We’ve passed by a little village called Nolay dozens of times without stopping on our way from our house to Beaune. The place seemed unremarkable on the surface but we finally decided to visit it one day to check out the antiques stores on the main road.

As usual and luckily, we wandered around while we were there.

It turns out that Nolay is awesome.

Most people who’ve been here would cite the beautiful, arcaded central market place, which dates back to the 14th century.

The roof is made of limestone (weighing 800 kg/1800 lbs per square meter) and the frame holds everything together with chestnut wood beams.

But to me, the salon de thé right next to the central market place, La Thé dans la Vigne, is Nolay’s real gem.

With delicious home made desserts, light fare meals, fine wines,

an adorable, sweet and hospitable owner (Sylvie Blanchard),

eclectic quirky French decor,

antique books and newspapers in French and English. antique dishware and silverware and housed in a a building that dates back to 1810, you will only feel comfortable and happy in such a warm, cozy place.

Everything we ordered was tasty and since we couldn’t decide which dessert to have, our kind hostess prepared a plate with everything on it, including a bowl of her whisky infused fruit – the latter being delicious but crazy potent!

Le Thé dans la Vigne
8, place des Halles 21340 Nolay France
Télephone :+33 (0)3 80 26 87 31
Open 10:30am to 9:30pm during warm months Tuesday to Sunday. Closed November 30 to April 1. Reservations recommended.

Not knocking this but does this tarte aux escargots /snail pie (really more like a quiche) entice anybody? I didn’t get it and opted for a yummy apple tart, but maybe if I stay longer in Burgundy, snails will eventually seem like a treat.

Piggy banks seen in Vezelay. Were they made in France? Don’t answer that.

On our way to Vezelay, we decided to take a slight detour to peek at this tiny village just to check it out.

It turns out it’s beautiful

with picnic areas

and three bridges

and hiking trails.

Looks Roman.

Moral of the story: Always wander off the beaten path!

Chef Bernard Loiseau, known for his world class fine cuisine, is no longer with us but his Three Michelin starred restaurant, La Côte d’Or and hotel, Le Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu continue his legacy largely due to his family’s dedication and current chef Patrick Bertron. His attention to detail, focus on exceptional dining and overall perfectionism is felt everywhere here, and if anything, Bernard Loiseau should be remembered for what he was able to achieve during his lifetime and the hallmark he leaves behind. Nothing else.

We loved staying at Le Relais and eating La Côte d’Or. If you come to France and don’t make it to one of Bernard Loiseau’s establishments, you’ll be missing out on what would be one of the most memorable trips and meals you’ve ever had.

Some photos from our trip!

Le Relais Bernard Loiseau
21210 Saulieu – Bourgogne, (Côte d’Or, Burgundy) France
Tel. : + 33 (0)3 80 90 53 53
E-mail : contact@bernard-loiseau.com
CLOSED Tuesday-Wednesday from November 2 to December 22, 2010

Other Bernard Loiseau locations:

Restaurant Loiseau des vignes
31, rue Maufoux – 21200 Beaune, Bourgogne, France
Tel. : + 33 (0)3 80 24 12 06
E-mail : loiseaudesvignes@bernard-loiseau.com
CLOSED every Sunday and Monday

Restaurant Tante Louise
41, rue Boissy d’Anglas – 75008 Paris, France
Tel. : + 33 (0)1 42 65 06 85
E-mail : tante.louise@bernard-loiseau.com
CLOSED every Saturday and Sunday

Restaurant Tante Marguerite
5, rue de Bourgogne – 75007 Paris, France
Tel. : + 33 (0)1 45 51 79 42
E-mail : tante.marguerite@bernard-loiseau.com
CLOSED every Saturday and Sunday

From the telegraph:

^{Photo from AFP}

The 15th-century alabaster statues – considered treasures of medieval Europe – have never before left the city of Dijon, where they march perpetually around the base of the tomb of John the Fearless and his wife Margaret of Bavaria.

Now they can be seen walking two-by-two down a plain catwalk in the heart of the Met in the exhibition The Mourners: Medieval Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy.

