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00:00We're in France, and our crew includes a captain and a chef.
00:04We're barging the dreamy canals in Burgundy on a gourmet cruise.
00:08Thanks for joining us.
00:30More than any TV show we've ever produced,
00:44this episode is unapologetically hedonistic.
00:48An ever-changing, graceful view from our barge, gourmet meals, fine wine,
00:53and memories of a lifetime.
00:56Santé!
00:57Our goal? To experience a canal cruise and the local Burgundian cuisine
01:02in this laid-back corner of France.
01:05And you've got so many options.
01:07Small boats, big boats, full service or do-it-yourself.
01:12Budget or luxury, they all work just fine.
01:16Our cruise today comes with a great cast.
01:19Captain Max, hostess Meg, chef Wojtek, and first mate Philippe.
01:25Along with the crew, I'm joined by the co-author of my France guidebook
01:30and mentor in all things French, Steve Smith,
01:33who actually lives just down the canal.
01:37While industrial-age canals are all over Europe,
01:40we're in France, in the region of Burgundy.
01:43And we'll be cruising on the Seine River and the Canal du Centre with side trips
01:49into the fabled Burgundian vineyards of the Côte d'Or.
01:53Steve and I are boarding our barge in the town of Chalon-sur-Saône,
02:02or Chalon-on-the-Saône River.
02:06Departing from an industrial city like this
02:09is a reminder that an economic power like France
02:12has long relied on rivers and canals
02:14to get cargo in and out of ports,
02:17and we'll cruise a bit of this river before entering the canal.
02:20Huge riverboats are popular for relaxing vacations
02:24on rivers all across Europe.
02:26But with over 100 passengers,
02:29they're too big to venture into the canals.
02:31A rusty old industrial barge
02:34and beached cargo boats along the riverbank
02:37beneath an abandoned factory,
02:39they're all reminders of how these waterways
02:41were originally all about transporting freight.
02:44Coal, wheat, corn, you name it.
02:46This massive lock has lifted barges up
02:50to France's Canal du Centre for a century.
02:54And today, it's raising us,
02:58up away from all the industry of the river
03:01and into a more charming world.
03:06These delightful green belts support a playful wonderland
03:09of people enjoying life.
03:11The scenery is like a slow-motion parade
03:15through the rural charms of Burgundy.
03:18Delightful village scenes,
03:20sleepy cows,
03:22a mesmerizing tranquility.
03:25It is so beautiful.
03:26Yeah, it's amazing.
03:28Do you get tired of this beauty,
03:29or is it always...
03:30Oh, I am never born with...
03:31Oh.
03:32No, it's always interesting.
03:34Many different places, many different canals.
03:37Captain Max grew up on canal barges.
03:40He loves his boat,
03:42he loves his work,
03:43and he enjoys sharing his chart.
03:46Denneville.
03:4622 here.
03:48Yes.
03:48And you have 21, of course.
03:50So three locks to Saint-Léger.
03:52Yeah.
03:52While originally built to carry coal and grain,
03:55these days, barges carry tourists.
03:58And the canals are all about recreation.
04:00So we could really explore almost all of France
04:03on canals like this.
04:05And rivers.
04:05And rivers.
04:06It's a beautiful way to travel.
04:07Yeah, and it's a wonderful way to travel
04:10because everybody takes care of you.
04:13Yeah.
04:14As a captain, Max,
04:15you have to be patient also.
04:17If there's a boat in front of you...
04:19You need to wait.
04:21Because you can't turn around,
04:22you can't pass?
04:22Yeah, I know.
04:23Locks are an integral part of any canal trip.
04:26One at a time, barges slip in.
04:29Fitting like a glove,
04:30they rise or fall with the water level.
04:33As the size of the locks hasn't changed in 200 years,
04:38generally, neither have the barges.
04:42Locks like these,
04:43this is an extreme example in England,
04:45allow boats to climb or descend steadily,
04:49little by little,
04:50a few feet at a time,
04:51stair-stepping all across France.
