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00:00...the dreamy canals in Burgundy
00:02on a gourmet cruise.
00:04Thanks for joining us.
00:30More than any TV show we've ever produced,
00:40this episode is unapologetically hedonistic,
00:43an ever-changing, graceful view from our barge,
00:46gourmet meals, fine wine, merci,
00:49and memories of a lifetime.
00:51Santé!
00:53Our goal? To experience a canal cruise
00:56and the local Burgundian cuisine
00:58in this laid-back corner of France.
01:00And you've got so many options.
01:02Small boats, big boats, full service or do-it-yourself.
01:07Budget or luxury, they all work just fine.
01:11Our cruise today comes with a great cast.
01:14Captain Max, hostess Meg, chef Wojtek,
01:18and first mate Philippe.
01:21Along with the crew, I'm joined by the co-author
01:24of my France guidebook and mentor in all things French,
01:27Steve Smith, who actually lives just down the canal.
01:32While industrial-age canals are all over Europe,
01:36we're in France, in the region of Burgundy.
01:39And we'll be cruising on the Seine River
01:42and the Canal du Centre,
01:44with side trips into the fabled Burgundian vineyards
01:47of the Côte d'Or.
01:50Bonjour!
01:51Bonjour!
01:52Bonjour!
01:53Steve and I are boarding our barge
01:55in the town of Chalon-sur-Saône,
01:57or Chalon-on-the-Saône River.
01:59Departing from an industrial city like this
02:04is a reminder that an economic power like France
02:07has long relied on rivers and canals
02:10to get cargo in and out of ports.
02:12And we'll cruise a bit of this river
02:14before entering the canal.
02:16Huge riverboats are popular for relaxing vacations
02:19on rivers all across Europe.
02:21But with over a hundred passengers,
02:23they're too big to venture into the canals.
02:26A rusty old industrial barge
02:29and beached cargo boats along the riverbank
02:31beneath an abandoned factory,
02:33they're all reminders of how these waterways
02:36were originally all about transporting freight.
02:39Coal, wheat, corn, you name it.
02:41This massive lock has lifted barges up
02:45to France's Canal du Centre for a century.
02:50And today, it's raising us,
02:53up away from all the industry of the river
02:56and into a more charming world.
03:01These delightful green belts support a playful wonderland
03:04of people enjoying life.
03:07The scenery is like a slow-motion parade
03:10through the rural charms of Burgundy.
03:13Delightful village scenes, sleepy cows,
03:17a mesmerizing tranquility.
03:20It is so beautiful.
03:21Yeah, it's amazing.
03:23Do you get tired of this beauty, or is it always...
03:25Oh, I am never born with it.
03:27Oh.
03:28It's always interesting.
03:29Many different places, many different canals.
03:32Captain Max grew up on canal barges.
03:35He loves his boat, he loves his work,
03:38and he enjoys sharing his chart.
03:41Denneville.
03:4222 here.
03:43Yes.
03:44And you have 21, of course.
03:45So, three lacs to Saint-Léger.
03:46Yeah.
03:47While originally built to carry coal and grain,
03:50these days, barges carry tourists.
03:52And the canals are all about recreation.
03:55So we could really explore almost all of France
03:58on canals like this.
03:59Exactly.
04:00And rivers.
04:01And rivers.
04:02It's a beautiful way to travel.
04:03Yeah.
04:04And it's a wonderful way to travel,
04:06because everybody takes care of you.
04:08Yeah.
04:09As a captain, Max, you have to be patient also.
04:13If there's a boat in front of you...
04:14You need to wait.
04:15Because you can't turn around, you can't pass?
04:17Yeah, I know.
04:18Locks are an integral part of any canal trip.
04:21One at a time, barges slip in.
04:24Fitting like a glove, they rise or fall with the water level.
04:28As the size of the locks hasn't changed in 200 years,
04:33generally, neither have the barges.
04:37Locks like these...
04:38This is an extreme example in England.
04:40Allow boats to climb or descend steadily,
04:43little by little, a few feet at a time,
04:46stair-stepping all across France.
04:49Using rivers, canals, and locks,
04:51you can float from the Mediterranean
04:53over the continental divide
04:54and all the way to the Atlantic.
04:57And the pace of barging almost forces you
05:00to slow down and relax.
05:04A big part of the fun of cruising on a barge are the stops.
05:08Tiny ports along the canal serve as a cross
05:11between a park and a marina.
05:14And they provide a springboard for creating memories.
