Beaune Market Day

Wednesday, September 23 -- It's market day in Beaune, and I have a fondness for the color, smells, and tastes of a French village market day. Beaune's market days are Wednesdays and Saturdays.  So, we set off after breakfast for the center of Beaune because the market takes place in the same square where we were on the previous Sunday, right next to l'Hôtel-Dieu.

Things were gathering slowly when we first arrived, but the crowds increased and more sellers arrived to display their wares as time went on. We had plenty of time to wander around, examining the various stalls and their wares. The jewel-like vegetables were, as always, spectacularly bright and clean in their boxes.

There was a display of mustard which might have rivaled Fallot. Perhaps not as photographically pleasing, but tempting nonetheless were the olives -- many varieties of olives. One enterprising fellow was selling a specially curved spoon that could be used to dribble chocolate or other colorful sauces on to a dinner plate, to make those artistic designs you get on your dessert plate in a fine restaurant.

 There was a man selling knives, all kinds of knives from kitchen blades to fishing tools and workman-like pocket knives. Another fellow had chickens, colorful metal chickens.Tablecloths and linens were on display, and Faye and Marcia did some serious study of their sizes and quality.

Truffles

We also saw the vendor of truffles and mushrooms, who had a dog which he said is a prime truffle hunter (I thought that pigs did that job?).

Having shopped all we could, and not needing much really, we wandered up the streets.  In France, even a simple butcher shop offers the passer-by an eye-pleasing display of products and humorous decorations.

Charcuterie artisanale

People were going to work, the shops were opening,and merchants were setting out their wares. We finally returned to our car which we had parked next to the "green theatre" -- an open air venue for music and plays where the terraces are grass.  Our guidebook says it was originally a public bath in medieval times.

Leaving Beaune in the morning sun, we aimed the car toward Les Falaises de
Saint-Romain or maybe it is better called the cliffs of Orches.  In any case we drove some winding, narrow roads to the southwest of Beaune, climbing higher and higher.  Eventually we found a nice pull-by on the heights with a great view over the valley.  Of course pictures of the valley never turn out very well, but we did snap a few of ourselves.

We headed back down from the escarpment, and we found a bottle bank on the way down.  There seemed no reason not to make a noisy deposit out here in the country.  Soon we rolled into the village of Rochepot, which seemed closed for lunch.  Knowing we were out in the country and far from a larger village, we thought we'd better be serious about any available lunch options.  We stopped at a well advertised little restaurant tucked in a courtyard, Le Monsegur.  Faye went over to look at the menu and came back with a surprise: the cafe is actually a charity operation that employs some challenged youth and immigrants, providing them work experience and some earnings. The three-course menu (only Euros 13) was plentiful and tasty. Our large salad at the start was so filling, we wondered where we would fit two more courses. The dining space is filled with colorful artwork by local artists; the tables and chairs are brightly painted and include whimsical depictions of a set table. And by the time we left, the place was full and several bike riders were waiting to get in.

Village of Le Rochepot

Medieval kitchen

It was raining, but we proceeded up the hill to the castle, Le Rochepot.  The Château de La Rochepot has been standing on its rocky peak since the 13th century. During the 15th century, the Château became the home of the Lords Régnier and Philippe Pot, both Knights of the Golden Fleece and counselors to the Dukes of Burgundy. We did the tour with the printed guide in hand because we had missed the English-language guided tour.  It is a true castle -- with drawbridge, battlements, arrow slits, a well, and a pretty well equipped kitchen -- so it is not hard to imagine life in medieval times.  
 
Just as we left Le Rochepot, the sun began to burn through and the day turned bright.  Driving up the road on the other side of the valley, we realized there were some good photographs of the castle from that perspective too.

One objective of this trip from the beginning was to taste some Burgundy wine, so we decided to return to the village of Puligny-Montrachet where we had seen an attractive dégustation au caveau opportunity.  It had been closed for lunch when we were last in the village on Monday.  

It was actually quite crowded when we arrived about 4 p.m., but soon a helpful fellow (the owner?) named Julien got us started on some tastings.  We tried six different wines at a cost of 30€ -- but it seemed worth it -- wines from Puligny-Montrachet are expensive to begin with, the pours are generous, and owner Julien has a font of knowledge to share. These are lovely, full-bodied wines; the whites are the stars (while in Pommard, just up the road, it's the pinot noir reds that garner attention).

On the way back to our little chateau in Pommard (with the reverse-in parking under the shed around the corner), we stopped at our favorite Hypermarché Carrefour in Beaune for supplies.

That evening we gathered around the computer to watch the 2000 movie Chocolat with Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench and Alfred Molina -- because tomorrow we're going to the village where it was filmed!