04:54Using rivers, canals, and locks,
04:56you can float from the Mediterranean
04:58over the continental divide
04:59and all the way to the Atlantic.
05:02And the pace of barging
05:03almost forces you to slow down and relax.
05:09A big part of the fun of cruising on a barge
05:11are the stops.
05:13Tiny ports along the canal
05:15serve as a cross between a park and a marina.
05:19And they provide a springboard for creating memories.
05:23On our first day,
05:28Philippe lets me tag along on a shopping trip
05:31to the weekly market of Luan,
05:33one of the best in Burgundy.
05:36Vacation barging in France
05:37is all about good eating,
05:40and that requires the freshest ingredients.
05:44Monday is certainly the big day for Luan.
05:47It is the market day,
05:48the only one of the week,
05:50the one everybody expects.
05:51Everything's got to be fresh.
05:54Everything's got to be fresh
05:55and eaten fresh, too.
05:57Well, that's why there's so many good samples.
06:00Bonjour.
06:01Bonjour, madame.
06:02Oh, nice.
06:03Merci beaucoup.
06:04And what is this?
06:05This one.
06:06Welcome.
06:07Very soft.
06:08From Pyrenees.
06:09From the Pyrenees.
06:10From Pyrenees, yeah,
06:11the border of Spain.
06:12We have a tour of France right here.
06:14Absolutely, a large range.
06:16You know, I think in France,
06:17more than maybe any other country,
06:19I think cheese.
06:20Absolutely, and not one cheese,
06:22a whole selection of cheese.
06:23I love it.
06:24Look at it.
06:25Cow's milk,
06:26Bruby,
06:27Conte,
06:28I mean,
06:28this is all the regions
06:30surrounding Burgundy,
06:31and that's for every taste
06:32and everyone.
06:33You make everybody happy there.
06:35The farmers must be proud of their produce here.
06:41They are.
06:42They're so very are.
06:43And bringing them to the market
06:44is probably expecting that for we.
06:47Yeah, and it's all that.
06:48Look, for us.
06:49These radishes look delicious.
06:52They look, and they are.
06:53Look at that.
06:54Let's get some for the boat.
06:56Shall we?
06:56Good idea.
06:56Hey, that's right.
07:03We are on the Mediterranean in France.
07:05We have olives.
07:06Look at that.
07:06All the selection.
07:08Shall we try some?
07:09Sure.
07:14Mmm.
07:15That's good.
07:16That looks nice.
07:17This would be good for the aperitif?
07:19I think so.
07:21An entire section of the market
07:23is filled with favorite meats,
07:25rabbit,
07:26chicken,
07:27and duck,
07:28which couldn't be any fresher.
07:31And, I imagine,
07:33will soon be on our dinner plates.
07:39Barging is a decadent mix
07:41of travel, eating, and relaxing,
07:44all accompanied by a smooth and steady parade
07:47of Burgundian beauty.
07:48And, as we joyride,
07:50our chef is busy in the galley.
08:01Despite the tight quarters of a barge,
08:04he cooks up the most deliciously French meals
08:07with ease.
08:14Our first lunch takes patience to create.
08:16The chef gently cradles escargot shells
08:20while he artfully fills each one
08:22with a buttery garlic mix.
08:25Then, the snail is coaxed back into the shell,
08:29and that's followed by more butter.
08:34The transformation of the snails is complete
08:37as they emerge from the oven
08:39as escargot de Bourgogne.
08:42Burgundia.
08:42That's nice.
08:43Burgundia makes them in the most traditional way, right?
08:45This is where they really started.
08:47And that means they're baked, cooked,
08:49and then put back in their shell.
08:50So served in the shell, that would be...
08:52That's Burgundian.
08:53That's right.
08:54And with garlic butter.
08:56Back in the kitchen,
08:58Wojtek puts the finishing touches
08:59on our main course.
09:01White beans, slow-cooked to perfection,
09:04topped with crispy leg of duck confit.
09:12It's a gourmet spin on the classic cassoulet.