05:21That's the best way for us to...
05:23On our first day,
05:24Philippe lets me tag along on a shopping trip
05:26to the weekly market of Luan,
05:28one of the best in Burgundy.
05:31Vacation barging in France is all about good eating,
05:35and that requires the freshest ingredients.
05:39Monday is certainly the big day for Luan.
05:42It is the market day, the only one of the week,
05:45the one everybody expects.
05:47Everything's got to be fresh.
05:49Everything's got to be fresh and eaten fresh, too.
05:52Well, that's why there's so many good samples.
05:55Bonjour. Bonjour, madame.
05:57Oh, nice. Merci beaucoup.
05:59And what is this?
06:01This one. Welcome.
06:03From the Pyrenees.
06:04From the Pyrenees.
06:05From the Pyrenees, yeah, the border of Spain.
06:07We have a tour of France right here.
06:09Absolutely, a large range.
06:11You know, I think in France,
06:12more than maybe any other country,
06:14I think cheese.
06:15Absolutely.
06:16And not one cheese.
06:17A whole selection of cheese.
06:18I love it.
06:19Look at it.
06:20Cow's milk.
06:21Yep.
06:22Bruby.
06:23Comté.
06:24You know what I mean?
06:25This is all the regions surrounding Burgundy.
06:26And that's for every taste and everyone.
06:28You make everybody happy then.
06:30The farmers must be proud of their produce here.
06:36They are.
06:37They're so very young.
06:38And bringing them to the market is probably expecting them all week.
06:42Yeah.
06:43And it's all that.
06:44Look, for us.
06:45These radishes look delicious.
06:47They look like they are.
06:48Look at that.
06:49Let's get some for the boat.
06:50Shall we?
06:51Yeah.
06:52Good idea.
06:53Good idea.
06:57Hey, that's right.
06:58We are on the Mediterranean in France.
07:00We have olives.
07:01Look at that.
07:02All the selection.
07:03Shall we try some?
07:04Sure.
07:05Wow.
07:10That's good.
07:11Oh, that's nice.
07:12This would be good for the aperitif?
07:14I think so.
07:15An entire section of the market is filled with favorite meats.
07:20Rabbit, chicken, and duck, which couldn't be any fresher.
07:26And, I imagine, will soon be on our dinner plates.
07:35Barging is a decadent mix of travel, eating, and relaxing,
07:39all accompanied by a smooth and steady parade of Burgundian beauty.
07:44And, as we joyride, our chef is busy in the galley.
07:56Despite the tight quarters of a barge,
07:59he cooks up the most deliciously French meals with ease.
08:09Our first lunch takes patience to create.
08:12The chef gently cradles escargot shells
08:15while he artfully fills each one with a buttery garlic mix.
08:21Then, the snail is coaxed back into the shell,
08:24and that's followed by more butter.
08:30The transformation of the snails is complete
08:32as they emerge from the oven as escargot de Bourgogne.
08:37Oh, that looks nice.
08:38Burgundias makes them in the most traditional way, right?
08:40This is where they really started.
08:42And that means they're baked, cooked,
08:44and then put back in their shell.
08:45So, served in the shell, that would be...
08:47That's Burgundian. That's right.
08:49And with garlic butter.
08:52Back in the kitchen,
08:53Wojtek puts the finishing touches on our main course.
08:56White beans, slow cooked to perfection,
08:59topped with crispy leg of duck confit.
09:07It's a gourmet spin on the classic cassoulet.
09:13Cassoulet, well, it's an old Roman concoction,
09:15and everybody does it in their own way.
09:17Every chef will have their own style.
09:19And it's old peasant food, like so much of French cuisine.
09:22Usually, it's got a lot of sausage, duck spliced in with white beans.
09:27This is beautiful.
09:29Our chef has decided to take that basic cassoulet
09:32and put this confit of duck cooked in his own fat.
09:35Right.
09:36And I love how we've got a crispy skin and a tender inside.
09:39It's really good.
09:44Canal barges are often a century old
09:47and refurbished for their second act as floating hotels.
09:51Great. You want to explore a ship?
09:53They vary in amenities,
09:54but generally come with a cozy lounge,
09:57a well-stocked bar,
09:59a small but elegant dining room,
10:02and ship-shaped state rooms.
10:07Of course, deep down is the engine room.
10:10Here's my engine room.
10:11Originally steam, converted to diesel,
10:14lovingly maintained.
10:15It hums reliably and quietly.
