Paul's Eighteenth Birthday Celebration

An eighteenth birthday is a big deal anywhere – and especially for Paul Neveu, our French daughter, Estelle’s, son.  Estelle and Laurent decided a big family trip was in order, and Paul really, really wanted to go to London.  His parents explained to him that going to England would have to wait; it was just too expensive a trip.  They would go to Lisbon instead.  Paul was disappointed, but, well, a trip is a trip, so he would make the best of it.  (Meanwhile, Estelle and Laurent started making travel arrangements for a surprise family trip to London.)

Paul's cake

A big celebration with the extended family is pretty standard for kids in Estelle’s family.  That means, in addition to Mom, Dad, and siblings, there are grandparents, great-uncles and great-aunts, aunts and uncles, cousins, and a few friends thrown in for good measure.  Fortunately, Estelle and Laurent have a large yard, and the weather cooperated.

Estelle and Paul discussing the trip and party

Paul had just found out they would actually be going to London, AND getting there by Eurostar!  Big smiles – all around!  The party even included a great video Paul’s best friend put together with highlights of Paul’s life.  It was quite the production and a perfect complement to this BIG birthday.

Setting up the show

But, there were more surprises coming.  Estelle was aware that Anna was also celebrating a BIG birthday, and surprised her with a special dessert and a lovely Swarovski necklace from all the ladies in Estelle’s family.  (This has been quite the birthday celebration year for Anna!)

Anna's surprise

First, the corks were popped from numerous bottles of Champagne, with Estelle's sister Bérengère doing the pouring.  Toasts were drunk to Paul, then to guests, then to family, then...we started eating birthday cakes, and quickly moved on to barbecue and salads and more dessert, with lots of conversation and conviviality for good measure.

These family gatherings are always very enjoyable occasions for all three generations.  It’s a great opportunity for adults to kick back and relax and chat and enjoy to company of aunts, uncles,siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins they don’t see every day. And, it’s great fun to watch the younger cousins playing together with whichever aunt or uncle is handy helping out when needed.  There is lots of space to race around, play tag, and play hide-and-seek (cache-cache in France) at Estelle and Laurent’s.  These younger cousins range in age from infants to, well, 18-year-old Paul.

Estelle and Laurent's yard - a great place for conversation and fun

We were all having such a good time that time flew past. This became an issue because we take the metro and then a bus to get to Estelle and Laurent’s.  It’s really a pretty easy trip, normally.  But, by now it was nearly midnight the buses had stopped running, and Laurent had to hurriedly drive us to the metro station before the trains stopped running (a little after midnight).  It was then that we were treated to a very impressive electrical storm and torrential downpour.  By the time we walked from our metro stop to our apartment, we were totally drenched.  But, it was nice of the storm to wait until the party was breaking up!

Beaune - Part 2

In addition to touring the Hôtel-Dieu, we made sure to explore Beaune itself.  We were fortunate to be visiting before the crush of tourist season – we hear the place can become a zoo.  We walked along the remaining sections of the ramparts which now provide access to parks and residences.  There are even pieces of the moat in places!  We wandered through the city streets and neighborhoods, window shopped, and, of course, scouted out cafés and restaurants for lunch and dinner.  We ate well and enjoyed conversations with fellow diners and wait staff.

Entrance to hotel lobby



Breakfast room.

We ate breakfast at l’Hôtel Belle Époque, where we were staying.  They have a lovely sun room just for that purpose.  It was while we were having breakfast that we noticed that there were an amazing number of American tourists – not our usual experience!    In fact, with the exception of one British couple, the breakfast room was full of Americans one morning. 

Anna actually came to the rescue of an American man who was asking our hotel receptionist where the nearest ATM was. They are not called ATMs in France, and the receptionist had no idea what he was looking for.  What made the incident even more comical was that Anna couldn't remember the French name (initials) for an ATM (DAB - Distributeur Automatique de Billets). So she had to go into an explanation of how the machine is used and that one generally finds them on the outer walls of banks - with a little pantomime thrown in.  The receptionist said “DAB”?  Anna agreed, and all three of them breathed a big sigh of relief.  We saw the gentleman in Beaune later, and he assured us that he had gotten his cash. Anna doesn’t think she'll ever forget the term "DAB" again!