09:17Cassoulet, well, it's an old Roman concoction,
09:20and everybody does it in their own way.
09:22Every chef will have their own style.
09:23And it's old peasant food,
09:25like so much of French cuisine, usually.
09:28It's got a lot of sausage,
09:30duck spliced in with white beans.
09:32This is beautiful.
09:34Our chef has decided to take that basic cassoulet
09:37and put this confit of duck
09:39cooked in its own fat.
09:40Right.
09:40And I love how we've got a crispy skin
09:43and a tender inside.
09:45It's really good.
09:49Canal barges are often a century old
09:52and refurbished for their second act
09:55as floating hotels.
09:56Great.
09:57You want to explore a ship?
09:58They vary in amenities,
10:00but generally come with a cozy lounge,
10:02a well-stocked bar,
10:04a small but elegant dining room,
10:07and ship-shaped state rooms.
10:12Of course, deep down is the engine room.
10:15Here's my engine room.
10:16Originally steam, converted to diesel.
10:19Lovingly maintained, it hums reliably.
10:22And quietly.
10:24The deck puts the joy into our joyriding.
10:28And I love a little time up in the helm,
10:30making sure Captain Max remembers
10:32to duck for the bridges.
10:38So how long have you been a captain?
10:40All my life.
10:41When I was 10 years old,
10:43I was in the wheelhouse with my father,
10:45and he showed me...
10:47So it's in the family.
10:48It's in my blood.
10:49It's in your blood.
10:50It's in your blood, yeah.
10:50This is your world.
10:51It's a beautiful world.
10:53You see the front by another behind the door.
10:57You know, this is the real life.
11:02It's time to work up a bon appetit
11:04with a little hike.
11:06With a lock every mile or so
11:07and a towpath always along the canal,
11:10it's hard to get lost.
11:11So it's a good walk?
11:13It's a beautiful walk.
11:14And we'll see you in two locks.
11:16Two locks, okay.
11:17That's right.
11:18Bye.
11:18Oh, God.
11:22It's great how these towpaths
11:24are appreciated even to this day.
11:26Yeah.
11:26Imagine when these canals were first built.
11:28They needed these towpaths
11:30to pull the boats.
11:31Before they had steam engines.
11:33Before they adapted the engine, yeah.
11:35They used horses, donkeys, humans.
11:38Prisoners.
11:39Today, recreation.
11:40It's all about recreation today.
11:43Because going through the locks takes time,
11:45we can walk at about the speed of the boat.
11:48Reconnecting at the locks is easy.
11:50And if making some friends along the way delays us,
11:53we can just phone the captain.
11:56In the past, locks came with an attendant
11:58who lived in a little cottage or lockhouse
12:01and was responsible for opening and closing the gates.
12:04Now, those gates are automated.
12:07Bonjour.
12:11Ça va?
12:12Mes bons chiens sont super.
12:13This is beautiful.
12:14Christian, who manned this lock for 30 years,
12:17is now retired, and he enjoys walkers like us,
12:20admiring his Burgundian world.
12:22So you have the most beautiful flowers
12:24on the canal this afternoon.
12:26Oui, vous avez les deux.
12:28Au revoir.
12:30Steve knows a great chateau,
12:31just a short walk from the canal,
12:33where we can taste some burgundy wine
12:35served by the lord of the chateau himself.
12:38This is the famed Côte d'Or, or Golden Slopes.
12:42And as it's early September, it's harvest time.
12:46OK, so we are walking in a clô.
12:48You can see there is four walls everywhere.
12:51Raoul is proud that this enclosure, or clô,
12:55with its stony walls,
12:57still protects the very best part of the vineyard,
12:59as it has since the Middle Ages.
13:03It's all about exposure to the sun
13:05and the personality of the soil, the terroir.
13:09This is a classic Burgundian scene,
13:12and it's a privilege to share it
13:14with a man whose families long been a part
13:16of this rich heritage.
13:18So, how do you know when to harvest?
13:20So, we have to look and also to test.
13:24We take a grape, we test it,
13:26and we have the sugar.
