Burgundy: Gourmet Barge Cruise

Barging

If you're interested in renting a barge for more than a night or two, try the French Canal Boat Company (Papillon Barge), French Country Waterways, or the cheaper bed-and-breakfast Barge Nilaya. For a comprehensive source on enjoying the rivers and canals of France, check French Waterways.

Hey, I'm Rick Steves back with more of the best of Europe. This time we're in France and our crew includes a captain — and a chef! We're barging the dreamy canals in Burgundy on a gourmet cruise. Thanks for joining us.

More than any TV show we've ever produced, this episode is unapologetically hedonistic: an ever-changing graceful view from our barge, gourmet meals, fine wine — Merci — and memories of a lifetime! Santé!

Our goal: to experience a canal cruise and the local Burgundian cuisine in this laid-back corner of France. And you've got so many options: small boats, big boats, full-service or do-it-yourself, budget or luxury — they all work just fine. Our cruise today comes with a great cast: Captain Max, Hostess Meg, Chef Wojciech, and First Mate Philippe. Along with the crew, I'm joined by the co-author of my France guidebook and mentor in all things French, Steve Smith…who actually lives just down the canal.

While industrial-age canals are all over Europe, we're in France, in the region of Burgundy. And we'll be cruising on the Saône River and the Canal du Centre, with side trips into the fabled Burgundian vineyards of the Côte d'Or.

Steve and I are boarding our barge in the town of Chalon-sur-Saône, or "Chalon on the Saône River." Departing from an industrial city like this is a reminder that an economic power like France has long relied on rivers and canals to get cargo in and out of ports. And we'll cruise a bit of this river before entering the canal.

Huge river boats are popular for relaxing vacations on rivers all across Europe. But with over 100 passengers, they're too big to venture into the canals. A rusty old industrial barge and beached cargo boats along the riverbank beneath an abandoned factory — they're all reminders of how these waterways were originally all about transporting freight: coal, wheat, corn…you name it.

This massive lock has lifted barges up to France's Canal du Centre for a century. And today, it's raising us: up away from all the industry of the river, and into a more charming world.

These delightful greenbelts support a playful wonderland of people enjoying life. The scenery is like a slow-motion parade through the rural charms of Burgundy: delightful village scenes, sleepy cows, a mesmerizing tranquility.

Rick: It is so beautiful.
Max: Yeah, it's amazing.
Rick: Do you ever get tired of this beauty or is it always…
Max: I am never bored with it. No, it's always interesting, many different place, many different canal.

Captain Max grew up on canal barges. He loves his boat, he loves his work, and he enjoys sharing his chart.

Max: Twenty-two here.
Rick: I see.
Max: And we have twenty-one, of course.
Rick: So, three locks to Saint-Léger.
Max: Yeah.

While originally built to carry coal and grain, these days barges carry tourists, and the canals are all about recreation.

Rick: So we could really explore almost all of France on canals like this —
Max: Exactly —
Rick: And rivers.
Max: And rivers.
Rick: It's a beautiful way to travel.
Max: Yeah, and it's a wonderful way to travel because everybody take care of you.
Rick: As a captain, Max, you have to be patient also. If there's a boat in front of you…
Max: You need to wait.
Rick: Because you can't turn around, you can't pass…
Max: I know…

Locks are an integral part of any canal trip. One at a time, barges slip in, fitting like a glove — they rise or fall with the water level. As the size of the locks hasn't changed in 200 years, generally neither have the barges. Locks like these — this is an extreme example in England — allow boats to climb or descend steadily, little by little, a few feet at a time, stair-stepping all across France. Using rivers, canals, and locks, you can float from the Mediterranean over the continental divide and all the way to the Atlantic. The pace of barging almost forces you to slow down and relax.

A big part of the fun of cruising on a barge are the stops. Tiny ports along the canal serve as a cross between a park and a marina. And they provide a springboard for creating memories.

On our first day, Philippe lets me tag along on a shopping trip to the weekly market of Louhans — one of the best in Burgundy. Vacation barging in France is all about good eating. And that requires the freshest ingredients.

Rick: Monday is certainly the big day for Louhans.
Philippe: It is the market day, the only one of the week, the one everybody expects.
Rick: Everything's gotta be fresh.
Philippe: Everything's got to be fresh and eaten fresh, too.
Rick: Well, that's why there's so many good samples.

