HI, I'M RICK STEVES, BACK WITH MORE OF THE BEST OF EUROPE.
THIS TIME, WE'RE ENJOYING THE EDIBLE, DRINKABLE,
SCENIC, AND FLOATABLE DELIGHTS
OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE CORNERS OF FRANCE,
BURGUNDY.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
BURGUNDY -- IT'S CALM, CULTIVATED, SERENE,
WHERE NATURE IS AS SOPHISTICATED AS THE PEOPLE.
THE TRADITIONS ARE STRONG HERE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING: FOR THE QUINTESSENTIAL FRENCH CULTURE,
YOU'LL FIND IT IN BURGUNDY.
IN THIS SHOW, WE'LL APPRECIATE SUPERB BURGUNDY WINE,
VISIT A MEDIEVAL HOSPICE,
BUILD A BARREL,
SLURP ESCARGOTS,
PONDER MEDIEVAL MONASTICISM,
THEN DROP IN ON A MODERN MONASTIC COMMUNITY
AND EXPLORE THE BURGUNDIAN COUNTRYSIDE.
FRANCE IS THE BIGGEST COUNTRY
IN WESTERN EUROPE.
WE'LL HEAD SOUTHEAST OF PARIS
TO EXPLORE THE REGION OF BURGUNDY,
USING THE TOWN OF BEAUNE AS A HOME BASE
TO EXPLORE ITS CANALS, VINEYARDS,
AND HISTORIC SITES.
BURGUNDY, LIKE MUCH OF FRANCE, IS LACED BY CANALS
DUG IN THE EARLY INDUSTRIAL AGE.
200 YEARS AGO, CANALS LIKE THESE
PROVIDED THE CHEAPEST WAY TO TRANSPORT CARGO.
WITH THE HELP OF LOCKS,
YOU COULD ACTUALLY SHIP YOUR GOODS
CLEAR ACROSS FRANCE, FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN
TO THE ATLANTIC.
TODAY, TRAINS AND TRUCKS DO THE HEAVY HAULING
AND CANALS ARE FOR RELAXING --
AN ART FORM IN WHICH THE FRENCH EXCEL.
WHETHER YOU'RE CRUISING: IN A BIG FULL-SERVICE LUXURY BARGE
OR A SMALL CAPTAIN-IT-YOURSELF BOAT,
THE BASIC EXPERIENCE IS THE SAME --
A LAZY GLIDE BY PASTORAL SCENES.
THIS TIME, I'M JOINED BY MY FRIEND
AND CO-AUTHOR OF MY FRANCE GUIDEBOOK,
MY FAVORITE FRANCOPHILE, STEVE SMITH.
I LOVE SLOWING DOWN.
CRUISING IS THE BEST WAY TO SEE BURGUNDY.
IT FORCES YOU TO SLOW DOWN.
Steves: AND STEVE'S FAMILY IS HITCHING A RIDE, TOO,
AS WE LEARN HOW THE FRENCH,
WHO INVENTED OUR MODERN CONCEPT OF A VACATION,
ARE ON TO SOMETHING GOOD WITH BARGING.
OH, MY.
THE CANAL-SIDE LANE,
BUILT AS AN INDUSTRIAL-AGE TOW PATH,
IS IDEAL FOR JOGGING, STROLLING, OR BIKING.
BOATS COME WITH BIKES,
AND THE PACE IS RELAXING ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR EXCURSIONS.
YOUR RIDE IS PUNCTUATED BY A LOCK EVERY MILE OR SO.
BY GOING FROM LOCK TO LOCK,
BOATS CAN GENTLY CLIMB, STEP BY STEP,
OVER THE ROLLING TERRAIN.
EACH LOCK IS A TREAT.
ATTENDANTS WHO LIVE IN THE HISTORIC LOCK HOUSES
ARE FRIENDLY AND ALWAYS READY TO HELP OUT.
SOME LOCKS ARE AUTOMATED.
[ BEEPING ]
OTHERS INVOLVE A LITTLE OLD-FASHIONED ELBOW GREASE.