13:29The skin is quite thin.
13:31It's not too strong.
13:33And after, we also have some,
13:35we can do some tests in the labo,
13:38in the wine estate,
13:39just to be sure we get sugar level.
13:41600 years ago,
13:42your great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpa
13:44could stand here and taste a grape right here.
13:47Exactly.
13:49And he would think,
13:50the skin is just perfect.
13:52Just perfect.
13:54Here, this is the Chateau de Ruy.
13:56So, this castle is in my family since the beginning,
13:58that means since the end of the 12th century.
14:01Look at...
14:02Your family?
14:02Yes, my family.
14:04So, I am the 26th generation.
14:07This is a very old kitchen.
14:08This is a medieval kitchen.
14:10So, this kitchen is in the 12th century tower.
14:15So, this is the oldest part of the castle.
14:18There's many, many centuries of wine tasting right here.
14:20Exactly.
14:21Let's continue that tradition.
14:22Of course.
14:25So, the labels,
14:26there we have the name of the wine estate,
14:28and which is very nice, interesting,
14:29this is, we have the name of the plot,
14:31so the name of the land, Molisme.
14:34So, Molisme is the name of that little,
14:36a little piece of land like we were just at.
14:38Exactly.
14:39Burgundy is known for its Pinot Noir,
14:41and we're tasting some of Raoul's very best.
14:44First, I smell it.
14:46Very nice Pinot Noir.
14:48Then, you can taste it.
14:52Oh, that is a personality.
14:54What would I be tasting?
14:55We have a bit of red fruit,
14:57a bit of leather.
14:59Red fruit, leather.
15:01Okay.
15:02And what else?
15:03So, this one is earthy.
15:05Earthy.
15:06Yeah, the French call it sous-bois,
15:08or under the woods.
15:09Under the woods, I like that.
15:10Okay.
15:15Walking on, we take with us
15:16a few bottles of Raoul's Best for Dinner.
15:19The captain will be happy.
15:22We rejoin our barge,
15:24just in time to carry on with our cruise.
15:26Hey!
15:28Hey!
15:28What do you mean?
15:30Two locks.
15:31Two locks.
15:31There we go.
15:33Welcome back.
15:35Great one.
15:36Today, the canal traffic
15:38is almost exclusively recreational,
15:41and there's a range of floating options.
15:44Small hotel barges like ours,
15:47and this classic beauty.
15:49Bigger barges accommodating
15:51eight to 20 passengers,
15:53and self-drive boats for hire,
15:56which come with an abundance of fenders.
15:59These sleep up to six
16:00and are actually quite affordable.
16:02Regardless of the size of your boat,
16:05the beauty and relaxing tranquility
16:07of Burgundy by canal is all yours.
16:15Comfortably settled back on board,
16:17it's time for a pre-dinner aperitif.
16:21So what are the classic French aperitifs?
16:24Well, of course,
16:25you have the creme de cassis from Dijon,
16:28which you mix with white wine
16:30to make a kia.
16:31It's delicious.
16:34Or if you like something a little bit stronger,
16:37they have the pastis,
16:39which is an anise-based liqueur,
16:40which you mix with water and ice.
16:43Nice.
16:43Well, I know Steve likes a kia.
16:45Oh, yeah?
16:45And I'd like to try a pastis.
16:47Excellent.
16:49The aperitif,
16:50it's an almost sacred tradition
16:52and another example
16:54of the French passion
16:55for the fine points of good living.
16:57So it's part of these rituals of good living.
17:01It is,
17:02and it's a relaxed ritual.
17:03I couldn't be more relaxed right now.
17:05I'm with you on that.
17:07Look at this, man.
17:08Oh, God.
17:09I'm so happy to have you
17:11in my part of the world.
17:12I really am.
17:12It's great.
17:13Yeah.
17:14Whether on a full-service barge
17:15or in a do-it-yourself rental boat,
17:18savoring those memories
17:19with a nice drink on deck,
17:21oui, life is good.
