provide a springboard for creating memories.
05:31That's the best way for us to...
05:33On our first day,
05:34Philippe lets me tag along on a shopping trip
05:36to the weekly market of Luan,
05:38one of the best in Burgundy.
05:41Vacation barging in France is all about good eating,
05:45and that requires the freshest ingredients.
05:49Monday is certainly the big day for Luan.
05:52It is the market day, the only one of the week,
05:55the one everybody expects.
05:57Everything's got to be fresh.
05:59Everything's got to be fresh and eaten fresh, too.
06:02Well, that's why there's so many good samples.
06:05Bonjour. Bonjour madame.
06:07Oh, nice. Merci beaucoup.
06:09And what is this?
06:11This one.
06:12Welcome.
06:13From the Pyrenees.
06:14From the Pyrenees.
06:15From the Pyrenees, yeah.
06:16The border of Spain.
06:17We have a tour of France right here.
06:19Absolutely.
06:20A large range.
06:21You know, I think in France,
06:22more than maybe any other country,
06:24I think cheese.
06:25Absolutely.
06:26And not one cheese.
06:27A whole selection of cheese.
06:28I love it.
06:29Look at it.
06:30Cow's milk.
06:31Yep.
06:32Bruby.
06:33Conte.
06:34I mean, this is all the regions surrounding Burgundy.
06:36And that's for every taste and everyone.
06:38You make everybody happy there.
06:44The farmers must be proud of their produce here.
06:46They are.
06:47They're so very are.
06:48And bringing them to the market is probably,
06:50they're expecting that all week, you know?
06:52Yeah.
06:53And it's all there.
06:54Look.
06:55For us.
06:56These radishes look delicious.
06:57They look like they are.
06:58Look at that.
06:59Let's get some for the boat.
07:00Shall we?
07:01Yeah.
07:02Good idea.
07:03Good idea.
07:07Hey, that's right.
07:08We are on the Mediterranean in France.
07:10We have olives.
07:11Look at that.
07:12All the selection.
07:13Shall we try some?
07:14Sure.
07:15Mmm.
07:16That's good.
07:17That looks nice.
07:18This would be good for the aperitif?
07:19I think so.
07:20An entire section of the market is filled with favorite meats.
07:22Rabbit, chicken, and duck, which couldn't be any fresher.
07:36And, I imagine, we'll soon be on our dinner plates.
07:45Barging is a decadent mix of travel, eating, and relaxing.
07:49All accompanied by a smooth and steady parade of Burgundian beauty.
07:54And, as we joyride, our chef is busy in the galley.
08:07Despite the tight quarters of a barge, he cooks up the most deliciously French meals
08:12with ease.
08:15Our first lunch takes patience to create.
08:22The chef gently cradles escargot shells while he artfully fills each one with a buttery garlic
08:29mix.
08:30Then, the snail is coaxed back into the shell, and that's followed by more butter.
08:40The transformation of the snails is complete as they emerge from the oven as escargot de
08:46burgundia.
08:47That looks nice.
08:48Burgundia makes them in the most traditional way, right?
08:51This is where they really started.
08:52And, that means they're baked, cooked, and then put back in their shell.
08:55So, served in the shell, that would be...
08:57That's Burgundian.
08:58That's right.
08:59And with garlic butter.
09:01Back in the kitchen, Wojtek puts the finishing touches on our main course.
09:06White beans, slow cooked to perfection, topped with crispy leg of duck confit.
09:16It's a gourmet spin on the classic cassoulet.
09:22Cassoulet, well, it's an old Roman concoction, and everybody does it in their own way.
09:27Every chef will have their own style.
09:29And, it's old peasant food, like so much of French cuisine.
09:32Usually, it's got a lot of sausage, duck spliced in with white beans.
09:37This is beautiful.
09:39Our chef has decided to take that basic cassoulet and put this confit of duck cooked in his own fat.
09:45Right.
09:46And, I love how we've got a crispy skin and a tender inside.
09:50It's really good.
09:51Canal barges are often a century old, and refurbished for their second act as floating hotels.
10:01Great. You want to explore a ship?
10:03They vary in amenities, but generally come with a cozy lounge, a well-stocked bar,
10:10a small but elegant dining room, and ship-shaped state rooms.
10:16Of course, deep down is the engine room.
10:21Here's my engine room.
10:22Originally steam, converted to diesel.