[ ACCORDION PLAYING ]
FULL-SERVICE BARGES CAN BE HIRED
WITH A CAPTAIN AND CREW WHO DO THE NAVIGATING,
COOKING, AND GUIDING.
BOATS HAVE COMFY STATE ROOMS,
ALL THE COMFORTS YOU'D EXPECT IN A GOOD HOTEL,
AND YOU'LL INVARIABLY BE EATING AND DRINKING
SOME OF THE VERY BEST THAT BURGUNDY HAS TO OFFER.
AH, HERE'S MY WINE GLASS.
OUR DAY ON THE CANAL WAS AN IDEAL FAMILY VACATION --
THREE GENERATIONS,
THE SCENERY COMING TO US, A CAPABLE SKIPPER,
AND NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THE CITY OF BEAUNE MAKES A HANDY HOME BASE
FOR EXPLORING BURGUNDY.
THE TOWNSCAPE, LASSOED WITHIN ITS MEDIEVAL WALLS,
IS AS FRENCH AS YOU'LL FIND ANYWHERE.
YOU'LL FEEL COMFORTABLE RIGHT AWAY
IN THIS PROSPEROUS AND POPULAR LITTLE WINE CAPITAL,
WHERE LIFE CENTERS ON THE PRODUCTION --
AND CONSUMPTION --: OF THE PRESTIGIOUS LOCAL WINES.
THE MEDIEVAL MONKS AND POWERFUL DUKES OF BURGUNDY
LAID THE GROUNDWORK THAT ESTABLISHED
THIS TOWN'S PROSPERITY.
THE MONKS CULTIVATED WINE,
AND THE DUKES CULTIVATED WEALTH.
TO ENJOY ANY SMALL FRENCH TOWN AT ITS VIBRANT BEST,
IT'S WORTH VISITING ON ITS MARKET DAY.
IN BEAUNE, THAT'S SATURDAY,
AND THE TOWN IS THRIVING.
WE'RE ON A MISSION -- TO BUY THE GOODIES
FOR A LUNCH AT STEVE'S COUNTRY HOME A LITTLE LATER.
AND HERE IN BURGUNDY, IT'S GOT TO INCLUDE
A PILE OF SNAILS.
YOU BUY YOUR SNAILS AT THE CHARCUTERIE.
BONJOUR, MONSIEUR.
SO, HEY, WE'RE IN THE CHARCUTERIE NOW.
THIS IS THE PLACE YOU BUY SNAILS.
TWO WAYS OF DOING SNAILS.
THE EASY WAY -- YOU BUY THEM: LIKE YOU SEE THEM IN THE WINDOW THERE.
ALREADY MADE, ALREADY STUFFED,
ALREADY READY TO GO.
BY BUYING A JAR OF SNAILS: AND THE SHELLS SEPARATELY,
AND YOU STUFF THEM YOURSELF.
[ Speaking French ] VOILA.
30 EUROS, RICK.
30 EUROS.
FORK IT OVER.
ET VOILA.
MERCI BEAUCOUP.
MERCI, MONSIEUR.
Steves: WHILE BEAUNE'S REAL CHARM
IS THE COLORFUL TOWN ITSELF,
IT DOES HAVE ONE MUST-SEE SIGHT --
ITS HOSPICES DE BEAUNE,
A MEDIEVAL CHARITY HOSPITAL.
SIX CENTURIES AGO, BEAUNE WAS DEVASTATED
BY TWO TERRIBLE EVENTS --: THE GREAT PLAGUE AND THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR,
A DRAWN-OUT BATTLE BETWEEN FRANCE AND ENGLAND
THAT EMBROILED ALL OF BURGUNDY.
IN THE EARLY 1400s,
3/4 OF BEAUNE'S POPULATION WAS DESTITUTE.
AMID ALL THIS SQUALOR, THE DUKE'S RIGHT-HAND MAN,
NICOLAS ROLIN, GREW FILTHY RICH
BECAUSE HE COULD TAX THE PEOPLE.