Lunch the 2nd day.  That's Anna in the middle toward the back.

But, we were in Beaune so we just had to do some wine tasting – right?  In addition to trying a variety of wines with our meals, we decided to go to a place for wine tasting.  Our hotel receptionist suggested we check out Patriarche Pere et Fils, and so we did. Patriarche Pere et Fils is quite a large facility.  It is actually located in the historic Convent of the Sisters of the Visitation.  The building was confiscated during the French Revolution in 1789, and then purchased by Jean-Baptiste Patriarche, a local vigneron, in 1796. 

We decided to take an audio-guided tour of the cellars with stops along the way with information about various wines and, of course, tastings.  This involved wandering through some of the maze of 5 km (a little over 3 miles) of vaulted cellars some of which date back to the 13^th century.  The cellars are quite impressive with all their twists and turns and millions of bottles of wine.  At various staions, bottles were set out with information about the wines, and the opportunity to taste, which of course, we did.

David is quite the fan of Pinot Noir, the red grape of Bourgogne, but feels that almost all the reds from Bourgogne that we have tried are actually rather ordinary.  This is especially true when one considers the price - which can run to hundreds of euros per bottle.  Many of the wines tend to be thin and rather short - with minimal fruit and little character to the finish.  They simply do not stand up to a top California Pinot Noir in the same price range of 40-70 euros.

A view of the cellars and stored wine

Anna in the cellars

(Patriarche no longer grows grapes; instead it buys grapes from growers and offers a wide range of Burgundian appellation wines.)  We bought two bottles of Premier Cru red and two bottles of Cremant, the sparkling wine of Bourgogne. It was quite the experience; and we ended up meeting, yes, you guessed it, another US couple. We walked back to our hotel with our purchases and then back into Beaune for another very nice meal – with wine, of course.

After our very pleasant stay in Beaune, it was time to stroll to the gare to catch our train for Lyon.  As much as we love Lyon, we always enjoy visiting other parts of France.  It’s a very interesting country with a variety of climates and geography.   We’ve also noticed some minor regional differences in food, customs, and even language.  One thing that seems to be a constant is the friendliness and welcome we find everywhere.

Beaune - Part 1

While we’re in Lyon, we like to take occasional side trips.  Our first one this year was to the city of Beaune in Bourgogne (Burgundy).  David found a charming hotel, l’Hôtel Belle Époque, located just outside the ramparts of Beaune.  Beaune is fairly small and quite walkable so we had a great base.  Normally we would rent a car, but we decided to take the train for the 93 or so mile trip north.  Lyon’s Gare Part Dieu is a short walk from our apartment, and the gare at Beaune is an easy stroll to l’Hôtel Belle Époque – perfect!

l’Hôtel Belle Époque

Beaune itself has a population of a little over 20,000 – or a little over 50,000 if you add in the surrounding area. It is quite old; in fact, there are references to it going back to 664 in mérovingienne days.  (Clovis, recognized as the first king of France, was a mérovingienne).  It has been through multiple wars – including the war to unify France (since it was part of the Duke of Burgundy’s territory) and the 100 Years War .  Thus the ramparts.
Beaune is, of course, known as the Capitale des Vins de Bourgogne (Capital of Burgundy Wines).  In fact, beyond the ramparts there are 42 individual vineyard sites classed as “premier cru.”  There are a wide variety of tours of the vineyards available, but we decided to stay within the city.  And, you may rest assured that there were multiple opportunities to taste and purchase wine in Beaune!

Entrance of Hôtel-Dieu from street

Inside the Hôtel-Dieu courtyard showing lovely roof.

Beaune’s famous Hôtel-Dieu is undoubtedly its most recognizable landmark.  In 1441 Nicolas Rolin, the Chancellor to Phillipe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, married Guigone de Salins , and in 1443 they founded together the Hospices de Beaune, a hospital “palace of the poor.”  A new religious order, The Hospital Sisters of Beaune, was founded soon after.  This hospital took in impoverished people needing medical care without regard to their disease as long as it had room.  It also distributed bread to the poor outside the hospital.  The patients were given what was then state-of-the-art care in relatively private beds by doctors and devoted nuns who not only acted as nurses but also changed the linens, bathed the patients, cleaned the hospital, prepared and served meals, etc.  The hospital facility had an impressive laboratory and drug dispensary, kitchen facilities, and, of course, chapel.  The facility continued to provide free care well into the 20^th century. 