10:25Lovingly maintained, it hums reliably and quietly.
10:29The deck puts the joy into our joyriding.
10:33And I love a little time up in the helm,
10:35making sure Captain Max remembers to duck for the bridges.
10:40So, how long have you been a captain?
10:45All my life.
10:46When I was 10 years old, I was in the wheelhouse with my father, and he showed me...
10:52So, it's in the family.
10:53It's in my blood.
10:54It's in your blood.
10:55Yeah.
10:56This is your world.
10:57It's a beautiful world.
10:58You see the front by another behind the door.
11:02You know, this is the real life.
11:07It's time to work up a bon appetit with a little hike.
11:11With a lock every mile or so, and a towpath always along the canal, it's hard to get lost.
11:16So, it's a good walk?
11:18It's a beautiful walk.
11:19And we'll see you in two locks.
11:21Two locks.
11:22Okay.
11:23That's right.
11:24It's great how these towpaths are appreciated even to this day.
11:30Yeah.
11:31Imagine when these canals were first built.
11:33They needed these towpaths to pull the boats.
11:36Before they had steam engines.
11:38Before they adapted the engine.
11:39Yeah.
11:40They used horses, doggies, humans.
11:43Prisoners.
11:44Today, recreation.
11:45It's all about recreation today.
11:47Because going through the locks takes time, we can walk at about the speed of the boat.
11:53Reconnecting at the locks is easy.
11:55And if making some friends along the way delays us, we can just phone the captain.
12:01In the past, locks came with an attendant who lived in a little cottage or lockhouse
12:06and was responsible for opening and closing the gates.
12:09Now, those gates are automated.
12:11Bonjour.
12:12It's beautiful.
12:13Christian, who manned this lock for 30 years, is now retired, and he enjoys walkers like
12:26us, admiring his Burgundian world.
12:28So, you have the most beautiful flowers on the canal?
12:31Yes.
12:32Au revoir.
12:35Steve knows a great chateau, just a short walk from the canal, where we can taste some
12:39burgundy wine served by the Lord of the Chateau himself.
12:43This is the famed Côte d'Or, or Golden Slopes.
12:47And as it's early September, it's harvest time.
12:51Okay.
12:52So, while walking in a clô, you can see there is four walls everywhere.
12:56Raoul is proud that this enclosure, or clô, with its stony walls, still protects the
13:03very best part of the vineyard, as it has since the Middle Ages.
13:08It's all about exposure to the sun and the personality of the soil, the terroir.
13:14This is a classic Burgundian scene.
13:17And it's a privilege to share it with a man whose families long been a part of this rich
13:23heritage.
13:24So, how do you know when to harvest?
13:26So, we have to look and also to test.
13:29We take a grape, we taste it, and we have the sugar.
13:34The skin is quite thin, it's not too strong.
13:38And after, we also have some, we can do some tests in the labo, in the Wayne Estate, just
13:44to be sure with the sugar level.
13:46600 years ago, your great, great, great, great, great, great grandpa could stand here
13:51and taste a grape right here.
13:52Exactly.
13:53And he would think the skin is just perfect.
13:57Just perfect.
13:58Here, this is the Chateau de Ruy.
14:01So, this castle is in my family since the beginning, that means since the end of the
14:0412th century.
14:05Look at...
14:06Your family.
14:07Yes, my family.
14:08Wow.
14:09So, I am the 26th generations.
14:12This is a very old kitchen.
14:14This is a medieval kitchen.
14:16So, this kitchen is in the 12th century tower.
14:20So, this is the oldest part of the castle.
14:23There's many, many centuries of wine tasting right here.
14:26Exactly.
14:27Let's continue that tradition.
14:28Of course.
14:30So, the labels, there we have the name of the Wayne Estate.
14:33And which is very nice, interesting, this is, we have the name of the plot.
14:36So, the name of the land, Molisme.
14:39So, Molisme is the name of that little, a little piece of land like we were just at.
14:43Exactly.
14:44Burgundy is known for its Pinot Noir.
14:46And we're tasting some of Raoul's very best.
14:49First, smell it.
14:51Very nice Pinot Noir.
14:53Then, you can taste it.
14:58Oh, that is a personality.
14:59What would I be tasting?
15:01We have a bit of red fruit, a bit of leather.
15:04Red fruit, leather.
15:07Okay.
15:08And what else?
15:09So, this one is earthy.
15:10Earthy.