10:19The deck puts the joy into our joyriding.
10:23And I love a little time up in the helm,
10:25making sure Captain Max remembers to duck for the bridges.
10:33So how long have you been a captain?
10:35All my life.
10:36When I was 10 years old,
10:38I was in the wheelhouse with my father,
10:40and he showed me...
10:42So it's in the family?
10:43It's in my blood.
10:44It's in your blood.
10:45It's in your blood, yeah.
10:46This is your world.
10:47It's a beautiful world.
10:48You see the front by another behind the door.
10:52You know, this is the real life.
10:54It's time to work up a bon appetit with a little hike.
11:01With a lock every mile or so,
11:03and a towpath always along the canal,
11:05it's hard to get lost.
11:06So, it's a good walk?
11:08It's a beautiful walk.
11:09And we'll see you in two locks.
11:11Two locks, okay.
11:12That's right.
11:13Bye.
11:14Bye.
11:15It's great how these towpaths are appreciated even to this day.
11:20Yeah.
11:21Imagine when these canals were first built.
11:23They needed these towpaths to pump the boats.
11:26Before they had steam engines.
11:28Before they adapted the engine, yeah.
11:30They used horses, donkeys, humans.
11:33Prisoners.
11:34Today, recreation.
11:35It's all about recreation today.
11:37Because going through the locks takes time,
11:40we can walk at about the speed of the boat.
11:43Reconnecting at the locks is easy.
11:45And if making some friends along the way delays us,
11:48we can just phone the captain.
11:51In the past, locks came with an attendant
11:53who lived in a little cottage or lockhouse
11:56and was responsible for opening and closing the gates.
11:59Now, those gates are automated.
12:02Bonjour!
12:06Ça va?
12:07Mes bons chiens sont super!
12:09This is beautiful.
12:10Christian, who manned this lock for 30 years,
12:12is now retired, and he enjoys walkers like us,
12:15admiring his Burgundian world.
12:17So you have the most beautiful flowers
12:19on the Canal du Centre.
12:21Oui.
12:22Au revoir!
12:24Steve knows a great chateau,
12:26just a short walk from the canal,
12:28where we can taste some burgundy wine
12:30served by the Lord of the Chateau himself.
12:33This is the famed Côte d'Or, or Golden Slopes.
12:37And as it's early September, it's harvest time.
12:41Okay, so we are walking in a claw.
12:43You can see there is four walls everywhere.
12:46Raoul is proud that this enclosure, or clo,
12:50with its stony walls,
12:52still protects the very best part of the vineyard,
12:55as it has since the Middle Ages.
12:58It's all about exposure to the sun
13:00and the personality of the soil, the terroir.
13:04This is a classic Burgundian scene,
13:07and it's a privilege to share it with a man
13:09whose families long been a part of this rich heritage.
13:13So, how do you know when to harvest?
13:15So, we have to look and also to test.
13:19We take grapes, we test it, and we have the sugar.
13:23The skin is quite thin, it's not too strong.
13:27And after, we also have some, we can do some tests
13:31in the labo, in the Wayne Estate,
13:33just to be sure with the sugar level.
13:36600 years ago, your great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpa
13:39could stand here and taste a grape right here.
13:42Exactly.
13:43And he would think the skin is just perfect.
13:46Just perfect.
13:47Here, this is the Chateau de Ruy.
13:50So, this castle is in my family since the beginning,
13:53that means since the end of the 12th century.
13:55Look at...
13:56Your family?
13:57Yes, my family.
13:58Wow.
13:59So, I am the 26th generation.
14:01This is a very old kitchen.
14:03This is a medieval kitchen.
14:05So, this kitchen is in the 12th century tower.
14:09So, this is the oldest part of the castle.
14:12There's many, many centuries of wine tasting right here.
14:15Exactly.
14:16Let's continue that tradition.
14:17Of course.
14:18So, the label, there we have the name of the wine estate.
14:22And which is very nice, interesting, this is...
14:25We have the name of the plot.
14:26So, the name of the land, Molisme.
14:29So, Molisme is the name of that little...
14:31a little piece of land like we were just at.
14:33Exactly.
14:34Burgundy is known for its Pinot Noir.
14:36And we're tasting some of Raoul's very best.
14:39First, I smell it.
14:41Very nice Pinot Noir.
14:43Then, you can taste it.
14:48Oh, that is a personality.
14:49What would I be tasting?
14:50We have a bit of red fruit, a bit of leather.
