To wrap up my account of a very full day we spent in northern Burgundy last October, here are just a few more photos. After Chablis and Tonnerre in the morning, Môlay for lunch back at the gite, and then a few hours in and around Irancy, we drove to the next village south, which is Cravant (pop. 875 or so).
La Porte d'Orléans à Cravant en Bourgogne
I just read that Cravant, which sits at the confluence of the Cure and Yonne rivers, had as many as 5000 inhabitants in the Middle Ages. It was an important river port. The town actually dates back to Roman times, when Caesar's troops paved the local road and planted the grapes called César that go into the wines of Irancy to supplement Pinot Noir.
If I understand correctly, the Palotte vineyard plot where some of the best Irancy wine is produced actually lies within the borders of the commune (township) of Cravant. Cravant's vineyards are part of the Irancy AOC.
This has nothing to do with Burgundy, but today I am going to be busy cooking sauerkraut — a choucroute garnie with my own attempt at a home-made smoked chicken plus some store-bought saucisses de Montbéliard, saucisses de Strasbourg, and a chunk of poitrine fumée (smoked pork belly). Choucroute (salted, fermented cabbage) is normally cooked with white wine, juniper berries, onions, and carrots. It is served with pommes de terre à l'anglaise (boiled potatoes). That's how I'll cook it and what we'll have with it.
Love the garderobes at the top of the belltower :-)
ReplyDeleteThey used them on the ennemy when they were out of boiling oil!
DeleteBonjour Cousin
DeleteI read somewhere that , at this height, boiling oil was not effective - so the other alternative had more impact.
Bonjour Cousine,
DeleteLOL! or MDR!
Susan and CHM, one of you might be so kind as to explain to the readers of this blog what in the world you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteThis should be good!
ReplyDeleteOh wait, I have a suggestion. It's an outhouse that's partially in-house.
ReplyDeleteIt is that, Carolyn. It's a kind of toilet draining down the wall of the tower from on high.
ReplyDeleteGarderobes are interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garderobe
ReplyDeleteLove the look of this town!
Ken, I've seen garderobes from the inside. Outhouses too, for that matter. Both can be kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
DeleteIf you fall through, either you crash or you drown, unless you can swim! I don't know which is best or worse. But, in either case, as you said: scary!
The medieval garderobes are much more convenient, even luxurious, compared to outhouses I've known -- some several hundred yards from the house down a dark, narrow path, with who knows what snakes or noxious insects lurking in the undergrowth.
ReplyDeleteThe 2-hole outhouse on our family farm in Missouri was only about 150 feet from the house. Compared to "some several hundred yards from the house", ours would have almost qualified as indoor facilities. I never appreciated how good I had it!
ReplyDeleteTwo holes! 150 feet! What a treat! It must have seemed crowded. Going at my great-aunt's house in S.C. was a pretty lonely experience. And yes, scarey.
ReplyDeleteLove that first photo! What a beautiful place.
ReplyDelete