CONCERNED FOR THE DESTINY OF HIS OWN SOUL,
ROLIN ATTEMPTED TO BUY A TICKET TO HEAVEN
BY BUILDING THIS PALACE FOR THE POOR.
IT WAS COMPLETED IN JUST EIGHT YEARS.
THE COLORFUL GLAZED-TILE ROOF
ESTABLISHED WHAT BECAME A STYLE
RECOGNIZED AS TYPICALLY BURGUNDIAN.
THE TILES, WHICH LAST 300 YEARS, ARE FIRED THREE TIMES --
ONCE TO HARDEN,
THEN TO BURN IN THE COLOR,
AND FINALLY FOR THE GLAZE.
THIS LARGEST ROOM WAS THE WARD
FOR THE POOREST PATIENTS.
ROLIN, WHO BELIEVED EVERY PATIENT
DESERVED DIGNITY,
PROVIDED EACH WITH A PEWTER JUG,
MUG, BOWL, AND PLATE.
THE HOSPICE WAS NOT A PLACE OF HOPE.
PEOPLE CAME HERE TO DIE.
CARE WAS MORE FOR THE SOUL THAN THE BODY.
THE FAR END OF THE WARD WAS A CHAPEL.
PATIENTS COULD ATTEND MASS WHILE IN BED.
AND ALSO FROM THEIR BEDS, THEY COULD PONDER
THE POWERFUL SYMBOLISM OF A PAINTING
THAT STOOD UPON THE ALTAR -- NOW DISPLAYED
IN AN ADJACENT ROOM.
IN ROGER VAN DER WEYDEN'S EXQUISITE PAINTING
OF THE LAST JUDGMENT,
JESUS PRESIDES OVER JUDGMENT DAY,
FLANKED BY THE LILY OF MERCY: AND THE SWORD OF JUDGMENT.
THE RAINBOW PROMISES SALVATION.
AND THE JEWELED GLOBE AT CHRIST'S FEET
SYMBOLIZES THE UNIVERSALITY: OF CHRISTIANITY'S MESSAGE.
AS FOUR ANGELS BLOW THEIR TRUMPETS
TO WAKE THE DEAD, MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL,
VERY MUCH IN CONTROL, DETERMINES
WHICH SOULS ARE HEAVY WITH SIN.
MARY AND THE APOSTLES PRAY FOR THE SOULS OF THE DEAD
AS THEY EMERGE FROM THEIR GRAVES.
BUT NOTICE HOW BOTH MICHAEL AND JESUS
ARE EXPRESSIONLESS.
AT THIS POINT, THE CRIES OF THE DAMNED
AND THEIR LOVED ONES ARE USELESS.
THE INTRICATE DETAIL IS TYPICAL OF FLEMISH ART
IN THE 15th CENTURY.
STUDY THE FACES OF THE DAMNED.
YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE SCREAMS
AND GNASHING OF TEETH.
THE SMALLER WARD: WAS FOR THE WEALTHY PATIENTS.
SINCE THEY WERE MORE LIKELY: TO GET THE BEST AVAILABLE TREATMENT,
THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO SURVIVE.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE LOOKED LIKE A CARPENTER'S KIT.
AMPUTATION SAWS,
PANS FOR BLOODLETTING,
AND SYRINGES DELICATE AS CAULKING GUNS.
THE DECOR IN THIS ROOM PORTRAYS THEMES OF HOPE.
A SERIES OF BAROQUE PAINTINGS SHOW THE BIBLICAL MIRACLES
THAT JESUS PERFORMED.
PATIENTS FILLED THESE BEDS: AS LATE AS 1982.
BACK OUT ON THE STREET,
IT SEEMS LIFE IS GOOD, AND THE FOCUS IS
ON THE HERE AND NOW.
A COMMON THEME IS THE REGION'S FAMOUS WINE.
EVERY OTHER SHOP SEEMS TO BE SELLING IT.