14:54Red fruit, leather.
14:56Okay.
14:57And what else?
14:58So, this one is earthy.
15:00Earthy.
15:01Yeah, the French call it sous-bois, or under the woods.
15:04Under the woods, I like that.
15:05Okay.
15:06Yes.
15:10Walking on, we take with us a few bottles of Raoul's Best for Dinner.
15:14The captain will be happy.
15:17We rejoin our barge, just in time to carry on with our cruise.
15:22Hey!
15:23What do you mean?
15:24Two locks.
15:25Two locks.
15:26There we go.
15:27Welcome back.
15:28Great one.
15:29Today, the canal traffic is almost exclusively recreational, and there's a range of floating options.
15:40Small hotel barges like ours, and this classic beauty.
15:45Bigger barges accommodating 8 to 20 passengers, and self-drive boats for hire, which come with
15:52an abundance of fenders.
15:54These sleep up to six, and are actually quite affordable.
15:58Regardless of the size of your boat, the beauty and relaxing tranquility of Burgundy by Canal
16:04is all yours.
16:10Comfortably settled back on board, it's time for a pre-dinner aperitif.
16:14So, what are the classic French aperitifs?
16:18Well, of course, you have the creme de cassis from Dijon, which you mix with white wine to
16:26make a cure.
16:27It's delicious.
16:28Or, if you like something a little bit stronger, they have the pastis, which is an anise-based
16:35liqueur, which you mix with water and ice.
16:38Nice.
16:39Well, I know Steve likes a cure.
16:40Oh, yeah?
16:41And I'd like to try a pastis.
16:42Excellent.
16:43The aperitif, it's an almost sacred tradition, and another example of the French passion
16:50for the fine points of good living.
16:52So, it's a...it's part of these rituals of good living.
16:56It is, and it's a relaxed ritual.
16:58Yeah.
16:59I couldn't be more relaxed right now.
17:00I'm with you on that.
17:02Look at this, man.
17:03I know.
17:04Oh, God.
17:05I'm so happy to have you in my part of the world.
17:07I really am.
17:08It's great.
17:09Yeah.
17:10Whether on a full-service barge or in a do-it-yourself rental boat, savoring those memories with a
17:14nice drink on deck, oui, life is good.
17:18La vie, c'est bon.
17:21A great thing about barging, you're free to stop almost anywhere.
17:25You simply choose your spot and pound a steak for a quick and ready-made mortgage.
17:32Within minutes, our gangplank is set up, and after another fine day, we're settled in for
17:40another delightful spot to spend the night.
17:44Tonight's dinner is another lesson in French cuisine.
17:51We start with poached eggs set in toasted brioche with wild mushrooms.
17:57Oh, that looks beautiful.
17:58And a creamy cheese sauce.
18:00And the cheese is des pois.
18:02It's the most revered cheese from Burgundy.
18:05And I've never seen it like this, and it's marvelous.
18:07Regardless of how you travel in Burgundy, you'll want to eat local and with the season.
18:13While we savor the first course in wine, the chef is busy plating the next course.
18:18A bed of pureed black trumpet mushrooms, neatly piped potato puree, and green beans topped
18:24with juicy breast of Burgundy chicken.
18:28What I love this ensemble.
18:30We've got the chicken from the market.
18:33We've got the wine from the chateau down the street.
18:36We met the man whose family makes this.
18:38And it's really simple food cooked in a way that feels, I don't know,
18:42French elegant.
18:43Mm-hmm.
18:44Oh.
18:45Dessert tonight is more of Raoul's wine and a cheese course.
18:50And this is a tour de France.
18:52She's delivered us cheeses from Burgundy, from the Loire, from southern France, Roquefort,
18:59and from the Alps in one simple plate.
19:02So Delice de Bourgogne is the classic Burgundy cheese.
19:05I love it.
19:06But this one's different because it's rolled in a grainy mustard.
19:10This long log is from the Loire Valley.
19:14It's goat cheese, rolled in wood ash.
19:16And it has a little straw down the middle that keeps its shape.
19:21But Roquefort, this cheese is aged in these caves in Roquefort, Sous-les-Ain.
19:26It's a village in southern France, out of this world.
19:29Strong.
19:30And eat it last.
19:36In France, you can't serve a good meal without fresh bread.
19:40While we still sleep, Philippe starts his day with a trip to a nearby bakery.
19:45Locals appreciate the baguettes fresh out of the oven.
19:49And this baker, he's a local hero.