Showing individual beds and cubicles

Showing the full room of beds

Due to five centuries of donations and legacies of wealthy Burgundians and the good management of these gifts, The Hospices de Beaune are currently owners nearly 60 hectares of vineyards located in areas of designation first crus and grand crus.  In 1794 the hospices of Beaune began a tradition that lives on to this day – an annual auction of wines from their vineyards. The  auction takes place on the third Sunday in November, and the result of sales has, for five centuries, gone entirely to charitable and religious enterprises of former hospices and new hospital civil and secular institutions. The Hôtel-Dieu is now a museum, but the Hospices of Beaune lives on and employs 700 people in:
·         The Hospital Philippe the Good, a facility for short stay patients
·         The Centre Nicolas Rolin for medium and long stay patients
·         Two shelters for dependent elderly people
·         Management and maintenance of the Hôtel-Dieu and other charities

Statues of Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins

Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins would, we’re sure, be very pleased to know there legacy lives on!

Canal du Midi - Seventh Day

The hotel owner had very kindly agreed to get up early the next morning and provide us with breakfast at 6AM, so we could bicycle to the station platform before 7.





Outside the hotel in Vias heading for the train station
 

Waiting for the train at Vias 6:45AM

The bricked-up gare at Vias

The 'bus-shelter' that we had to hurry to about 30 yards away, behind the support on the left

We arrived at the bricked-up station about 6:45 and waited for our train.  A freight train blew by about 6:50, giving us all a start.  A young woman appeared about 6:55 and went to the other side of the tracks to wait for a train going in the opposite direction.  Gerard asked her if we were in the right place, and she pointed out what looked like a bus shelter about 30 yards away.  We just had time to push our bikes down there when our train arrived.  [French trains do not wait, especially at small stations.  One has about 3-4 minutes to get on or off.]  We found we were well-positioned to get on the car that had provisions for hanging bikes by the front wheel, although almost all the hooks were taken.  There were also few seats available on this obviously ‘rush-hour’ train, so I stayed with the two bikes that we could not hang, to prevent them from falling when the train started and stopped. 

Some people with bikes got off 2 or 3 stops down the line, so Gerard and I were able to get the remaining bikes up on hooks and I could go find a seat next to Tom in the next car.

I want to comment on our gastronomic experience in the south of France.  We all agreed that we ate and drank better in terms of quality, variety, presentation, and value than on any other bike trip.  That includes trips down the Loire valley, the Rhone valley, and through the heart of Burgogne.  Just look at the photos and read the descriptions in these posts.  Hard to argue!

We arrived in Toulouse at about 9:30, bicycled to the car, loaded the bikes, and left for Lyon.

AVF Gala

Our regional AVF group celebrated the end of yet another very successful year last month.  And, we had very good reasons to celebrate: our friend Monique Marcel has agreed to serve another year as President, and AVF continues to do a great job of welcoming new folks to the Lyon region.

Imposing exterior of the Préfecture

What better way to celebrate than a “Gala” at the beautiful Rhône-Alpes Préfecture?  The Préfecture is a short walk from our apartment so we ambled over at the appropriate time.  The building itself is amazing!  It was built between 1883 and 1890 and cost 4,500,000 francs at the time. 

Because it is a préfecture, the security was a little tighter than usual at similar events.  We needed to sign up in advance and show up with the invitation, our AVF membership card, and ID.  It was well worth the minor inconvenience!

We checked in and walked up the stairs to a reception hall. 

Checking in and entering the building.

Anna getting ready to climb the
 stairs to the reception hall.

There we greeted Monique in a receiving line and then enjoyed libations and hors-d’œuvres while we chatted with friends and listened to a small combo playing Gershwin among other things.   The reception hall is really stunning and made the whole experience exceptional.

Table with various drinks and hors-d’œuvres

A view of the reception hall.