EVEN THE TOWN'S HISTORIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING
IS DEDICATED TO THE NOTION THAT DEVELOPING
A GOOD NOSE IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.
IN THIS DELIGHTFUL SENSORY EXHIBIT,
THE COMPLEX FRAGRANCES OF A FINE WINE
CAN BE EXPERIENCED.
RASPBERRIES.
CITRON.
THE FOREST.
SPICES.
IN BURGUNDY, A GOOD NOSE
IS A LIFE SKILL WORTH DEVELOPING.
YOUR VISIT TO BURGUNDY CAN INCLUDE
ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF THE WINE TRADE...
EVEN TRADITIONAL BARREL MAKING.
AT THIS COOPERAGE, A TIME-HONORED CRAFT
IS KEPT ALIVE,
CRAFTING BARRELS WITH A MIX OF MODERN EFFICIENCY
AND TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES.
WORKMEN USE STEAM AND BANDS OF IRON
TO BEND OAK STAVES INTO A WINE-TIGHT CASK.
VINTNERS KNOW THAT THE QUALITY OF THE BARRELS
AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WOOD
CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERSONALITY OF THEIR WINES.
BURGUNDY IS A BIG PART: OF WHY FRANCE IS FAMOUS FOR WINE.
THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE COTE D'OR
ARE BLANKETED BY LOVINGLY TENDED VINEYARDS.
TO THE CONNOISSEUR, A VISIT HERE IS A KIND OF PILGRIMAGE.
BY CAR: OR BIKE, YOU CAN BE IMMERSED
IN THE LUSH COUNTRYSIDE: AND IMMACULATE VINEYARDS.
TO THOSE VERSED IN THIS DRINKABLE ART FORM,
ROAD SIGNS READ LIKE FINE WINE LISTS.
FROM BEAUNE, YOU'RE JUST 10 MINUTES
FROM THE HEART OF THE VINEYARDS ON A RENTAL BIKE.
EXCEPT FOR THE RARE FARM VEHICLE,
THE SERVICE ROADS ARE THE DOMAIN
OF HAPPY BIKERS.
A BIKE ROUTE PIECES TOGETHER SCENIC VILLAGES,
EACH WHICH PRODUCES ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE WINE.
AND SIGNS MAKE IT CLEAR WHERE VISITORS ARE WELCOME
TO DROP IN, ENJOY A LITTLE TASTING,
AND PICK UP A BOTTLE OR TWO.
IN THE VILLAGE OF POMMARD,
VINEYARDS LIKE LA CAVE DE POMMARD
OFFER FREE TASTING AND AN EDUCATION
IN WINE APPRECIATION AT THE SAME TIME.
OUR HOSTESS, COLETTE, IS READY TO DEMYSTIFY BURGUNDY'S WINES.
WHEN YOU SAY, "BURGUNDY,"
WHAT DO YOU MEAN FROM A WINE POINT OF VIEW?
I JUST MEAN A GIFT OF NATURE, UNIQUE.
WHY?
WHY?
BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS TERROIR, WHICH IS SO EXCEPTIONAL.
SO COMPLEX.
WHAT IS TERROIR?
THE TERROIR, THIS IS THE EARTH,
THE CHARACTER OF THE EARTH.
THE COMBINATION,
THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF THE GEOLOGY,
THE EARTH CHARACTER, THE EXPOSURE TO THE SUN,
THE ALTITUDE, AND THE SLOPE.
AND EACH PIECE OF LAND IN THIS AREA
HAS GOT A DIFFERENT TERROIR.
Steves: SO THAT THE QUALITY OF THE WINE
CAN BE DIFFERENT FROM HERE TO 200 METERS OVER THERE?
SO DIFFERENT.
SO THE SOIL LOOKS ACTUALLY QUITE BAD HERE.
IT'S SO POOR, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE VINE NEEDS.
IT NEEDS TO SUFFER: TO PRODUCE GRAPES OF CHARACTER.
GOING DOWN, FIGHTING TO SURVIVE
AMONG THE STONES AND THE LIME ROCK,
AND AS THEY FIGHT, THEY GIVE
A WONDERFUL COMPLEXITY OF AROMAS TO THE GRAPES.