Carved over a 25-year-period by Jean de la Huerta and Antoine le Moiturier, each statue represents a mourner – mostly ecclesiastical figures such as a bishop, a choirboy and rows of monks from the Carthusian order.

In their normal setting in Dijon they are only partially seen, as they are positioned between miniature Gothic arches lacing the base of the wealthy and powerful couple’s black marble tomb…

Read the full article

What, you’re only welcome if you speak English? AND you’re a biker? Seen in Mesvres, France (Burgundy).

This little shop in Dijon wants you to know one thing and they’ve put it on their window loud and clear: Désolé. Nous ne vendons pas du made in China / Sorry, we don’t sell items made in China.

^{Photos of Cluny, France}

The medieval village of Cluny (in the Burgundy region of France) was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1979 and remains a legendary and awe-inspiring point of interest for millions of visitors who come to France every year. Its focus is the Romanesque abbey, founded in 910 by William the Pious (the Duke of Aquitaine) when Cluny was the center of religious reform and efforts were made to restore monastic life. It was the largest church in the world until the construction of Saint Peter’s in Rome. During the French Revolution, the Wars of Religion and its aftermath, the abbey was sold, looted and operated as a quarry. Most of it was demolished and systematically dismantled until 1823. Despite this terrible turn of events, one transept of the church survived and remains standing, as well as 18th-century convent buildings and 15th-century abbots’ residences.

A recent installment has been placed near the transept. It’s a movable screen to create the illusion showcasing the rest of the church, sections that are actually no longer there but were re-created in 3D using augmented reality technology. It’s pretty cool. I took a short video of it (below):

Guided and non-guided tours also include a 10-minute, 3D film Maior Ecclesia, which inculcates a sense of the majesty and purpose of what was once the Christian world’s largest church.

More Visitor Information

Abbaye de Cluny
Palais Jean de Bourbon,
71250 Cluny France
Telephone Number: +33 (0)3 85 59 15 93
For more information:
Email: aymeric.pathier@monuments-nationaux.fr
Websites: National Monuments of France, Cluny Office of Tourism
General Admission Fee: 7 € / Free admission for children under 18 (except for groups)
Open: May 2 to August 31 from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm; September 1 to April 30 from 9.30 am to noon and from 1.30 pm to 5 pm.
Closed: January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11,
December 25

The squirrels are getting bolder, closer and more curious about who is leaving walnuts for them every day. Here’s Part I and Part 2.

Rental Bikes in Dijon

Can you tell? There’s not a whole lot of excitement goin’ on chez nous these days. Anyway, the little guy from the other day is back. Actually, I think this might be a different one. It’s hard to tell; they all look pretty much the same (sorry, squirrels!). The walnuts have made the French squirrel news because I saw four squirrels around our house yesterday. That, I think, is a bit too much.

If you’ve spent some time in Burgundy, you will know that most of the regional cuisine is extremement copieux – not that there’s anything wrong with that – but occasionally one needs to deviate from the standard Burgundy fare.

La Petite Marche is a wonderful reprieve from eggs swimming in wine, beef slow cooked in wine and snails soaked in parsley and garlic butter. Here you can spend very little for a completely organic and delicious meal in a relaxing setting with a great view of old town Dijon.

There’s nothing complicated at La Petite Marche but everything we ate was simply flavorful and healthful. Service is friendly and excellent, too.

Rillettes aux légumes, carottes râpées, salade

Escalope de volaille, et une composition de lentilles, choux fleurs, poivrons verts

Gâteau au chocolat dans sa crème anglaise

Café et mignardises

La Petite Marche
27-29, rue Musette (located above the organic grocery store, La Vie Saine)
21000 Dijon France
Tél: 03 80 30 15 10
Open Mon – Sat – Serving Lunch Only ’til 2pm
10€ – 20€

It probably helped immensely that my sweetie put out a bunch of walnuts from our last walnut harvest. I don’t think the little guy would be that bold and stay so near to me, being only about 6 feet away when I took the photo. He was alternately watching me and the gros lot (the jackpot) of walnuts.