Rick: Bonjour!
Philippe: Bonjour madame.
Rick: Oh, nice!
Philippe: Merci beaucoup.
Rick: And what is this?
Vendor: It's this one.
Rick: OK.
Philippe: Brebis doux.
Vendor: Brebis doux — from the Pyrenees.Rick: From the Pyrenees!
Philippe: From the Pyrenees, yeah — on the border of Spain.
Rick: And we have a — we have a tour of France right here!
Philippe: Absolutely! A large range.
Rick: You know, I think in France, more than maybe any other country, I think "cheese."
Philippe: Absolutely. And not one cheese, a whole selection of cheese.
Rick: I…love it.
Philippe: Look at it. Cow's milk, Brebis, Comté. You know, I mean, this is all the region surrounding Burgundy. And that's for every taste and everyone. You make everybody happy there.

Rick: The farmers must be proud of their produce here.
Philippe: They are. They so very are. A&nd bringing them to the market is probably — they're expecting that all week, you know, and it's all there. Look, for us!

Rick: These radishes look delicious.
Philippe: They look, and they are. Look at that!
Rick: Let's get some for the for the boat.
Philippe: Shall we? Good idea, good idea.

Rick: Hey, that's right. We are on the Mediterranean in France. We have olives.
Philippe: Look at that, all the selection! Shall we try some?
Rick: Sure.
Philippe: Hmm. Come on.
Rick: That's good! Oh, that's nice. This would be good for the aperitif.
Philippe: I think so.

An entire section of the market is filled with favorite meats — rabbit, chicken, and duck — which couldn't be any fresher…and, I imagine, will soon be on our dinner plates.

Barging is a decadent mix of travel, eating, and relaxing — all accompanied by a smooth and steady parade of Burgundian beauty.

And as we joyride, our chef is busy in the galley. Despite the tight quarters of a barge, he cooks up the most deliciously French meals with ease.

Our first lunch takes patience to create. The chef gently cradles escargot shells while he artfully fills each one with a buttery garlic mix. Then the snail is coaxed back into the shell, and that's followed…by more butter.

The transformation of the snails is complete as they emerge from the oven as escargot de Bourgogne.

Steve: Bourgogne makes them in the most traditional way, right? This is where they really started. And that means they're baked, cooked, and then put back in their shell.
Rick: So served in the shell, that would be…
Steve: That's Burgundian. That's right. And with garlic butter.

Back in the kitchen, Wojciech puts the finishing touches on our main course: white beans slow-cooked to perfection, topped with crispy leg of duck confit. It's a gourmet spin on the classic cassoulet.

Steve: Cassoulet — well, it's an old Roman concoction, and everybody does it in their own way. Every chef will have their own style, and it's old peasant food, like so much of French cuisine. Usually it's got a lot of sausage, duck, spliced in with white beans. This is beautiful.
Rick: Our chef has decided to take that basic cassoulet and put this confit of duck — cooked in its own fat. And I love how we've got a crispy skin and a tender inside. It's really good.

Canal barges are often a century old and refurbished for their second act as floating hotels.

Max: Rick, you wanted to explore a ship!

They vary in amenities but generally come with a cozy lounge, a well-stocked bar, a small but elegant dining room, and ship-shape staterooms.

Of course, deep down is the engine room — originally steam, converted to diesel. Lovingly maintained, it hums reliably…and quietly. The deck puts the joy into our joyriding — and I love a little time up in the helm, making sure Captain Max remembers to duck for the bridges.

Rick: So how long have you been a captain?
Max: All my life. When I was 10 years old, I was in the wheelhouse with my father and he showed me…
Rick: So, it's in the family.
Max: It's in my blood.
Rick: It's in your blood, yeah. This is your world. It's a beautiful world.
Max: You see the France, by another…behind the door. This is the real life.

It's time to work up a bon appétit with a little hike. With a lock every mile or so, and a towpath always along the canal, it's hard to get lost.

Rick: So it's a good walk?
Philippe: It's a beautiful walk — and we'll see you in two locks.
Rick: Two locks — OK.
Philippe: That's right.
Rick: See ya! Au revoir!

Rick: It's great how these towpaths are appreciated even to this day.
Steve: Yeah. Imagine, when these canals were first built, they needed these towpaths to pull the boats.
Rick: Before they had steam engines.
Steve: Before they adapted the engine, yeah. They used horses, donkeys, humans…
Rick: …prisoners… Today? Recreation.
Steve: It's all about recreation today.

Because going through the locks takes time, we can walk at about the speed of the boat. Re-connecting at the locks is easy. And, if making some friends along the way delays us, we can just phone the captain.

In the past, locks came with an attendant who lived in a little cottage, or "lock house," and was responsible for opening and closing the gates. Now those gates are automated.

Steve: Bonjour! Ça va? Mes bons chiens sont superbes.
Rick: This is beautiful.