15:11Yeah, the French call it sous-bois, or under the woods.
15:14Under the woods, I like that.
15:15Okay.
15:16Yes.
15:20Walking on, we take with us a few bottles of Raoul's Best for Dinner.
15:24The captain will be happy.
15:27We rejoin our barge, just in time to carry on with our crews.
15:32Hey!
15:33What do you mean?
15:35Two locks.
15:36Two locks.
15:37There we go.
15:39Welcome back.
15:40Great one.
15:42Today, the canal traffic is almost exclusively recreational.
15:46And there's a range of floating options.
15:49Small hotel barges like ours, and this classic beauty.
15:55Bigger barges accommodating 8 to 20 passengers.
15:59And self-drive boats for hire, which come with an abundance of fenders.
16:04These sleep up to six, and are actually quite affordable.
16:08Regardless of the size of your boat,
16:10the beauty and relaxing tranquility of Burgundy by Canal is all yours.
16:20Comfortably settled back on board, it's time for a pre-dinner aperitif.
16:26So what are the classic French aperitifs?
16:29Well, of course, you have the creme de cassis from Dijon,
16:33which you mix with white wine to make a kia.
16:37It's delicious.
16:39Or if you like something a little bit stronger,
16:42they have the pastis, which is an anise-based liqueur,
16:46which you mix with water and ice.
16:48Nice.
16:49Well, I know Steve likes a kia.
16:50Oh, yeah?
16:51And I'd like to try a pastis.
16:52Excellent.
16:54The aperitif, it's an almost sacred tradition
16:58and another example of the French passion
17:01for the fine points of good living.
17:03So it's part of these rituals of good living.
17:06It is, and it's a relaxed ritual.
17:08Yeah.
17:09I couldn't be more relaxed right now.
17:10I'm with you on that.
17:12Look at this, man.
17:13I know.
17:14Oh, God.
17:15I'm so happy to have you in my part of the world.
17:17I really am.
17:18It's great.
17:19Yeah.
17:20Whether on a full-service barge or in a do-it-yourself rental boat,
17:23savoring those memories with a nice drink on deck.
17:26Oui.
17:27Life is good.
17:28La vie, c'est bon.
17:31A great thing about barging, you're free to stop almost anywhere.
17:35You simply choose your spot and pound a stake for a quick and ready-made mortgage.
17:43Within minutes, our gangplank is set up.
17:46And after another fine day, we're settled in for another delightful spot to spend the night.
17:56Tonight's dinner is another lesson in French cuisine.
18:01We start with poached eggs set in toasted brioche with wild mushrooms and a creamy cheese sauce.
18:09And the cheese is des pois.
18:12It's the most revered cheese from Burgundy.
18:15And I've never seen it like this, and it's marvelous.
18:17Regardless of how you travel in Burgundy, you'll want to eat local and with the season.
18:23While we savor the first course in wine, the chef is busy plating the next course.
18:28A bed of pureed black trumpet mushrooms, neatly piped potato puree,
18:33and green beans topped with juicy breast of Burgundy chicken.
18:38What I love this ensemble.
18:40We've got the chicken from the market.
18:43We've got the wine from the chateau down the street.
18:46We met the man whose family makes this.
18:48And it's really simple food cooked in a way that feels, I don't know, French elegant.
18:55Dessert tonight is more of Raoul's wine and a cheese course.
19:00And this is a tour de France.
19:02She's delivered us cheeses from Burgundy, from the Loire,
19:07from southern France, Roquefort, and from the Alps in one simple plate.
19:12So Delice de Bourgogne is the classic Burgundy cheese.
19:15I love it.
19:16But this one's different because it's rolled in a grainy mustard.
19:19This long log is from the Loire Valley.
19:23It's goat cheese rolled in wood ash.
19:26And it has a little straw down the middle that keeps its shape.
19:31But Roquefort, this cheese is aged in these caves in Roquefort,
19:35Sous-les-Arts, a village in southern France, out of this world.
19:38Strong.
19:39Eat it last.
19:41In France, you can't serve a good meal without fresh bread.
19:50While we still sleep, Philippe starts his day with a trip to a nearby bakery.
19:55Locals appreciate the baguettes fresh out of the oven.
19:59And this baker, he's a local hero.
20:02French people from all walks of life share this ritual,
20:08a love of fresh baked goods in the morning.
20:17The French passion for eating well and with just the right ingredients
20:21begins with the first meal of the day.