Protect Nature / Respect the Environment / No Swimming Allowed

tags: signs, photos of france

^{Medieval Tombstones in the courtyard of the Rolin Museum, Autun}

tags: france, french, photos

A well-established restaurant, Le Chalet Bleu, headed by Philippe Bouché, is one of our favorite restaurants in Autun, France (Burgundy). It’s very reasonably priced with a basic menu starting at 18 euros. Of course, that menu features Tête de veau, which I don’t think I could bring myself to eating. It looks so blubbery and well….it’s a baby cow’s face! I might be unreasonable saying this but I don’t really want to eat a calf’s head. Does that include the brains? I know, I know, I should TRY it one day to REALLY tell. It’s not like you see a face with eyes and ears and a nose and BRAINS.. Well. Anyway, we ate lunch at Le Chalet Bleu recently, so here’s a little sampling of what we ate. None of us ordered Tête de veau.

Ballotine et Rillettes de Faisan en Gelée de Lentilles Vertes , Magret de Canard Fumé en Compote de Figue, Effilochée d’Endive, glace aux champignons et au miel

Terrine de lentils, Magret de Canard Fumé, soupe aux lentils

Dos de Flétan et Pétoncles au Safran, Meunière d’Endive, Epinard et Kumquat

Suprême de Sandre et Cuisses de Grenouille aux Petits Oignons Caramélisés , Beurre Emulsionné à l’Ail Doux Façon Pochouse

Pièce de Charolais Taillée dans la « Poire » en Mignonette de Poivre , Mêlée de Légumes d’Automne

Fromage

Arlequinade de Desserts Chalet Bleu

Crème Caramélisée à la Cassonade autour de Trois Parfums
( Chocolat à la Fève de Tonka, Vanille , Lavande)

Symphonie du Maître Chocolatier

Le Chalet Bleu
3 rue Jeannin
71400 Autun France
Tel: 03 85 86 27 30
E-mail:contact@lechaletbleu.com
Website

tags: france, french, le chalet bleu, food

Part of yesterday’s lunch (stuffed tomato, rosemary sorbet and a spoon of cherry and broth gelée at Restaurant Les Ursulines.

tags: france, french, food, Restaurant Les Ursulines, autun

We heart Apple season (well I guess we heart all seasons) where we live and this wheelbarrow is about the third one of apples we’ve harvested in the last month or so – from only one tree. By the way, if we didn’t live here in the countryside I probably wouldn’t even be familiar with the French word for wheelbarrow, which is une brouette, just in case you were wondering. My city dwelling family members in the U.S. tease me about this to no end (because I used to be such a die-hard city person), and they sometimes tell people that I am a farmer now. I’m not but I’m actually fine with that.

So many people just leave their apples to drop off and rot on the ground, I mean hundreds upon hundreds of precious, yummy pesticide-free apples, which makes no sense to me but whatever. We can never have enough apples; bring ‘em on, we say.

So far, I’ve only made pectin (with the greener ones), apple compote, and lots of apple (plus other fruit and veggie) juice, but I really would like to try to make some chaussons aux pommes (French apple turnovers) and some tartes aux pommes (apple tarts/pies). You know, do something French with these apples, since they’re French afterall. Maybe I’ll try making something this weekend if I’m not too lazy.

tags: france, french, apples

The unsmelly version.

tags: france, epoisses, chateau d’epoisses

Embracing the philosophy that the dangers and risks of cell phones are REAL, our very awesome grocery store, Morvan Bio, is adopting the same policies that healthcare facilities have put in force for years, that is, banning mobile phone use in their establishments. Hospitals in France (and even in the U.S. and elsewhere) do not allow the use of cell phones for obvious reasons.

We only recently noticed this “no cell phones allowed” sign on their door, but I think it’s been enforced since their opening about a year or so ago.

Good for them! I hope other businesses will follow suit.

Morvan Bio
10 bis Avenue Charles de Gaulle
71400 Autun France
Telephone: 03.85.52.44.44

tags: france, cell phone dangers, morvan bio, harmful radiation

From the Boisset Family Estates press release:

“…….”This year, Boisset Family Estates is the first winery ever to announce that all Beaujolais Nouveau wines imported to North America will be packaged exclusively in lightweight PET plastic bottles,” states Jean-Charles Boisset, President, Boisset Family Estates. “In addition, we will simultaneously debut Fog Mountain, featuring the first organically-farmed California Nouveau in 750ml PET bottles, to highlight our commitment to reducing the wine world’s carbon footprint by producing locally.”