Steves: HOW DO YOU NAME THE WINE?
WE NAME THE WINE: NEVER WITH THE NAME OF THE PLANT.
WE NAME THE WINE: WITH THE NAME OF THE PLACE.
IT'S THE SAME GRAPE EVERYWHERE.
IT'S ALL A PARADISE FOR PINOT NOIR HERE.
BUT LOWER DOWN OR HERE, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE OF THE EARTH.
SO YOU DON'T NAME THE WINE: BY THE GRAPE?
NEVER.
IN BURGUNDY.
NEVER.
BY THE PLACE.
BY THE PLACE, YES.
Steves: SO TASTING IS DIFFERENT THAN DRINKING.
Colette: TASTING AND DRINKING
ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU DRINK WITH FOOD.
YOU TASTE THE WINE, NAKED.
YOU BEGIN TO LOOK AT IT.
WE JUST RAISE IT TO THE LIGHT
AND LOOK AT IT AND ADMIRE ITS BEAUTIFUL COLOR.
THEN YOU PUT YOUR NOSE IN THE GLASS
AND YOU DO THE FIRST NOSE.
AND YOU TAKE HERE YOUR IMPRESSION,
BECAUSE THEN: YOU AERATE IT, AND WITH THE AIR,
YOU JUST LET THE AROMAS GET OUT IN THE GLASS.
AND THEN YOU GO TO THE SECOND NOSE.
IS IT THE SAME?
OH, THE DIFFERENCE!
THEN YOU UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE CONTRAST.
AND THEN YOU FINALLY DESERVE: TO PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH, AFTER SUCH A LONG TIME
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING.
AND WHEN IT'S IN YOUR MOUTH,
BECAUSE YOU ARE TASTING AND NOT DRINKING,
YOU WILL CHEW THE WINE, YOU CHEW IT.
YOU DO LIKE THIS.
[ SLURPING ]
AND YOU SPIT OUT,
BECAUSE YOUR STOMACH DOES NOT TASTE.
BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT, ONCE YOU HAVE SPIT IT OUT,
YOU EXHALE THROUGH THE NOSE, LIKE THAT,
BECAUSE THE ZONE WHICH IS HERE
BEHIND YOUR BACK NOSE AND YOUR BACK THROAT
IS SO SENSITIVE TO THE AROMAS
THAT YOU KEEP THE FINISH OF THE WINE,
AND YOU KEEP THE BOUQUET OF THE WINE
MUCH LONGER IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEAD.
SO EVEN IF YOU CHOOSE TO SWALLOW, RATHER THAN SPIT,
YOU CAN STILL ENJOY A GOOD FINISH?
JUST EXACTLY THE SAME.
Steves: THE CULTURE OF BURGUNDY
HAS DEEP HISTORIC ROOTS.
WITHIN AN HOUR'S DRIVE ARE POWERFUL SIGHTS,
ILLUSTRATING HOW THE REGION WAS, FOR CENTURIES,
THE SPIRITUAL HEART OF FRANCE.
IN THE MIDDLE AGES, BURGUNDY WAS
THE CRADLE OF REAL MONASTIC POWER IN EUROPE.
THIS TOWN OF CLUNY WAS ONCE HOME
TO A GREAT MONASTERY: WHICH, AROUND THE YEAR 1100,
ACTUALLY VIED WITH THE VATICAN
TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT POWER CENTER
IN ALL OF CHRISTENDOM.
MUCH OF TODAY'S OLD TOWN STANDS
ON THE SCANT RUINS OF THAT MONASTERY.
UNTIL THE PRESENT ST. PETER'S CHURCH WAS BUILT IN ROME,
THE CHURCH THAT STOOD HERE WAS THE LARGEST ANYWHERE.
THE ABBEY OF CLUNY WAS THE RULING CENTER
OF EUROPE'S FIRST GREAT: INTERNATIONAL CHAIN OF MONASTERIES.