After Monique greeted us all and introduced and thanked her team, we were lead into an adjacent hall where there was a table covered with a large variety of “finger food.”  The drinks were in a small attached hallway along with more food. 

It was truly a lovely way to celebrate the end of one very successful year and the beginning of another.

Another Visit to Solutré-Poully

Every year we try to visit the small town of Solutré-Pouilly, at the southern end of Bourgogne.  There are two reasons – it is a famous archaeological site, where one can take a short hike to the top of the Roche de Solutré [Solutré Rock], and we can also have lunch at La Courtille de Solutré, one of our favorite restaurants.

Roche de Solutré

We needed to rent a car to get there, and we needed a nice day, but not too hot, so we could hike up to the top of the Roche.  Another issue we had to be cognizant of is Anna’s right knee, where the tendon that holds her kneecap in place occasionally decides to go on strike.  She has a brace that holds it in place, and she decided to wear it just in case.

We picked up our car, which turned out to be a small van, as they were evidently out of the car we had reserved, a very small Fiat 500.  No problem – same price, and off we went, through the Fourvière Tunnel and on to the A6 Autoroute.  It takes about an hour to get to the area, and we parked in the small lot for the Roche and its small museum.  [We have visited the museum before – nice exhibit on the artifacts found at this prehistoric hunting site.]

Our lunch reservations were for 12:30, and we set off up the trail about 10:30, giving us almost two hours to do the 2-1/2 mile roundtrip.  It was a warm day, and the trail is steep and rocky in places, so we went slowly and carefully.  About half way up a small herd of Polish [Przewalski horses] horses graze, keeping the non-native vegetation under control.  The horses are small and have a distinctive stripe on their back and are thought to be genetically similar to the prehistoric horses hunted at the site.

We reached the top, joining other groups, including a group of young British men who had brought a bottle of Pouilly-Fuissé, produced here, and glasses, to celebrate reaching the top.

At the Top of the Roche

Anna with the town of Solutré-Pouilly below



Near-by Roche de Vergisson and town of Vergisson from the top of the Roche de Solutré

We spent a few minutes taking pictures and admiring the view before heading down.  We reached the parking lot and drove back to the small town, finding a parking place across from the restaurant. 

Walking over to the restaurant, we obtained an outside table, under the enormous tree in the courtyard.  Our serveuse appeared quickly, with the menu du jour on a chalk board, and explained the day’s specials.  We ordered a glass of Cremant de Bourgogne as an aperitif, to refresh ourselves, while we pondered our choices.

Menu du Jour



Anna with glass of Cremant in hand

Anna began with moules in a cream sauce, with small clams mixed in.  She pronounced the dish the best she had ever had!  David had terrine with a sort of fruit preserve that was an excellent combination.  For our plats, Anna had a wonderfully prepared beef tenderloin, with accompanying vegetables, potatoes, and beef marrow.  This was accompanied by Sauce Béarnaise.  Again, Anna pronounced it excellent.  [David can verify this as he has had the tenderloin at a previous visit.]

Anna's Plat

David’s plat was a stuffed leg of Pintade – really excellent also.  The wine was a very nice Sauvigny-les-Beaune, a red Bourgogne from a few miles up the road.

David's Plat

Because it was a warm day and we had hiked up the rock, we also disposed of two liters of Badoit sparkling water.

For dessert Anna had fresh pineapple with mango sorbet; David a Gâteau au Chocolat et Gingembre, with crème anglais and again mango sorbet.  Believe it or not, all these disparate flavors worked together perfectly!

Anna's Dessert

 

David's Dessert

After coffee, we crossed the street to a small shop, L'Epicerie de Solutré, where we could taste local wines and purchase wines and other local products.  The lady in the store was the co-owner of the store and the winery nearby - Domaine Pascal et Mireille Renaud.  The winery had been in the family since 1927, and she was pleased to tell us that their children were very involved and would be taking over. 

We purchased six bottles of local white wine from various surrounding areas such as Pouilly-Fuissé, along with a jar of honey and some specialty vinegars.

It was then time to sight-see around town a bit, and drive slowly back to Lyon, along the back roads mostly, enjoying the scenery.

