Provence-Burgundy-Lille-Paris-Provence
5 days...6 kids...2,000 kilometers!
Traveling in true gypsy style, we packed our family of eight (Vincent has finally joined us) into a seven seater economy car with the trunk space for two suit cases. The other five pieces of luggage, one bag of gifts and a grocery bag of snacks we stashed under the feet, on our laps or used as pillows. Computers, a DS, a camera, some music, a map, a tank full of diesel, a bag of aspirin, cough syrup, and homeopathic sleeping pills-off we went.
The game plan was to leave by 5:30am so everyone would fall back asleep and wake up just as we arrived. Being as we didn't get up until 8:30am, we left about ten! Not a bad start, considering we made it out of the house without one argument or injury.
First stop the ever so important...
French staples...three baguettes, three or four croissants, four or five pains au chocolat, one or two brioches and a chausson aux pommes! Good for at least an hour.
Two days before we left, our seven year old started asking the dreaded question..."Are we going to stop and eat fast food?" As those who know Louis will attest, he relentlessly NAGGED us until we agreed. So our first and last fast food stop was to "Quick", the french equivalent of you know where -
I don't even like to say the name!
I will admit, Marc had seen an advertisment for a "Quick" burger with Foie Gras and we wanted to try it. We did not! We decided that if we were going to put foie on a burger it would have to be homemade and served on a toasted baguette.
FIRST NIGHT IN BEAUNE
THE WINE CAPITAL OF BURGUNDY
For a wonderful narrative about this beautiful area, read Peter Mayle "French Lessons",
Among Flying Corks in Burgundy
Lots of window shopping and taking notes for an adult trip
Wine-Wine-Wine & Gastronomy!
The weather was too cold for wine, more suited for hot tea with honey!
Charming restaurants and shops
Tower of flavored nugget and chocolate escargot!
BUT TOO COLD TO STROLL THE STREETS & ENJOY!
Some Highlights and Tidbits around Burgundy
*Hospices de Beaune or Hotel Deiu, a hospital founded 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, the chancellor to Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy.
*The wine festival in January, Saint Vincent Tourante (Patron saint of grape growers), is organized by the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Taste Vin and is hosted by a different town each year.
*3rd weekend in November is the 3 day festival and the benefit Hospice de Beaune wine auction.
*May in Semur-en-Auxois, A Medieval Festival & oldest horse race in France.
*July-every weekend in Beaune, International Baroque Festival
* Guedelon Project (began 1998) when the owner of the Chateau Fargeau began the building of a 13th century castle, using only the methods available 8 centuries ago. Is estimated to take 25 years and is on schedule for completion.
Departments of Burgundy
1. Cote d'Or 2. Yonne 3. Nievre 4. Saone-et-Loire
Les Plus Beaux Village de France
(155 most beautiflu villages of France)
*There are five villages in the Burgundy region with "Plus Beaux Village de France" status: Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Noyers, Semur-en-Brionnais, and Vezelay
Looking for Luxury:
There are 3 *** (three star) Michelin restaurants:
Le Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu, Lameloise in Chagny and La Cote St. Jacques in Joigny
There are seven Relais & Chateaux destinations:
Hostellerie de Levernois, Chateau de Germigney, Maison Lameloise, Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, L'Esperance, La Cote Saint Jacques & Spa, and Abbaye de la Bussiere.
http://www.relaischateaux.com/
Specialties of the region
*Grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay the Kings of Burgundy, Gamay and Aligote staples
*Mustard has been a specialty since the 14th century. After WWII there were 60 manfacturers of mustard throughout France. There are now only 6 and two are in the Burgundy region- Fallot is manufactured in Beaune and Maille is manufactured in Dijon.
*Pain d'epice (gingerbread)
* Anis de Flavigny (candies) well known throughout the world, they produce 1 million candies a day!
*Charolais Beef and Epoisse cheese
*Wine of course is the biggest regional product with 27,636 hectares of vineyards.
Some wine trivia
*There are 4,500 domaines or wine growers in Burgundy and 1,300 of them bottle their own wine.
*Burgundy has 100 different wine appellations (AOC) and claims the smallest appellation in the world with 0.8 hectare is Romanee, in the wine growing region of Cote de Nuits.
* The five wine regions are: Maconnais, Cote Chalonnaise, Cote Beaune, Cote de Nuits, and Chablis & Grand Auxerrois.
*61% of the wine produced is white, 31% is red or rose, and 8% Sparkling
* Many wine makers also produce a liquer made of blackcurrants-Creme de Cassis, which is added to champagne for a Kir Royal or Aligote for a Kir.
*Chablis wines are made with 100% Chardonnay.
*Domaine de la Vougeraie-largest biodynamic producer in Burgundy, owned by the Boisset Family
* Five top Burgundy drinking countries: UK 13.5 million bottles, US 7.3 million bottles, Belgium 5.7 m.b., Japan 4.9 m.b., and Germany 3.2 m.b.
* Last year China purchased 800,000 bottles
* French people are drinking less wine
*Americans are buying less from France and cheaper wines from countries like Chile, where it is 5 times cheaper to import.
* Classes in oenology at L'Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne
STAY TUNED FOR PARIS!