IT WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF 10,000 MONKS,
THE HEART OF A CHURCH REFORM MOVEMENT
AND AN EVANGELICAL REVIVAL THAT SPREAD THROUGHOUT EUROPE
IN THE 11th AND 12th CENTURIES.
IN AN ERA OF PARTICULARLY CORRUPT POPES,
CLUNY'S ABBOTS, WHO FOLLOWED THE TEACHING
OF ST. BENEDICT, SERVED AS A MORAL COMPASS
AND RALLYING POINT FOR EUROPE'S CHRISTIANS.
THE SUCCESS OF THE ABBEY HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED
TO A SERIES OF WISE LEADERS, OR ABBOTS.
IN FACT, FOUR OF THE SIX FIRST ABBOTS HERE
ACTUALLY BECAME SAINTS.
THEY ANSWERED NOT TO KINGS AND NOT TO BISHOPS,
BUT DIRECTLY TO THE POPE.
THEY PREACHED THE PRINCIPLES OF PIETY
AND THE ART OF SHREWD FUNDRAISING.
PIETY -- THEY GOT PEOPLE TO STOP LOOTING THE MONASTERIES.
SHREWD FUNDRAISING --: THEY TALKED EUROPE'S WEALTHY LANDOWNING ELITE
INTO WILLING THEIR ESTATES TO THE MONASTERIES
IN RETURN FOR PERPETUAL PRAYER
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR NEEDY AND FRIGHTENED SOULS.
FROM THE SPRINGBOARD OF CLUNY CAME A VAST NETWORK
OF NEARLY A THOUSAND MONASTERIES THAT GAVE REGIONS
FROM ROME TO SCOTLAND A COMMON THREAD,
HELPING TO KINDLE: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MODERN EUROPE.
WHILE CLUNY PEAKED IN THE 12th CENTURY,
MONASTERIES IN GENERAL REMAINED A POWERFUL FORCE
UNTIL THE 18th CENTURY.
OVER TIME, CLUNY'S RICH AND POWERFUL ABBOTS
WERE TAINTED BY THE SAME CORRUPTION
THEY HAD ORIGINALLY OPPOSED.
THE ONCE DOMINANT CLUNY ORDER WAS EVENTUALLY ECLIPSED
BY MORE AUSTERE MONKS,
LIKE THE CISTERCIANS OF FONTENAY.
THE ABBEY OF FONTENAY IS BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED,
GIVING VISITORS A SENSE: FOR MONASTIC LIFE IN MEDIEVAL FRANCE.
IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1118 BY ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX
AS A BACK-TO-BASICS REACTION TO THE EXCESSES
OF RICHER, BENEDICTINE ABBEYS SUCH AS CLUNY.
THE CISTERCIANS WORKED TO RECREATE
THE SIMPLICITY AND THE POVERTY OF THE CHURCH
IN THE FIRST CENTURIES AFTER CHRIST.
BERNARD CREATED WHAT HE CALLED
A HORRIBLE, VAST SOLITUDE HERE IN THE FOREST,
WHERE HIS MONKS COULD LIVE: LIKE THE DESERT FATHERS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
THEY STROVE TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD.
AND THIS REQUIRED THE INDUSTRIOUS SELF-SUFFICIENCY
THAT THESE ABBEYS WERE SO ADEPT AT.
THE MOVEMENT SPREAD, ESSENTIALLY COLONIZING EUROPE RELIGIOUSLY.
BY THE YEAR 1200, THERE WERE
OVER 500 CISTERCIAN MONASTERIES AND ABBEYS THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
THE ABBEY CHURCH IS PURE ROMANESQUE,
AND BUILT TO ST. BERNARD'S SPECS -- PLAIN FACADE,
LATIN CROSS FLOOR PLAN.
NO COLORFUL STAINED GLASS.
UNADORNED COLUMNS.
NOTHING TO DISTRACT FROM PRAYER.