Cadoles et Sens

Each year the fine people in Beaujolais invite folks to “oubliez le stress de la ville l’espace d’un moment” ( forget the stress of the city for a moment) in a weekend of wine tasting and dining.  This tasting and dining has an extra feature – one walks through the picturesque countryside from one small winery to another in a specific route to do that tasting and dining.  This event is called “Cadoles et Sens” (Cadoles are small huts, often built of rock, that were built in vineyards to shelter vineyard workers and also for storing tools.   Sens meaning one’s senses.)  And, we make it a point to participate whenever we are in Lyon at the right time.

The central square in Cogny where the fun started.

This year it was the weekend of June 3rd and 4th, and our friends Roger and Dominique planned to go with us.  Dominique had to back out at the last minute to report for Grandma duty because their grandson broke his arm.  So while she flew off to Ireland, the three of us “soldiered on.”  We had chosen the “Balade Gourmand” option which meant we were served a meal course along with wine at each stop and had two guides to lead us and give us information along the way.  One guide filled us in on the history and heritage of the places visited, and our second guide told us about the wine region, grape varieties, vine culture and wines to be tasted. The village of Cogny was our starting and ending point in our circuit.  We checked in, got our wine glasses, connected with our guides and fellow participants, and were on our way.

Wine glasses in hand - ready to taste.

As we wandered through the countryside, our vigneron guide gave us information about the soil, grape types, vine age, etc.  Since he has his own vineyard in the area (here the winemaker often not only grows the grapes but also makes the wine), he definitely knew his subject.  At each winery (fairly small, typically family-owned) we were able to hear from the vignerons themselves and engage them and our guides in further conversations.

With our history and area guide.

Our vigneron guide.

But, remember there was also food at each stop!  At our first winery we were served our “Mise en bouche” or appetizers, Verrine de rillette d’ecrevisses au  fenouil, Ceviche de crevettes, piquillos farcis au fromage de chèvre -  a dish prepared with crayfish with fennel, then shrimp ceviche, and finally peppers filled with chèvre cheese.  Along the appropriate wine pairings, of course – in this case a nice Cremant, or sparkling wine!

Here are some of the scenes along the way:

Some of the scenery - vineyards.

More scenery - the village beyond the field.

David and Roger on a path through the woods.

Another scenic view

Then we moved on to our next family-owned winery and our “Entrée” or 1^st course.  Here we had Terrine de brochet et écrevisses dorées au four, sauce cocktail et lit de mesclun -  terrines of pike and shrimp brochettes with cocktail sauce on a bed of mesclun (a salad green).  Again, with the appropriate wine pairings.  Off again to our next stop…




One of the cellars

Arrivng at another cellar.  That's our guide on the
 right with Roger behind him.



Inside a cellar with old wine making equipment.



Another scene in a cellar - with old wine barrels.



Hearing about the wine from a vingeron.



A vingneron ready to lead a tasting.



An old wine press - how on earth
did they get it into this cellar?

Then came our “Plat” or main dish of Filet Mignon rôti au miel, pommes de terre rôties au romarin, poêlée de légumes primeurs - filet mignon roasted with honey, potatoes baked with rosemary, and fresh vegetables.  This was a proper “sit down dinner.”  Yes, you guessed it; all this was served with appropriate wine pairings – very nice wood-aged Beaujolais reds.  We should note that the vignerons were quite generous with their pours.

Enjoying the plat.

Next came the “Fromage” or cheese course.  We’re in France – remember?  Lots of cheeses!  And, yes, with wine.

And, finally, Dessert – “Cadole chocolatée” a delicious chocolate dish prepared by the local “Patisserie Chirat Denicé.”  The wine served with this dessert was fairly substantial and definitely up to the challenge.

From here we waddled back to the Cogny village square to do a bit of sightseeing, purchase some of the wines we had tasted, and check out the booths where people were selling various locally-made products.

Here are some scenes in charming Cogny:

The village church.

Inside the church.

The old lavarie - where the women of
the village used to wash their family's laundry
and catch up on local news.

Charming Cogny with the church in the back
and the Marie (city hall) just out of the picture on the right.

Dominique missed out on a lovely country walk with informative guides and LOTS of good food and wine.  Maybe next year?