Not far into our little journey this morning we spied these guys on the side of the road. They were from a travelling circus troupe and were an utter delight and pretty easy on the eye too. I loved their old bikes, the second one had to be pedaled to start it up, how quirky!
Our first stop was Chagny. We all hated Chagny, not everything about the little town - the lady in the tourist office was delightful, and the townsfolk were out and about sitting in the sidewalk cafes. There was just something about it that was uninspiring, it really didn't have much to offer. The canal areas were most disappointing. We were on the hunt for a nice picnic spot and pulled in to a shady table along side the canals. AJ was well and truly ready for lunch so we unloaded the Parisien and the sesame baguette and tucked in. The longer I sat there the more I hated our choice of venue. A few boats were moored in front of us but just beyond them was a view of the bottle bank and industrial bins. Cyclists passed on their merry way to which we all shouted 'Bonjour'. The replies came through mouths minus teeth, in heads topped with greasy hair. Where had beautiful France gone? We laughed and AJ told me to appreciate the little things in life and to be thankful. Thanks AJ, I'll remember that.
Santenay on the other hand was a delightful, picturesque and interesting village. It's on the cycle route and is a wine village so cyclists came and went from the village square as we sat under the shade of the umbrellas at l'Oulliette Restaurant. We had already picniced, so AJ and I revived ourselves with lemonade with fraise syrup and JR slammed down a few cold beers. It was hot today so we were all a little wilted so it was a welcome break. The cyclists all arrived with the same idea and I am sure felt twice as weary as we.
We arrived at Chateau de Santanay an hour before closing. It's crowning glory, literally, is its beautiful tiled roof. We were welcomed for a wine tasting by the friendly staff. JR enjoyed the reds, they were a little balsy for me though and the whites a little too floral. AJ was resting outside on a bench and when we returned to him he was fast asleep.
We arrived at Chateau de Santanay an hour before closing. It's crowning glory, literally, is its beautiful tiled roof. We were welcomed for a wine tasting by the friendly staff. JR enjoyed the reds, they were a little balsy for me though and the whites a little too floral. AJ was resting outside on a bench and when we returned to him he was fast asleep.
A kilometre along a little windy road leading out of Santenay is a church built in 1220, what a lovely sight to see.
As we drove home through the vineyards, every village beconed us with its aged beauty. We had to press on, we have places to be and people to meet tonight. Mental note to self, return to Montrachet...soon.
We all jumped in the pool, me after putting a pasta sauce of garlic, lardons and tomato on to simmer, developing the deep flavours. We ate poolside as the rumbles of a storm growled in the distance. We hoped it would not come to much and spoil the Bastille celebrations planned for tonight.
Bruno had invited us to Nuits-StGeorges for the eve of Bastille Day. They celebrate the night before in the small villages to ensure they have a party to remember, as people tend to flock to the larger towns of Beaune and Dijon on the actual night of Bastille. We were initially a little disappointed at the celebrations - a mere six or so stalls (Bruno was manning the shooting arcade of which AJ scored a mighty three from four shots! We had expected the food to be simple but good - it wasn't; see the extensive menu... We indulged in the frites, they were, we declared - the worst in the world. The frites were cold, the coke was warm, JR's official review of the beer was summed up in one word, "Drinkable". Fancy celebrating Bastille Day in the heart of the Burgundy wine region and there is not even a wine on the menu!
Hmmm, serve me up a plate of lard! Hang on, make it a double, I went easy on the butter with my toast this morning!
Despite all this, it was simple, intimate and endearing. It was funny for us to see small children, some only seven or so, letting off large fire crackers beside the crowd that had arrived to watch the big fireworks. No one batted and eyelid as rockets shot past them, it was all part of the fun. Quite different to back at home where fireworks are illegal (they are aren't they?). I have traumatic memories of the boys at school chasing me with fireworks, it scared the pants off me.
The big fireworks were special, not big in comparison to back home, but big because life is simple here and a night like this is spectacular just because it is. AJ, JR and I huddled under two umbrellas, sheltering us from the rain and we watched the night sky light up with gold dust - a moment that will forever be etched into my memory.
We drove home along the Route des Grand Cru. The vineyards along the way were blackened by night as were the villages. Despite being cloaked in darkness, the villages were marked by explosions of colour shooting high into the sky above them. We knew that below the bursts of glittering colour, communities were coming together for a night of simple pleasure - just as we had done.