THE LONE STATUE IS: THE 13th-CENTURY VIRGIN OF FONTENAY, A REMINDER THAT THE CHURCH WAS DEDICATED TO MARY.
AN ETHEREAL LIGHT STILL BATHES THE INTERIOR.
STAIRS LEAD FROM THE CHURCH TO AN OAK-BEAMED DORMITORY,
WHERE THE MONKS SLEPT, FULLY DRESSED, ON THIN MATS.
MONASTIC LIFE WAS EXTREMELY SIMPLE.
PRAYER, READING, WORK, SEVEN RELIGIOUS SERVICES A DAY.
ONE MEAL A DAY IN THE WINTER, TWO IN THE SUMMER.
DAILY RATIONS -- A LOAF OF BREAD
AND A QUARTER-LITER OF WINE.
IN SPITE OF ITS ISOLATION,
FONTENAY FLOURISHED AS A PROSPEROUS ECONOMIC ENGINE
FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES.
ACCORDING TO A 14th-CENTURY PROVERB,
WHEREVER THE WIND BLOWS, TO FONTENAY THE MONEY FLOWS.
IN THE 13th CENTURY, THE MONKS OF FONTENAY
RAN WHAT MANY CONSIDER EUROPE'S FIRST METAL-WORKING PLANT.
THE ART OF METAL WORKING WAS LARGELY LOST
AFTER ROME FELL ABOUT SEVEN CENTURIES EARLIER.
IRON ORE WAS MELTED DOWN IN OVENS
WITH THE HELP OF BIG BELLOWS.
THE MONKS MADE AND SOLD IRON TOOLS FOR A PROFIT.
A STREAM WAS DIVERTED TO POWER HYDRAULIC,
OR WATER-POWERED, HAMMERS THAT OPERATED THE FORGE.
THIS TECHNIQUE, FIRST USED HERE, BECAME THE BASIS
OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING OF IRON THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
LIKE MUSTARD SEEDS CARRIED BY A EUROPEAN WIND,
THE MONKS OF MEDIEVAL BURGUNDY SPREAD NOT ONLY THE GOSPEL,
BUT HELPED TO GERMINATE THE INDUSTRIAL AGE,
WHICH LED TO THE THRIVING CONTINENT WE KNOW TODAY.
MONKS IN BURGUNDY STILL DRAW CROWDS.
TO EXPERIENCE THE LATEST IN EUROPEAN MONASTICISM,
DROP BY THE BOOMING CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF TAIZ.
TAIZ IS AN ECUMENICAL COMMUNITY,
WELCOMING PROTESTANT, ORTHODOX, AND CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS ALIKE.
THE UPLIFTING AMBIENCE OF THIS PLACE, WITH THOUSANDS
OF MOSTLY YOUNG EUROPEAN PILGRIMS SPENDING DAYS
EXPLORING THEIR FAITH AND ENJOYING A BREAK
FROM THE FAST-PACED MATERIAL WORLD,
IS REMARKABLE.
THE TAIZ COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1940,
WELCOMES VISITORS WHO'D LIKE TO SPEND A FEW DAYS
GETTING CLOSE TO GOD THROUGH MEDITATION, SINGING,
AND SIMPLE LIVING.
MEALS ARE IN KEEPING: WITH THE JOYFUL SIMPLICITY OF THE PLACE.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE ARE SEVERAL THOUSAND HERE
FROM ABOUT 100 COUNTRIES, ENJOYING A WEEK-LONG RETREAT.
WHEN THE BELLS RING, WORSHIPPERS
AND WHITE-ROBED BROTHERS: FILE INTO THE LONG, PLAIN, MODERN CHURCH.
HALLELUJAH
HALLELUJAH
HALLELUJAH
TAIZ-STYLE WORSHIP
IS A CYCLE OF BIBLE READINGS,
MEDITATIVE SILENCE,
AND MESMERIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL CHANTS, AS WORSHIPPERS
ENTER TOGETHER INTO THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S PRESENCE.
