Impressions of a barge cruise in Burgundy are as intoxicating as the wines of the region that we sniffed and swirled and let go to our head; as green as the poplar-lined banks of the canals we traversed, slowly, every so slowly, for six days; and as crisp and fresh as the salads we crunched daily at lunch.
These memories are gilded by the sunflowers, immense fields of them, which by our mid-August cruise on the 12-passenger La Belle Epoque, had begun to droop their heads.
Some of our fellow barge-mates ensconced themselves in cozy deck chairs, under blue- and white-striped umbrellas, and read book after book, played cards and napped, as a slice of bucolic Burgundy countryside slid by like a stage set, framed by deckside flower boxes of purple, red and white petunias.
Others documented each of the 44 écluses or locks we passed through, locks that raised or lowered our barge, like a ladder of water, to the next level of the canal. Most of us tried our skills cranking open or closed a lock or two, chatting and lending a hand to the lockkeepers along the way. A number of them sold homemade wine, honey or arts and crafts, most tended elaborate gardens, and all closed for lunch from 12 to 1, so the barge would have to stay put during this sacred mealtime. When the barge deck was level with the canal bank, some of us grabbed bikes and hopped ashore to pedal to every village within sight.
As a Francophile and person who longs to stay in shape while indulging in every available taste of France’s finest food and wine, I biked as much as I could, out to explore the region while burning up calories for the next meal. My husband and another couple we befriended usually joined me. By the close of our first day out, when it became clear one couldn’t “miss the boat” -- which never topped four miles per hour!! -- we veered ever farther off the towpath that follows the canal and ventured back into tiny hamlets where we glimpsed country life, Burgundy-style. We pedaled along apple-strewn pathways, winding through villages of centuries-old stone houses with tiled roofs and geranium-filled flower boxes.
We watched villagers work in their gardens, harvesting plump red tomatoes bursting with flavor, tending rows of cabbages and bright orange squash. When the mobile market van pulled into town bringing fresh fish, meat and cheese daily, we gathered with the locals, listening in on their passionate food talk.
Biking led us to cemeteries and town squares, where plaques honored village sons fallen in the last two world wars, and to tiny cafes to linger over steamy espressos. Everywhere people were open and welcoming. I was invited into two homes; in one, I listened to verse by a woman who called herself a poète paysanne or “country poet.” In the second, a home with an ancient mill that once ground wheat, Jack and I sampled kir royal, the quintessential aperitif of the region, made of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) blushing a sparkling burgundy, a special bottle the couple uncorked in our honor.
Onboard the ambience was so lovely that I could see why some of the passengers felt little urge to disembark. Our captain, Leigh Wooten from the British Isle of Jersey, had restored the one-time Dutch trading vessel, transforming it with rich warm woods, tasteful furnishings and ingenious use of space, into a cozy and beautiful floating hotel. A stylish salon, social center of the barge, had comfortable banquettes and a fine library and sound system. A stairway extended down to a tiny fitness studio with sauna and six attractive cabins, each with a gleaming modern bathroom with tub or shower.
At night a small section of the front deck opened to reveal a whirlpool spa, where four at a time could gather for a restful moonlit soak. The bar was well-stocked, though we tried to limit ourselves to the fine Burgundies poured for us at lunch and dinner.
The 12-passenger L’Impressionniste, sister ship to La Belle Epoque, now follows the itinerary I describe along the lower Burgundy Canal.
Contact European Waterways or call 877-879-8808 or 800-394-8630 for prices and itineraries.
Contact Burgundy Tourism or France Guide/Bugundy for information on the region.
Visit The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy in San Francisco at the Legion of Honor through December 31, 2011.
Many airlines fly between San Francisco and Paris.
Contact Rail Europe for information on trains between Paris and Dijon.
© Carol Canter 2011
Comments