17:23La vie, c'est bon.
17:24A great thing about barging,
17:27you're free to stop almost anywhere.
17:29You simply choose your spot
17:31and pound a steak
17:33for a quick and ready-made mortgage.
17:37Within minutes,
17:38our gangplank is set up,
17:40and after another fine day,
17:43we're settled in
17:44for another delightful spot
17:46to spend the night.
17:47Tonight's dinner
17:53is another lesson
17:54in French cuisine.
17:56We start with poached eggs
17:58set in toasted brioche
18:00with wild mushrooms
18:02and a creamy cheese sauce.
18:04And the cheese is des poises.
18:07It's the most revered cheese
18:09from Burgundy.
18:09And I've never seen it like this,
18:11and it's marvelous.
18:12Regardless of how you travel
18:13in Burgundy,
18:14you'll want to eat local
18:16and with the season.
18:18While we savor
18:19the first course in wine,
18:21the chef is busy
18:21plating the next course.
18:23A bed of pureed
18:24black trumpet mushrooms,
18:26neatly piped potato puree,
18:28and green beans
18:29topped with juicy
18:30breast of Burgundy chicken.
18:33What I love this ensemble,
18:35we've got the chicken
18:37from the market,
18:38we've got the wine
18:39from the chateau
18:40down the street,
18:40we met the man
18:41whose family makes this.
18:43And it's really simple food
18:45cooked in a way
18:46that feels, I don't know,
18:47French elegant.
18:49Mm-hmm.
18:50Oh.
18:50Dessert tonight
18:51is more of Raoul's wine
18:53and a cheese course.
18:55And this is a tour de France.
18:57She's delivered us cheeses
18:59from Burgundy,
19:01from the Loire,
19:02from southern France,
19:03Roquefort,
19:04and from the Alps
19:05in one simple plate.
19:07So Delice de Bourgogne
19:08is the classic Burgundy cheese.
19:10I love it.
19:10But this one's different
19:12because it's rolled
19:12in a grainy mustard.
19:15This long log
19:17is from the Loire Valley.
19:19It's goat cheese
19:19rolled in wood ash,
19:21and it has a little straw
19:22down the middle
19:23that keeps its shape.
19:26But Roquefort,
19:27this cheese is aged
19:28in these caves
19:29in Roquefort,
19:30Sous-les-Ain,
19:31it's a village
19:31in southern France,
19:33out of this world.
19:33Strong.
19:34Eat it last.
19:35In France,
19:42you can't serve
19:43a good meal
19:43without fresh bread.
19:45While we still sleep,
19:46Philippe starts his day
19:48with a trip
19:48to a nearby bakery.
19:50Locals appreciate
19:51the baguettes
19:52fresh out of the oven.
19:54And this baker,
19:55he's a local hero.
19:56French people
20:00from all walks of life
20:02share this ritual,
20:03a love of fresh baked goods
20:05in the morning.
20:11The French passion
20:12for eating well
20:13and with just
20:14the right ingredients
20:15begins with the first meal
20:17of the day.
20:18Homemade jams
20:19with croissants
20:20still warm
20:21from the bakery,
20:23seasonal fruits.
20:26And, after all,
20:27this is Burgundy,
20:29more cheese.
20:32This is Burgundy.
20:34A great morning activity
20:36is a bike ride.
20:37There you go.
20:43Wherever there's a canal,
20:45there's a towpath.
20:47And they're a favorite
20:48with bikers.
20:49I like this part.
20:54We share the path
20:55with an array of bikers
20:57of all abilities
20:58and the occasional fishermen.
21:02We can choose
21:03to stay canal side
21:04or ride into
21:08the nearby vineyards
21:09where service roads
21:11double as bike paths
21:12and convenient signs
21:14point the way
21:15to pit stops
21:16of every varietal.
21:17Many barge tours
21:20include a van,
21:22which makes
21:22side-tripping easy.
21:23Burgundy's top sites
21:25are mostly
21:25within an easy drive.
