Tag Archives: Burgundy France

A Burgundy Barge Cruise On The River Rhone and Hospices du Beaune history

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A Burgundy barge cruise along the River Rhone

ID-1007958The Hospices du beaune, nestled among the gently rolling hills of Burgundy, is one of the most popular travel destinations in all of France. As one travels south down the Rhone River on the Burgundy barge cruise towards the Mediterranean sea, the cheerful roofs of the Hospices will beckon for a closer look.

The History of the Hospices of Beaune

The Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune, also known as the Hospices, is one of the iconic buildings of Burgundy that you can see while vacationing the Burgundy barge cruise. It was built as an “almshouse,” or a home for the poor and needy. It was founded by Nicholas Rolin, a man who lived at the time of Joan of Arc. burgundy was not then part of France, but a rival kingdom, though Rolin was one of those who would help broker the peace that ended the Hundred Years War and paved the way for the eventual union of burgundy and France. Rolin and his formidable wife, Guigone de Salins, founded the Hospices as a charitable institution in 1443.

Burgundy is a rich province and always has been. The history of the province goes back thousands of years, to the legendary Merovingians. The Hospice was built with the same sumptuous quality and attention to detail that one sees all throughout Burgundy. The famous roof of the Hospices, with its distinctive checkerboard of golden tiles, is visible from kilometers away. At the time the hospice was one of the finest hospitals anywhere in the world, and the poor could be sure of good treatment there. The hospital maintained its tradition up to the present day, with an exceptionally interesting role in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, and continues to serve the poor and indigent today. However, the patients are now served in a modern hospital. The original Hospices is now a museum, visited by thousands of people every year. It is also home to a world famous charity wine auction every November. The auction is held in the spectacular “Grande Salle des Pôvres,” or the Great Hall of the Poor.

A Burgundy barge cruise on the River Rhone

The Hospices is especially delightful to visit by the Rhone River. A Burgundy barge cruise can leave from Dijon or Provence and travel down the pleasant river for a wonderful excursion to the city. We welcome your inquiry into these spectacular barge cruises.

Barging on the Burgundy Canal in France

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Burgundy has been a rich and prosperous area of France since ancient times. The Romans were the first to plant vineyards there, during the time of their occupation of Gaul, and their efforts were richly rewarded. The amazing red wines that come from the region are so famous that their color is known to the English language as “burgundy.”

 

Dijon And Burgundy

Burgundy was once an independent nation, easily the rival of Paris in power, and Dijon was its capital. The city still retains much of the structure of the Middle Ages, and half-timber buildings can be seen from the ancient canal. The famous Tower of John the Fearless overlooks the city, watching over your deluxe barge cruise down the canals of Burgundy. The salient historical, and geological, fact about this area is that one of the most important and essential of all early canals was cut through here. The river that runs through Dijon, the Ouche, drains into the Saone, and then the Rhone, and then the Mediterranean. On the other side of the rolling plains of the Burgundian region is the Yonne, which drains to the Seine and then travels past Paris on the way to the Atlantic. As one could imagine, this was of tremendous importance to medieval France. The ability to carry freight from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic without having to brave the ocean or sail around Spain was central to the economic life of the Middle Ages. Water travel was no longer a matter of life and death for an ancient merchant, but a pleasant opportunity to see the country and conduct business. The fascinating historical architecture that grew up around the canals shows this history of growth and profit.

 

What To Expect On A Burgundy Canal Cruise

The canal path through the beautiful hills and green mountains of Burgundy is well used and well-traveled. While enjoying a grand and luxurious Burgundy canal cruise you can walk alongside the barge at a leisurely pace, and even participate in opening and closing the locks as they arrive. A wine cruise on the legendary canal from the Yonne to the Saone can unlock a world of viticulture and wine culture for you and your family. If you would like to book your Burgundy Canal Cruise, please feel free to contact us today.

Clos de Vougeot – The Headquarters or Center of Burgundy Wine

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The Clos de Vougeot vineyard is located in the Cote d’ Or area which is the most popular part of Burgundy, France. This wall-enclosed vineyard was named after River Vouge, which is only a stream separating the village Vougeot from Chambolle-Musigny. Despite being a tourist magnet, Clos de Vougeot is authentic and easy to visit unlike most Burgundy estates. The 12th-century Clos de Vougeot is the birthplace of the wine tradition in Burgundy. It served as the flagship vineyard of the Cistercians, and has been a highly recognized name for centuries.  Clos de Vougeot is a medieval chateau and serves as the headquarters of the Chevaliers du Tastevin, the famous Burgundian wine society.  It is the largest single vineyard in Cote de Nuits that is entitled to the Grand Cru designation.

The wines of Clos de Vougeot became famous when the Cistercians tended the entire vineyard and produced the wine. In producing Clos de Vougeot, the Cistercians first produced cuvées from the different parts of the vineyard, and then blended them to produce a high-class wine. Typically, wine from the top and middle parts would be used, and only occasionally would the bottom part be used for the final Clos de Vougeot wine. Wine from lower down the slope can be better in dry years, so this blending practice allowed the production of a wine that should have been consistent in quality.

There is a fine museum with changing art exhibits. Situated on ground level, the cellar and the vat house are both models of architecture and form a cloister around a small central courtyard with four enormous oak wine presses, used by the Cistercian monks. Part of the vat house dates from the twelfth century; others date from earlier centuries.  It was classified as a national monument in 1949 and opened to the general public.

Located just north of Dijon, Clos de Vougeot is offered as an excursion on several deluxe and ultra- deluxe barges offering French canal cruises in the Burgundy region of France.  The six passenger Après Tout and Fleur de Lys both offer wine tasting and visit to the chateau on this French barge cruise.