Burgundy: Profoundly French

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.

OR YOU DO IT YOURSELF

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 TAIZé.

TAIZé 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 TAIZé 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 ♪♪

TAIZé-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.