Lisa’s brother Jerry and his wife Arlene joined us after their exciting cruise down the Danube River. Rabelo may be comfortable, but we’ll have a tough time competing with the services on a 500 ft. ship.
“Jerry and Arlene arriving on Rabelo with Kir Royals’ to begin their stay.”
Burgundy may be best known for it’s wine and mustard, but there are also plenty of chateaus to see. We first decided to visit Chateau de Rully. What a treat! If you happen to be close to Beaune you should call Chateau de Rully (+33 (0) 3.85.87.20.89) and make an appointment for a guided tour. It is only a twenty-minute drive. We didn’t have an appointment, and I’m not sure it’s necessary, but better safe than sorry. The chateau is not the largest, best kept, or most beautiful. What makes your visit so special is that the owner, Count Raoul de Ternay, will be your guide. He grew up in Chateau de Rully and still lives there with his family. Can you imagine what it must have been like growing up in a castle?
“Chateau de Rully.”
“The owner of Chateau de Rully, and our guide Count Raoul de Ternay.”
The chateau has been in his family since it was constructed in the 12thCentury. A number of rooms are still decorated with original furniture, paintings and tapestries. Raoul doesn’t know how many generations have owned the chateau, and the family name has changed thru marriage, but his stories about selected members kept us entertained for well over an hour. For example, Charles de Saint Leger (d. 1584) was a local governor and famous for carrying his personal wine glass wherever he went. It was said he could empty the glass in one gulp. Below is a picture of the wine glass. It holds three liters, or four bottles of wine. That’s a big gulp!
” That’s a big wine glass.”)
Raoul’s Great-Great-Grandfather carved the beautiful cabinet pictured below. We visited the original medieval kitchen,which is no longer used, but is in marvelous condition. The wood-burning stove was added in the 19th century. We were shown the ingenious system that exhausted the fumes down, under the floor, and then up the chimney. We also learned that the word barbeque was derived from the French word barbe-au-cul. When they cooked a pig over a fire it was skewered with a large steel rod from the barbe or beard to the cul (I’m sure you can figure out what a cul is.). We ended our tour in the cellar where they offer wine tasting for special events from the chateau’s vineyards.
“Raoul’s Great-Great-Grandfather.”
“The cabinet carved by Raoul’s Great-Great-Grandfather.”
“The medieval kitchen in Chateau de Rully.”
After our tour of Chateau de Rully we drove ten minutes to Chagny, where Rabelo was tied up. This small town has three Michelin starred restaurants. What’s even more amazing is that Maison Lameloise has three stars. We ate at their sister restaurant Pierre & Jean for lunch. They have one star. Wow! Was that a great meal. Everyone agreed that it was a perfect day with a tour of Chateau de Rully followed by lunch at Pierre and Jean. And that’s how Rabelo topped Jerry and Arlene’s 500 ft. ship.
“Escargot Pierre & Jean style.”
“A walk along the Canal du Centre.”
-Tom Miller
Author of “The Wave” – a Chuck Palmer Adventure novel
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About the Author:
Tom Miller graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. He is a consummate adventurer with over 1,000 dives as a recreational scuba diver, and an avid sailor who has traveled 65,000 miles throughout the Pacific including the Hawaiian Islands. Miller has also cruised the canals of Europe on his canal barge and given numerous lectures on cruising the canals of Europe, as well as sailing in the South Pacific. Piloting is also an interest of Miller's, and He has completed over 1,000 hours flying everything from small Cessnas to Lear jets.