“It is critical in today’s time, with the scarcity of our planet’s resources and the known environmental impacts of human activity, that we consider whether we should still ship thousands of cases of wine in heavy bottles via air throughout the world in order for the wines to arrive on time for their annual release date in November, when we can reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by more than half through a responsible choice of packaging.”

….Boisset Family Estates owns and imports Mommessin and Bouchard Aîné & Fils – two venerable Burgundy wine houses each with deep historical traditions in Burgundy and Beaujolais….”

This California company, importing wines from France, claims to be innovative and eco-minded.

Read the whole press release

tags: france, california, beaujolais nouveau, wine in plastic bottles, landfill problems, PET bottles, toxic

[via]

In our world that has unfortunately embraced the notion of “planned obsolescence,” when I encounter quality-made, let alone hand-made items, AND made in France, they stand out like stars amidst the dark universe.

In a small village not too far from where we live, we walked by an unassuming, “blend-in-the-background” studio and I’m happy we actually noticed what was inside because we saw these flowers in pots:

Nope, they aren’t really flower pots, they’re leather purses! Aren’t they totally adorable and original? They are one of a kind and there are several whimsical and unique purses inside this handbag artist’s studio: an haricot purse, carrot purse, and my favorite, an eggplant purse. Sorry, but the photo of the aubergine was too blurry to post.

We talked with Sylvia, an expat from Switzerland, who is the creative mastermind behind these works of art and we chatted a bit. She’d mentioned that she took several purses to a luxury handbag store in the south of France, a fancy store that sells designer handbags. The owner of this store had rejected her purses because he said, “They are too nice and well-made.” He wanted purses that would break in a matter of months so customers would return to buy new purses. Grrr!

Her purses, wallets, etc. – are all made out of high quality leather. They will last forever. These are also unique. As an artisan specializing in purses / wallets (and other maroquinerie / leather goods) in France, she is by law, not allowed to make more than 6 of the same style items. This isn’t a problem, she says, because it gives her more freedom to be creative with new styles.

And creative, she is. Look at this watering can key chain holder.

Here’s her “book purse.”

If you’re not into these playful designs, she does make more “serious” styles as well. Everything is impressive.

I love that these purses are so much fun, different and one of a kind (or at most 6 of a kind). It’s perfect for people who want a designer purse that no one else has. It’s a shift from mass produced to niche unique, which I feel is becoming a nice trend. The “mass market” used to be considered as highly demanded and therefore of quality value, but that is simply no longer the case. In reality, mass produced purses, even if they’re designer brands, represents a recognizable label that exists because of savvy marketing/advertising executives calling out to a shallow, broad appeal.

Niche items, like these purses, have much more value, are beautiful, and they will last a long, long time. Note: You can also order custom made bags from Sylvia. If you’re interested in purchasing any of her works, check out her purses at the following link below:

One of a Kind Handbags Made in France

tags: france, unique handbags,handbags, purses, made in france, leather, niche purses

For non-French speakers, it can be a challenge, if not completely impossible to correctly pronounce some names of French wines. Here’s another one that is not very easy to pronounce but if you could, you might not want to pronounce it. I found this excellent wall paper covered with wine labels in a brasserie in Beaune (Burgundy). One particular wine label stuck out, called, “Montre Cul,” which means “show your ass.” Burgundy vintners are silly and fun, apparently. The great thing about this wine is that if you’re looking for it in a store and the salesperson comes to help you, you don’t necessarily have to try to pronounce it. Just mimmick exactly what the woman on the label is doing…. THAT should work.

That isn’t too much to ask, is it? I mean, try acting out this label.

tags: france travel montre cul fun wine labels

According to the independent, there’s an escargot shortage that is threatening French life as we know it. OH NON! Most of the snails people eat in France are from Eastern Europe. Gasp! Oui oui. It’s true. But now the snail harvesting profession there is frowned upon. NOT very glamorous. How will they supply this year’s snail chow down?? Hohum.