[ SINGING HYMN ]
WHILE MONASTIC LIFE IN BURGUNDY CELEBRATES SIMPLE AUSTERITY,
BURGUNDIAN RURAL LIVING CELEBRATES SIMPLE PLEASURES.
A GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE THAT IS TO RENT A HOUSE
IN THE COUNTRY.
THROUGHOUT FRANCE, SELF-CATERED HOUSES
WHICH RENT BY THE WEEK: ARE PART OF A POPULAR LODGING NETWORK
CALLED THE GITES RURALS.
STEVE'S FAMILY OWNS A GITE.
THEY STAY HERE FOR PART OF THE YEAR,
AND FOR THE REST OF THE TIME, IT'S RENTED
AS PART OF THE GITE SYSTEM,
MANAGED BY A NEIGHBOR: IN THE VILLAGE.
THIS IS PART OF A NATIONAL EFFORT
TO KEEP VILLAGE LIFE VITAL IN AN AGE
WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING DRAWN TO THE BIG CITIES.
FOR ABOUT HALF THE PRICE OF A TYPICAL HOTEL,
A GITE COMES FULLY FURNISHED, WITH A KITCHEN,
COZY LIVING ROOM, AND ALL THE COMFORT YOU COULD WANT,
IMMERSED IN THE COUNTRY CHARM OF BURGUNDY --
OR WHICHEVER PART OF FRANCE YOU CHOOSE TO SETTLE INTO.
GITE LIVING COMES WITH A RELAXED RHYTHM
THAT'S HARD TO FIND IN A HOTEL.
AND PART OF THE FUN AND SAVING OF GITE LIVING
IS GOING LOCAL IN THE KITCHEN.
STEVE'S WIFE, KAREN, KNOWS JUST WHAT TO DO
WITH THE ESCARGOTS WE PICKED UP IN THE BEAUNE MARKET.
SIMPLY FILL THE SHELL: WITH A LOVINGLY CREATED BUTTER, GARLIC, AND PARSLEY MIX,
TUCK IN THE SNAIL,
AND TOP WITH MORE: OF THE MIX.
POP IN THE OVEN, AND WHEN READY,
YOU MAKE THE FAMILY VERY, VERY HAPPY.
Steves: SO YOU PUT IT ON THE BREAD, IS THAT RIGHT?
[ FAMILY CHATTERING ]
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION AND LAUGHTER ]
[ SHEEP BLEATING ]
Steves: ANOTHER DIMENSION OF BURGUNDY'S UNSPOILED CHARM
IS ITS CHARACTERISTIC MEDIEVAL CHATEAUX
THAT STAND ROYALLY ATOP HILLS,
AS IF THEY STILL RULED THEIR FEUDAL DOMAINS.
CHATEAU DE LA ROCHEPOT IS A FINE EXAMPLE.
CONSTRUCTED NEAR THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES,
WHEN CASTLES WERE BUILT TO DEFEND,
IT WAS COMPLETED: DURING THE RENAISSANCE, WHEN CASTLES FUNCTIONED
AS LUXURY HOMES.
AS A RESULT,
WITH AN ENCHANTING MIX OF TURRETS AND GARDENS,
ROCHEPOT IS A LITTLE OF BOTH.
ROOMS, WITH THEIR ARTIFACTS,
GIVE A PEEK INTO LIFE BACK THEN.
THE DOOR FRAMES, FOR INSTANCE,
ARE A REMINDER THAT MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE,
LIKE MEDIEVAL LIFE ITSELF, WAS COLORFUL
AND FAR FROM THE STONY GRAY WE OFTEN IMAGINE.
THE KITCHEN IS EQUIPPED WITH NEWFANGLED GEAR
THAT WAS STATE OF THE ART BACK IN THE 19th CENTURY.
THE CASTLE ENTERTAINS, FROM ITS RAMPART VIEWS
TO THE BOTTOM: OF ITS WELL -- 200 FEET.
WAY, WAY DOWN.
I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR CRUISE
THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF BURGUNDY.
I'M RICK STEVES.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP ON TRAVELING.
AU REVOIR.
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