19:55French people from all walks of life share this ritual.
19:58A love of fresh baked goods in the morning.
20:07The French passion for eating well, and with just the right ingredients,
20:11begins with the first meal of the day.
20:13Homemade jams with croissants still warm from the bakery.
20:18Seasonal fruits.
20:20This is a work of art.
20:21And, after all this is Burgundy, more cheese.
20:27This is Burgundy.
20:30A great morning activity is a bike ride.
20:33Here we go.
20:39Wherever there's a canal, there's a towpath.
20:42And they're a favorite with bikers.
20:45I like this part.
20:50We share the path with an array of bikers of all abilities,
20:54and the occasional fishermen.
20:58We can choose to stay canal-side,
21:03or ride into the nearby vineyards,
21:05where service roads double as bike paths,
21:08and convenient signs point the way to pit stops of every varietal.
21:14Many barge tours include a van, which makes side-tripping easy.
21:18Burgundy's top sights are mostly within an easy drive.
21:22The region is crisscrossed with canals
21:24and dotted with quiet farming villages.
21:27With rich traditions and a proud heritage,
21:29there's plenty to see and experience.
21:32From family-run chateaus, like Roche-Pau,
21:35to venerable medieval abbeys, like Fontenay,
21:39all nestled in the inviting golden hills,
21:42some of France's most prized real estate,
21:45blanketed with beloved vineyards.
21:47It's Burgundy's Cote d'Or.
21:53After a glorious week, I'm into the canal vacation groove.
21:57However you travel here,
21:59the proper tempo for enjoying the canals of Burgundy is relaxed.
22:05For our final stop, we moor at an idyllic canal park named St. Julian.
22:12Steve and I have challenged our crew to a game of pétanque.
22:17It's us against Megan Philippe.
22:20Pétanque is a favorite pastime in France,
22:22and whacking each other's balls...
22:24...is a perfect way to spend a convivial hour canal-side
22:29with a traditional pastis.
22:32I like the game because it's quick and easy to learn,
22:35and even first-timers can be competitive.
22:40As emotions on the court build and appetites are stoked,
22:44back on the barge,
22:45our chef prepares one last tasty lesson in French cuisine.
22:49The French love to creatively pair ingredients,
22:53like fresh figs simmered in butter and wine
22:56with foie gras, the rich duck liver pâté.
23:00This pairing gives the classic contrast in textures and flavors.
23:05Foie gras is buttery, savory, and delicate,
23:08while figs are sweet and juicy.
23:10Yes, the sweetness of the fig
23:13balancing with the richness of the liver.
23:16It's deliciously French.
23:18This is sort of the quintessence of richness.
23:21Mm-hmm.
23:22No, you've got to have it with the wine.
23:24That is delightful.
23:27Back in the galley,
23:29it's all about piping the cream potatoes and horseradish.
23:33And then a serving of the regional favorite
23:36that just screams Burgundy,
23:38a rich beef bourguignon.
23:40This looks good.
23:41The best beef in France is from Burgundy.
23:44It's those white cattle we've been floating by,
23:46the charolet.
23:47They make the best beef sautéed with red wine,
23:51which is also Burgundy.
23:53What could be more regional than this?
23:55There really is something about that zero-kilometer of philosophy
23:59where you've got the local cows and the local grapes.
24:02Mm.
24:03The sauce is worth really...
24:04It's everything.
24:05...appreciating.
24:06That's why the spoon is kind of nice.
24:08Mm-hmm.
24:09Look at that.
24:10And the bread.
24:11Mm.
24:12As the balmy evening fades into darkness,
24:17perfectly formed raspberry souffles cap our meal.
24:21Ah, and I thought I was full.
24:24There's always room for a little more of edible France,
24:28and another tasty memory.
24:33I've long enjoyed France and the range of experiences it offers.
24:38And I gotta say, a gourmet barge vacation in Burgundy?
24:42C'est magnifique.
24:43Thanks for stowing away with us.
24:45I'm Rick Steves.
24:46Until next time, bon voyage.
24:48Bon voyage.
24:49And I forget to ask Burgundy.
24:52Yeah, I don't get it.
24:57Hey.
24:58Ah, that's nice.
25:00Is there more?
25:01Shut up!
25:05Uh-uh.
25:07Don't go in.
25:09That's right.
25:10Bye.
25:11Bye.
25:15Let's go.
25:16We can get on the boat now.
25:17Bye.
25:18Bye.
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