People should come to the forest near our house. There are GOBS of snails after a rain.

Anyway, here’s the article:

“A slow-motion crisis threatens the French way of life – the great snail shortage of 2008. Shell-shocked French food processors have warned that they can no longer obtain sufficient quantities of snails from eastern Europe, their principal source of supply.

What is the attraction of eating snails? Is the taste not just in the sauce? “If you eat the processed snails, yes,” she said. “Wild snails, they are quite different. Ah, the taste of a wild snail. That is very special and delicate.”" [source]

Related: Escargot Posts

tags: france escargots snails shortage

Cute Chocolate Chick (that disappeared quick(ly))
Bernigaud
Chocolaterie/Pâtisserie
18, rue de la République
58170 Luzy (Burgundy) France
Tel: 03.86.30.04.70

From AFP:

A letter of love sent by a French 13-year-old to her late mother, addressed to “Paradise Street, Heaven,” was returned to sender with a postage fine slapped on, a report said Thursday.

On the second anniversary of her mother’s death the young girl from central France, named as Anais, wanted to send her a “message of love, like a bottle in the ocean,” according to the Journal de Saone-et-Loire newspaper.

But two days after she slipped it into a local postbox, marked with her mother’s name but no stamp, her missive was returned as a mistaken address — along with a 1.35 euro (two-dollar) fine for unpaid postage.

Asked to explain the mishap, the French post office said there really was a town in the area called Heaven — “Ciel” in French — but that the street was unknown.

You can never take in too many beautiful, moated castles in your life, I’ve always said – and I’m not talking about the fake versions at popular amusement parks. Have you ever heard someone visiting Europe say, “Wow. That castle looks just the one at Disneyland!”? I have. Needless to say, that bugs me. A lot.

“It’s a REAL one, though,” I usually say.

Newsflash: the castle at Disneyland is FAKE.

The Château de Sully is worth a detour if you’re anywhere near or between Beaune and Autun in Cote d’Or, Burgundy. Not only is it the largest Renaissance castle in southern Burgundy, it is still inhabited by royalty. Since the 18th century, the MacMahon family has called Château de Sully home, or, castle sweet castle.

The MacMahons were originally from Ireland but fled to France after the defeat of the catholic English king, James II during the 17 century.

And like most tales that take place in castles, this tale includes intrigue, treachery and complicated politics but also has a happy ending. So, to make a long, historical story short, The MacMahons, several generations later, still live in the Château de Sully. Yes, the Duchess of Magenta and her kids are current residents of the castle. Luckily, a visitor can take a peek into their home by touring a corner of the castle with a tour guide. (photos are not allowed inside). I thought it seemed strange to see a pool table underneath a 400 year old chandalier and plastic toys scattered about inside the castle but people do live there!

Our guide reminded me of Johnny Depp’s little brother, if Johnny Depp HAD a little brother. Anyway. He was more entertaining and funny than any guides I’ve seen and he could tell you the whole story of the MacMahons without you needing to yawn. That’s a pretty good tour guide!

After the guided tour, you’re free to roam the premises. There’s a huge lavoir (a public basic to wash clothes). The garden is very English in style so there’ll be a bit more symmetry and order, and the potager (vegetable garden) and flower gardens to the side of the castle are very wonderfully asymmetical.

The best time to visit is when they’re having special themed events, so you can tour the castle and later enjoy a horse and carriage ride, visit a special exhibition or conference, or participate in other special events. We were there on a day where they were showcasing old vintage collector cars. (The only other time I saw a Trabbi was at a U2 concert a long time ago.)
Château de Sully
71360 Sully (Burgundy)
France
Tél. 03 85 82 09 86
Hours: Open from April 7 – Nov 4 , 10am to 6pm
Entrance Fee: 6 Euros
Website: Chateau de Sully

Related: Labrador at Chateau de Sully

Exploring off the beaten path in France oftentimes can and will lead one to real gems in unexpected places. The restaurant at the Hotel Les Ursulines in Autun, a small town in the very heart of Burgundy, is one of them.

We’ve been to the Les Ursulines restaurant for dinner and everything is always excellent. Here is a sample of a few dishes they offer.

