Judy's Journal - Day 11
Sunday, September 23rd
Day Trip #11

Up for our usual routine & Don & Tim out for a walk. They are so sorry to forget to bring the camera. Many scenic views of our little town of Pommard & many pickers out picking the grapes before the rain moves in tomorrow.

Very foggy today & cool in the a.m. again. Cool all day until after lunch (2:00), it starts to clear the fog as the sun comes out. Warmer later on, so my feet finally get warm!

            I do wash, shower & eat breakfast.

            We don’t leave the house until after 10:00 & we head south of Pommard. We drove thru Volnay, Meursault, Monthelie, Auxey Duresses, St. Romain & St. Romain Haut, Orches, Evelle, Baubigny & La Rochepot, & finally Nolay where we had lunch. We stop in St. Romain Haut in the graveyard (& pee - sorry!) & look at a variety of plaques & remembrances on the graves. In St Romain Haut we visit an old Romanesque church built in the 15th century, you enter unusually – down old worn steps in to the asymmetrical nave w/ stained glass windows. Many of our views of the valleys are obstructed by the fog, but we eventually see grapes being picked by a bus load of tourists! They cut w/ small snipping scissors, bending over or kneeling in the mud. A very dirty & exhausting job. They carry a grape holding backpack on their back, strapped around their shoulders. When full, they climb a ladder leaning against a large truck, & bend over at the waist & empty the ripe grapes into a large container.

            We also stopped at the outside of another Romanesque church in Meursault. We don’t go in because we think Sunday services are going on.

            After our ride, we have to drive on to the larger town of Nolay, and we find the only restaurant we can find open. It is called Café Momo, and is a unique “low brow” place, filled w/locals on a Sunday. Don says it was a “notch below the Freehold Pub!” There is a British couple there. Otherwise, they’re all French or locals! Restaurant on 2 sides of the street w/ the young teenage boy & the woman/chef running back & forth. Me – escargots / salade w/ warm goat chs. / frites; Deb – ham (kind of a foie gras), same salade, & frites; Don & Tim – roast pork & steak fries (frites),.  Men at bar & grandkids w/ old guy who runs the bar. Tim had wine – a burgundy – served from a partial small bottle. 20€ each couple.

cloud-hazed small towns, south of Pommard

St. Romain Haut church, 15th century, steps down

Bugundian-style roof of Chateau de la Rochepot

the town below the Chateau

            On to Chateau de la Rochepot (8€ each, with tour guide & handout. Tour in French & English), owned by a great knight slayer, who was rewarded by the king for his exploits. Built in the 1400s, it resisted many onslaughts in the 100 yrs war bet. France & England. To enter, you cross a drawbridge & knock 3 times w/ the door knocker on the heavy wooden door. It is an impressive Middle Ages structure w/ a multi-colored tiled roof & towers. Trashed during the Revolution & refurbished in the 1800’s. Beautifully decorated interiors, including the guard room w/ medieval weapons, a bedroom w/ an ancient Italian wall safe – 1 key unlocks 10 locks / bell for alarm / papers inside which are important – no copies then - & protected from fire) on to a kitchen (stove w/no chimney), cassis press, early coffee maker) & “great” room or dining room w/ 2 chimneys & a gold bracelet discovered by a local farmer in a field– from the 11th c. BC! Beautiful walled area & after the tour, which also included a chapel, we went up a tower to more rooms, overlooks, & Chinese goods given to another former owner, who was an ambassador to China.

            Photos of distinctive white cows afterwards, which are particular to Burgundy area.  Drove back on the same route we came out on – Much clearer than on our way out and we can actually see the views down into the valley – Plus, high white cliffs where people mountain climb. Very picturesque ride.

            We arrive back home around 5:00. We were not able to find a “degustation” today. We tried one in Volnay but no luck. Many pickers are visible from our parking area.

            After we get home, Tim, Don & I go out & walk around the town. The low sun highlites its charming beauty. We see pickers up close & take many photos. Also see the outside of the local Pommard chapelle / church.

            Back home, where we discover the table set by Deb & all the veggies prepared. We cook & have a good, tasty dinner around 7:00! – marinated chicken, boiled small potatoes, cauliflower & carrots & fresh green salad w/ tomatoes & our cheese – all from yesterday’s market in Beaune. Yum!

            Dishes, book writing & hanging out. Poor Deb is bored w/ no TV in English, & cleans out one of the kitchen cabinets.

Note on window covering in our apartment – only at top half of doors which open wide. Can’t use rods because the window wouldn’t open, so they velcro the curtains flat against the top of the window.  They are semi- transparent so you look out but others can’t look in. Typical of French homes.

Notes about telephone poles – Not wood / tree but are all cement with steps built in.