Christian, who manned this lock for 30 years, is now retired. And he enjoys walkers like us admiring his Burgundian world.

Rick: So you have the most beautiful flowers on the Canal du Centre.

Steve knows a great château just a short walk from the canal — where we can taste some Burgundy wine served by the lord of the château himself. This is the famed Côte d'Or, or "Golden Slopes," and, as it's early September, it's harvest time.

Raoul: OK, so we are walking in the clos, you can see these four walls everywhere…

Raoul is proud that this enclosure — or clos, with its stoney walls, still protects the very best part of the vineyard, as it has since the Middle Ages. It's all about exposure to the sun and the personality of the soil — the terroir. This is a classic Burgundian scene. And it's a privilege to share it with a man whose family's long been a part of this rich heritage.

Rick: So — how do you know when to harvest?
Raoul: So, we have to look and also to taste, we take the grapes, we taste it, and we have the sugar. Skin is quite thin; it's not too strong. And after, we also have some, we can do some tasting in the lab in the wine estate, just to be sure with the sugar level.
Rick: 600 years ago, your great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpa could stand here and taste a grape right here.
Raoul: Exactly.
Rick: And he would think, "The skin is just perfect."
Raoul: "Just perfect."

Raoul: Here you see the Château de Rully. So, this castle is in my family since the beginning. That means since the end of the 12th century.
Rick: Your family?
Raoul: Yes, my family.
Rick: Wowww.
Raoul: So, I am the 26th generation.

Rick: This is a very old kitchen.
Raoul: This is a medieval kitchen. So, this kitchen is in the 12-century tower, so this is the oldest part of the castle.
Rick: There's many, many centuries of wine tasting right here.
Raoul: Exactly.
Rick: Let's continue that tradition.
Raoul: Of course!

Raoul: So the labels: There we have the name of the wine estate and — which is very nice-tasting; this is — we have the name of the plot. So the name of the land, Molesme.
Rick: So Molesme is the name of that little — a little piece of land like we were just at.
Raoul: Exactly.

Burgundy is known for its pinot noir, and we're tasting some of Raoul's very best.

Raoul: First smell it. Very nice pinot noir. Then you can taste it.
Rick: Oh, that has a personality. What would I be tasting?
Raoul: Note of red fruit, note of leather…
Rick: Red fruit…leather…OK… What else?
Raoul: So this one is earthy.
Rick: Earthy.
Steve: Yeah, the French call it sous bois, or "under the woods."
Rick: "Under the woods" — I like that!

Walking on, we take with us a few bottles of Raoul's best for dinner — the captain will be happy. We re-join our barge just in time to carry on with our cruise.

Max: Hey, how've you been?
Rick: Two locks.
Max: Two locks, there we go. Welcome back.
Rick: Great walk!

Today the canal traffic is almost exclusively recreational, and there's a range of floating options: small hotel barges like ours — and this classic beauty, bigger barges accommodating 8 to 20 passengers, and self-drive boats for hire, which come with an abundance of fenders. These sleep up to six and are actually quite affordable. Regardless of the size of your boat, the beauty and relaxing tranquility of Burgundy by canal is all yours.

Comfortably settled back on board, it's time for a pre-dinner aperitif.

Rick: So what are the classic French aperitifs?
Meg: Well of course you have the crème de Cassis, from Dijon, which you mix with white wine to make a kir — it's delicious… Or, if you like something a little bit stronger, they have the pastis, which is an anise-based liqueur, which you mix with water and ice.
Rick: Well, I know Steve likes a kir.
Meg: Oh yeah?
Rick: And I'd like to try a pastis.
Meg: Excellent!

The aperitif. It's an almost sacred tradition and another example of the French passion for the fine points of good living.

Rick: It's part of these rituals of good living.
Steve: It is. And it's a relaxed ritual.
Rick: Yeah. I couldn't be more relaxed right now.
Steve: I'm with you on that.
Rick: Look at this, man. Oh, God.
Steve: I'm so happy to have you in my part of the world. I really am.
Rick: It's great!
Steve: Yeah.

Whether on a full-service barge or in a do-it-yourself rental boat, savoring those memories with a nice drink on deck…oui, life is good — la vie, c'est bonne. A great thing about barging: You're free to stop almost anywhere — you simply choose your spot, and pound a stake, for a quick and ready-made moorage. Within minutes our gangplank is set up, and, after another fine day, we're settled in for another delightful spot to spend the night.

Tonight's dinner is another lesson in French cuisine. We start with poached eggs set in toasted brioche with wild mushrooms…

Rick: Ah, that looks beautiful.

… and a creamy cheese sauce.