Vegetable Tart with Roasted Langoustine in a Milky Parmesan Foam Sauce

Saffron Mussel Soup (disguised as a cup of coffee), a surprise dish from Chef Jerôme Bru

Seared Foie Gras with a fig tatin in a Burgundy cassis sauce

Filet of Charolais beef with cured Morvan ham in a Bordelaise sauce (Cooked “a point” it melts in the mouth) served with a potato tart

Warm Peach Souffle with Sicilian Pistachio Ice Cream

Cassis Poached Pear with Mango Sauce

Mousse au chocolat

That said, the dinner does not cost 20 euros hee! but the week day Menu Affaires “Business Menu” at Noon does! For that you get an appetizer, main dish, dessert, glass of wine and coffee. A steal!

Restaurant Les Ursulines
4, rue Rivault
71400 Autun
Burgundy France
Email: welcome@hotelursulines.fr
Website: Hotel Ursulines

How could I have missed this festival of gluttony aux escargots? I don’t know. AND it was held in Burgundy’s Digoin, not too far from where we live! Well. I would have warned informed you about this snail fête in advance so you could have made it there to try to join the rest of the gastropod eaters and stuff your face with Polish snails (I don’t think they could find enough French snails). Doesn’t that sound fun??! There was an all-time record of 100,800 snails gobbled in total. I would have loved to have SEEN the event but no matter how much butter, garlic and parsley, it simply comes down to chomping on slimey, rubber bands with antennae. Btw, make sure you don’t miss next year’s fest in Digoin. It’s always on the first weekend of August. More info is here.

[via tocqueville]

That doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like “The Barber of Seville.” Anyway. While taking a walk through one of our favorite medieval villages, Autun, in Burgundy, we came across a shop window that read, “messieurs, messieurs“. (men, men) A barbershop in France! Well, SORT of a barbershop. Probably as close to a barbershop as one could get in France. Where was the barbershop pole?

Why did it look like time stopped inside the shop sometime in the 70s to become a movie set with Quentin Tarantino directing? Nevermind. Look in the display window and what do you see?

Blood splattered everywhere. Barber Shop! Then it must be so.

You see, in France, places like this attract attention because normally during that stroll down the street of French shops, you will see something to this effect: a hair salon, a lingerie shop, a shoe shop (rinse and repeat SEVERAL times over and over and over again). Ok. Once in a while a tabac, clothes store or souvenir shop will be thrown in for good measure but in general it’s the hair salon, lingerie place and shoe store or combination thereof. So, when you see a place like Mr. Barjot’s barbershop, it stands out.

Though he didn’t appear insane at all, the name: “Barjot” actually means “crazy” in French slang (Verlan), taking the inverse of jobard (crazy). He and his client were kind enough to pose for a photo. Thanks, barber (and barber’s client) of Autun!

It occurred to me that barbers might originally have been French, since “barbe” means beard (or boring: la barbe!) in French and barbers back in the day shaved beards. However. Despite being a barbershop, Mr. Barjot doesn’t do barbes.

Links: Everything you ever wanted to know about barbers but were too bored to ask

Probably one of the largest street art festivals in France, the Chalon dans la Rue (Chalon in the street) festival starts today and is a smorgasbord of activities specifically dedicated to street art and artists but it really goes beyond that. Over the course of four days, you will run into percussive pyrotechnics, street operas, parades with gigantic papier mache figures and other demonstrations in the street, experimental performance art along the sidewalks, live music, storytelling, marionette shows, dance, theater performances, circuses, movies, images and art installations projected against buildings and more.

There’s also lots of entertainment for kids: jugglers, clowns, acrobats, magic shows, and a special studio for kids’ activities.

Festival: Chalon dans la Rue (in Burgundy, France)
July 19 – 22, 2007
Chalon dans la Rue / L’Abattoir
52, quai St-Cosme
71100 Chalon-sur-Saône
Tél. +33 (0)3 85 90 94 70
Website: Chalon dans la Rue
Schedule of Events: Program

The longer I live in France, the more I realize that all Pains aux raisins are NOT created equal here. Take for example, the Pains aux raisins in Burgundy. Oftentimes in France, you’ll come across many examples where a French region has adulterated changed a staple food of France, even naming it something different to suit its own tastes (and specialities) and to fight for their own regional culinary culture. And yes, btw, the Pain aux raisins IS a staple food of France. At least chez nous.