20:23Homemade jams with croissants still warm from the bakery,
20:27seasonal fruits.
20:30This is a work of art.
20:31And, after all this is Burgundy, more cheese.
20:37This is Burgundy.
20:40A great morning activity is a bike ride.
20:42There you go. Thank you.
20:49Wherever there's a canal, there's a towpath.
20:52And they're a favorite with bikers.
20:55I like this part.
21:00We share the path with an array of bikers of all abilities,
21:04and the occasional fishermen.
21:08We can choose to stay canal-side...
21:13...or ride into the nearby vineyards,
21:15where service roads double as bike paths,
21:18and convenient signs point the way
21:20to pit stops of every varietal.
21:23Many barge tours include a van,
21:26which makes side-tripping easy.
21:28Burgundy's top sites are mostly within an easy drive.
21:32The region is criss-crossed with canals
21:34and dotted with quiet farming villages.
21:36With rich traditions and a proud heritage,
21:39there's plenty to see and experience.
21:42From family-run chateaus, like Roche-Pau,
21:45to venerable medieval abbeys like Fontenay,
21:48all nestled in the inviting golden hills,
21:51some of France's most prized real estate
21:54blanketed with beloved vineyards.
21:57It's Burgundy's Cote d'Or.
22:03After a glorious week, I'm into the canal vacation groove.
22:07However you travel here,
22:08the proper tempo for enjoying the canals of Burgundy
22:11is relaxed.
22:14For our final stop,
22:16we moer at an idyllic canal park named St. Julian.
22:21Steve and I have challenged our crew
22:23to a game of pétanque.
22:26It's us against Megan Philippe.
22:29Pétanque is a favorite pastime in France,
22:31and whacking each other's balls is a perfect way
22:36to spend a convivial hour canal-side
22:39with a traditional pastis.
22:41I like the game because it's quick and easy to learn,
22:44and even first-timers can be competitive.
22:50As emotions on the court build and appetites are stoked,
22:53back on the barge,
22:55our chef prepares one last tasty lesson in French cuisine.
22:59The French love to creatively pair ingredients,
23:02like fresh figs,
23:04simmered in butter and wine,
23:06with foie gras, the rich duck liver pâté.
23:10This pairing gives the classic contrast
23:12in textures and flavors.
23:14Foie gras is buttery, savory, and delicate,
23:17while figs are sweet and juicy.
23:20Yes, the sweetness of the fig,
23:22balancing with the richness of the liver.
23:25It's deliciously French.
23:28This is sort of the quintessence of richness.
23:31Mm-hmm.
23:32No, you've got to have it with the wine.
23:34That is delightful.
23:37Back in the galley,
23:39it's all about piping the cream potatoes and horseradish.
23:43And then a serving of the regional favorite
23:46that just screams Burgundy,
23:48a rich beef bourguignon.
23:50This looks good.
23:51The best beef in France is from Burgundy.
23:54It's those white cattle we've been floating by,
23:56the charolet.
23:57They make the best beef,
23:59sautéed with red wine,
24:01which is also Burgundy.
24:03What could be more regional than this?
24:05There really is something about that
24:07zero-kilometer of philosophy
24:09where you've got the local cows
24:11and the local grapes.
24:12Mm.
24:13The sauce is worth really...
24:14It's everything.
24:15...appreciating.
24:16That's why the spoon is kind of nice.
24:18Mm-hmm.
24:19Look at that.
24:20And the bread.
24:21Mm.
24:22As the balmy evening fades into darkness,
24:27perfectly formed raspberry souffles cap our meal.
24:31Ah, and I thought I was full.
24:34There's always room for a little more of edible France
24:38and another tasty memory.
24:41I've long enjoyed France
24:45and the range of experiences it offers.
24:48And I gotta say,
24:49a gourmet barge vacation in Burgundy,
24:52c'est magnifique.
24:53Thanks for stowing away with us.
24:55I'm Rick Steves.
24:56Until next time, bon voyage.
24:59And I forget to ask a Burgundian.
25:02Yeah.
25:03I don't get it.
25:07Hey.
25:09Ah, that's nice.
25:10Is there more?
25:14Shut up!
25:16Uh-uh.
25:17Don't go in.
25:19That's right.
25:20Come on.
25:25Let's go.
25:26We can get on the boat now.
25:27See ya.
25:30Okay.
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