Steve: And the cheese is the Époisses. It's the most revered cheese from Burgundy, and I've never seen it like this and it's marvelous.

Regardless of how you travel in Burgundy, you'll want to eat local and with the season. While we savor the first course and wine, the chef is busy plating the next course: a bed of pureed black-trumpet mushrooms, neatly piped potato puree, and green beans, topped with juicy breast of Burgundy chicken.

Rick: What I love [about] this ensemble: We've got the chicken from the market, we've got the wine from the château down the street, we met the man whose family makes this…
Steve: And it's really simple food cooked in a way that feels…I don't know…French-elegant?

Dessert tonight is more of Raoul's wine and a cheese course.

Steve: And this is a tour de France. She's delivered us cheeses from Burgundy, from the Loire, from southern France, Roquefort, and from the Alps, in one simple plate. So Délice de Bourgogne is the classic Burgundy cheese — I love it — but this one's different because it's rolled in a grainy mustard. This — this long log is from the Loire Valley. It's goat cheese, rolled in wood ash, and it has a little straw down the middle that keeps its shape. But Roquefort — this cheese is aged in these caves in Roquefort-sur-Soulzon — it's a little village in southern France…out of this world — strong. Eat it last.

In France, you can't serve a good meal without fresh bread. While we still sleep, Phillipe starts his day with a trip to a nearby bakery. Locals appreciate the baguettes fresh out of the oven. And this baker — he's a local hero. French people from all walks of life share this ritual: a love of fresh baked goods in the morning.

The French passion for eating well, and with just the right ingredients, begins with the first meal of the day: homemade jams with croissants still warm from the bakery, seasonal fruits…

Rick: Oh, this is a work of art…

…and — after all, this is Burgundy — more cheese!

Rick: This is Burgundy.

A great morning activity is a bike ride.

Wherever there's a canal there's a towpath — and they're a favorite with bikers.

We share the path with an array of bikers of all abilities — and the occasional fisherman.

We can choose to stay canal-side — or ride into the nearby vineyards, where service roads double as bike paths, and convenient signs point the way to pit stops of every varietal.

Many barge tours include a van, which makes side-tripping easy. Burgundy's top sights are mostly within an easy drive. The region is crisscrossed with canals and dotted with quiet farming villages. With rich traditions and a proud heritage, there's plenty to see and experience, from family-run châteaus, like Rochepot, to venerable medieval abbeys, like Fontenay, all nested in the inviting "golden" hills — some of France's most prized real estate, blanketed with beloved vineyards. It's Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

After a glorious week, I'm into the canal-vacation groove. However you travel here, the proper tempo for enjoying the canals of Burgundy is…relaxed.

For our final stop, we moor at an idyllic canal park named Saint-Julien.

Steve and I have challenged our crew to a game of pétanque. It's us against Meg and Phillipe. Pétanque is a favorite pastime in France — and whacking each other's balls is a perfect way to spend a convivial hour canal-side, with a traditional pastis. I like the game because it's quick and easy to learn, and even first-timers can be competitive.

Phillipe: Ohhhh!
Steve: My man!

As emotions on the court build and appetites are stoked, back on the barge our chef prepares one last tasty lesson in French cuisine. The French love to creatively pair ingredients — like fresh figs, simmered in butter and wine, with foie gras, the rich duck liver pâté. This pairing gives the classic contrast in textures and flavors: Foie gras is buttery, savory, and delicate, while figs are sweet and juicy. Yes — the sweetness of the fig balancing with the richness of the liver — it's deliciously French.

Rick: This is truly the quintessence of richness. No, you got to have it with the wine.That is superb. Delightful.

Back in the galley, it's all about piping the creamed potatoes and horseradish. And then a serving of the regional favorite that just screams "Burgundy": a rich beef Bourguignon.

Rick: This looks good.
Steve: The best beef in France is from Burgundy. It's those white cattle we've been floating by, the Charolais. They make the best beef sautéed with red wine, which is also…
Rick and Steve: …Burgundian.
Steve: What could be more regional than this?
Rick: There really is something about that zero-kilometer philosophy where you've got the local cows and the local grapes. The sauce is worth really…
Steve: It's everything.
Rick: …appreciating.
Steve: That's why the spoon is kinda nice…
Rick: Mmm-hmm, look at that.
Steve: And the bread.

As the balmy evening fades into darkness, perfectly formed raspberry soufflés cap our meal. Ah, and I thought I was full. There's always room for a little more of edible France…and another tasty memory.

I've long enjoyed France and the range of experiences it offers. And I gotta say: A gourmet barge vacation in Burgundy? C'est magnifique! Thanks for stowing away with us. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time…bon voyage!