Burgundy is known for a few things: its wine, its food, usually consisting of lots of wine: Coq au vin, which is chicken in wine, Boeuf Bourgignon, which is beef cooked in wine, Pochouse, a dish with 4 kinds of fish cooked in wine, Andouillette au chablis, which are sausages cooked in wine, Oeufs en meurettes, an interesting spin on eggs that are poached in wine, Les Tripes au Rosé de Marsannay, which is tripe cooked in wine. Are we seeing a pattern here? I think I now know why the people here are so friendly and happy.

Anyway – probably most famous of all foods from Burgundy is Escargots, the little rubbery, slimey critters, or as I liked to call them: snails. Escargot is world renowned and world consumed (usually not cooked in wine but eaten with a garlic butter parsley sauce) and you will find them all over Burgundy. (Nevermind that most of the Burgundy snails are actually from Poland, Romania and Russia. You’ll see “transformé en France” when they don’t want to say where they came from originally, and want to make you believe they are the real Burgundian deal, slime notwithstanding.)

I know. I digress. Sorry.

So. Given all of that food trivia à la Bourgogne, the Burgundy Pains aux raisins, became Escargot aux raisins. And, much like the region’s signature culinary dishes, the Escargots aux raisins are heavy. In fact, much heavier than the light, airy, flakey on the top, soft and custardy in the middle Parisian Pain aux raisins. The Bourgogne version with its different and cutely appropriate moniker seems to have way more raisins, and is bigger, thicker and breadier, thus softer and having no crisp to it at all. Not knocking it because it is pure yum especially dunked in a bowl of steamy hot coffee for breakfast.

We always joke about this sign whenever we pass it, and I’ve been meaning to take a photo of it but haven’t until recently. Just a few days ago, we were on our way back from Dijon and decided to finally stop to take a picture. Since we stopped, we thought, “why not check out Mr. Gérald Pott, the potter and his pottery store?”

We found his cute country house and was welcomed by Mrs. Pott as we walked up their driveway.

Looking around the beautifully disorganized garden you’ll find his work scattered here and there – like this ceramic bull.

There are 2 exhibition rooms to look at Mr. Pott’s pots and artwork. We couldn’t help but notice that he distinctly draws inspiration from Asia, and later when we talked with him he mentioned that he has a strange affinity to Japan, for no apparent reason whatsoever. He also uses techniques borrowed from Korea, where pottery is wrapped in materials like mesh to give the final result a textured finish.

We thought this water fountain would be a nice piece of art in someone’s office, as well as create a relaxed work environment.

Finally, Mr. Pott himself emerged from a hole in the ground to meet us. (Really! He was trying to find a leak in his plumbing.) Though originally Swiss, he’s been in France for quite some time in this little corner of Burgundy. We found him to be funny, silly, intelligent, kind and passionate about his art.

He got so happy when he asked us if we wanted to see the wood-burning kiln he built, and we said yes. When he fires his pottery, it takes 5 hours to heat it to the correct temperature. The pottery has to bake for 10 hours and he has to maintain a constant temperature as it bakes .

This means he needs lots and lots of wood.

Earlier in the visit when he told us he was totally infatuated with Japan, he told us that he was also a monk. I thought he was joking (he’d been joking a lot) and I laughed. But then he said he really was a monk at the nearby Taizé Monestary. Doh!

I guess being a monk wasn’t everything he thought it would be. I think that, in fact, it was because of his name. Yes, words are powerful! And his name is POTT, afterall. He couldn’t fight it any longer. Pott(ery) did force its way to become his destiny…

Gérald Pott, Artisan Potter
Chassenay
21230 Arnay-le-duc FRANCE
(In Burgundy, about 20 miles southwest of Dijon)
Tel: 33) 3. 80.90.18.20
Hours: Workshop/Exhibit Room Open Daily
Closed December, January, February (except for for appointments)

We bought these cute sake cups and plate. I think they will be great for afternoon coffees, too.