21:27The region is crisscrossed
21:29with canals
21:29and dotted
21:30with quiet farming villages.
21:32With rich traditions
21:33and a proud heritage,
21:34there's plenty to see
21:36and experience,
21:37from family-run chateaus
21:39like Rochepot
21:40to venerable medieval abbeys
21:43like Fontenay,
21:44all nestled
21:45in the inviting golden hills,
21:47some of France's
21:48most prized real estate
21:49blanketed
21:50with beloved vineyards.
21:52It's Burgundy's
21:53Cote d'Or.
21:58After a glorious week,
21:59I'm into the canal
22:00vacation groove.
22:02However you travel here,
22:03the proper tempo
22:04for enjoying
22:05the canals of Burgundy
22:06is relaxed.
22:09For our final stop,
22:11we moor at an idyllic
22:13canal park
22:13named St. Julian.
22:16Steve and I
22:17have challenged our crew
22:18to a game of pétanque.
22:21It's us
22:23against Megan Philippe.
22:24Pétanque is a favorite
22:26pastime in France,
22:27and whacking each other's balls
22:29is a perfect way
22:32to spend a convivial hour
22:33canal side
22:34with a traditional pastis.
22:37I like the game
22:38because it's quick
22:39and easy to learn
22:39and even first-timers
22:42can be competitive.
22:45As emotions on the court build
22:47and appetites are stoked,
22:49back on the barge,
22:50our chef prepares
22:51one last tasty lesson
22:53in French cuisine.
22:54The French love
22:55to creatively pair
22:56more ingredients,
22:58like fresh figs
22:59simmered in butter and wine
23:00with foie gras,
23:02the rich duck liver pâté.
23:04This pairing
23:05gives the classic contrast
23:07in textures and flavors.
23:10Foie gras is buttery,
23:11savory, and delicate,
23:12while figs are sweet
23:14and juicy.
23:15Yes, the sweetness
23:17of the fig
23:17balancing with the richness
23:19of the liver.
23:20It's deliciously French.
23:22This is sort of
23:24the quintessence
23:25of richness.
23:27Mm-hmm.
23:27No, you've got to have it
23:28with the wine.
23:29That is delightful.
23:33Back in the galley,
23:34it's all about piping
23:35the cream potatoes
23:37and horseradish.
23:38And then,
23:39a serving of the regional favorite
23:41that just screams burgundy,
23:43a rich beef bourguignon.
23:45Ah, this looks good.
23:46The best beef in France
23:48is from burgundy.
23:49It's those white cattle
23:50we've been floating by.
23:51The charolet.
23:52They make the best beef
23:53sautéed with red wine,
23:56which is also burgundian.
23:58What could be more
23:59regional than this?
24:00There really is something
24:01about that
24:02zero-kilometer of philosophy
24:04where you've got
24:05the local cows
24:06and the local grapes.
24:07Mm.
24:08The sauce is worth
24:09really appreciating.
24:11That's why the spoon
24:12is kind of nice.
24:13Mm-hmm.
24:14Look at that.
24:16And the bread.
24:16Mm.
24:19As the balmy evening
24:20fades into darkness,
24:22perfectly formed
24:23raspberry soufflés
24:24cap our meal.
24:26Ah, and I thought
24:27I was full.
24:29There's always room
24:30for a little more
24:31of edible France
24:32and another tasty memory.
24:38I've long enjoyed France
24:40and the range
24:41of experiences it offers.
24:43And I gotta say,
24:44a gourmet barge vacation
24:46in Burgundy,
24:47c'est magnifique.
24:48Thanks for stowing away
24:49with us.
24:50I'm Rick Steves.
24:51Until next time,
24:53bon voyage.
24:55And I forget
24:56to ask a burgundian.
24:57Yeah, I don't get it.
25:01Hey.
25:02Ah, that's nice.
25:05Is there more?
25:09Shut up!
25:10Uh-oh.
25:12Don't go in.
25:14That's right.
25:15I'm alive.
25:20Let's go.
25:20We can get on the boat now.
25:21Great.
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