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onjour!
this month we have chosen to dedicate our newsletter to the Beaujolais region, made famous for
its association with the wine of the same name, a wine that is world-renowned thanks to a savvy
marketing campaign. Unfortunately for them, few travelers are curious enough to cross the river
Saône to discover this region. Located west of an area that stretches from south of the city of
Mâcon to that of Villefranche-sur-Saône, close to northern Lyon, this well-traveled region is
often forgotten by tourists. Many still don’t realize how verdant and hilly it is, how full of
flowers its little villages are, not to mention how interesting its geological and architectural
riches are. There are so many things to discover if you just take the time to wander up and down
the small secondary roads of the Beaujolais region.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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The Four Beaujolais
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From Paris, let’s set off for Provence! Whether by TGV ("High Speed Train") or by highway,
which ever mode of transportation you choose, the long road seems unending, mile after mile.
Driver and passengers alike have the same goal, to keep pushing further and further south,
towards the sun.
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Chânes, a typical village in Beaujolais
(Click photo to enlarge)
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By the time they reach Mâcon (about a four-hour drive from Paris) they don’t have the patience to wonder
about this little mountain chain that lines the road in such an unusual way. Some might even know that
those hillsides hide a region named “Beaujolais”, but there is also a wine by the same name that is
produced on those hills, and it has a somewhat shaky reputation. Who knows that “Beaujolais” means
“Belle Montagne”, or Beautiful Mountain? Who knows that the region also wears its name so well? This
little corner of France is not very big, only about 32 miles long from north to south, and 19 miles
from east to west, but how many treasures this area holds! The forest area is called “Green Beaujolais”;
the vineyards represent the “Red Beaujolais”; “Blue Beaujolais” fits tightly around the Saône Valley and
Villefranche-sur-Saône, its regional capital; and further south, you will find the “Beaujolais of Golden
Stones” that is probably the most beautiful, with imposing castles and small medieval villages of
earth-yellow stone houses that take on a golden hue when the sun hits them.
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Beaujeu, the Historical Capital
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“Belle montagne”! There she is, this beautiful mountain rising over the small medieval
town of Beaujeu. Around the year 950, the first lords of Beaujeu, Berard and his wife
Vandalmonde, had the castle of Pierre Aigûe built at the very top of it, while the village
spread at its foot. Its strategic position was undeniable, as it dominated the entire valley
of Ardières as well as the road built in the time of the Romans which was the only point of
access for all travelers…whether peace-loving or not. Today, the castle is long gone and the
mountain seems to have forever taken the little town of Beaujeu under its protection.
In the 12th century, Guichard III, another lord of Beaujeu, was dealt a terrible blow when
his beloved young son drowned. Legend has it that the parents then promised to build a church
at the very spot where the body of their child had been found. Today, the St Nicolas church,
consecrated in 1132 by Pope Innocent II, still stands as a reminder both of the painful tragedy
that took place there and of the importance that the town itself once had. It is a charming
little Roman style church, with a rich interior decoration that comes as a surprising contrast
to its austere exterior.
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Recipe for September 2006
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Pâté in Pastry Shell (Pâté en Croute)
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Edouard II of Beaujeu Loses Beaujolais
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Medieval France belonged to lords always worried about both maintaining their independence from the King
and increasing their land holdings to gain more power over the neighboring lords. To this end, they didn’t
hesitate to use any means necessary, whether arranged marriages, or a little warfare when negotiations failed.
Edouard II of Beaujeu was a belligerent man, always provoking brawls and fights, and insulting the police
when given the chance.
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St Nicolas Church in Beaujeu
(Click photo to enlarge)
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All this led him to a series of very costly trials. He was also an avid collector of pretty things,
diamonds in particular. He spent his money freely and was often visited by bailiffs. Eventually, he
became a destitute and hunted man, and had to beg his cousin and neighbor, Lord Louis II of Bourbon,
to come to his rescue. This was too good and easy an opportunity for Louis II to pass up, and he
gladly accepted. In exchange for his help, Edouard II agreed, much to the dismay of his heirs, to
bequeath the Beaujolais region to his benefactor. And so it was that, in 1400, Beaujolais lost its
independence and was acquired by the Bourbon dynasty, from which many Kings of France were born.
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Anne of Beaujeu, "the least mad woman in France"
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Pierre de Bourbon, who became Pierre de Beaujeu thanks to his unwise ancestor, was already a happy man
when King Louis XI, who employed him as an adviser, granted him his beloved daughter’s hand in
marriage. He was 34 years old, Anne of France was 14. Unfortunately, Anne was deeply in love
with her cousin, Louis of Orleans.
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Bacchus, Beaujeu, France
(Click photo to enlarge)
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It was, however, a hopeless infatuation, since the king had long ago chosen a future for his nephew.
Indeed, Louis of Orleans was still a little boy when Louis XI promised his father that he would
marry his second daughter, Jeanne. Louis’ father was very flattered. Little did he suspect the
deception, that King Louis XI had purposely omitted the fact that Jeanne was both sterile and
disabled. The king had cunningly applied the logic of the times when he counted on his ploy to
put an end to the powerful Orleans family, his rival dynasty, and protect his own interests.
However, matters worked out differently since the present legitimate pretender to the throne
is no other than the Count of Paris who comes from the Orleans branch! But this is another story.
As for Anne, she obeyed her father and married Pierre de Beaujeu without a fuss. The king had
complete trust in this couple. Just before he died, he placed his son, future Charles VIII,
still a minor at the time, in the care of his daughter whom he referred to as “the least mad
woman in France, for there aren’t any wise ones!". She gracefully lived up to her duty. When the
king came of age, she retired to the Beaujolais region, where she proved herself a great contributor
to the enrichment and improvement of the land that she and her husband were so fond of.
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The Great Beaujolais Vintages
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Beaujeu, the historical capital of Beaujolais, is the starting point for the discovery
of this magnificent mountain region. It is said that the giant Gargantua was behind the
formation of some of these mountains, that every time he found a rock in his shoe, he
would throw it here or there, giving shape to the north Beaujolais landscape in the process.
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Wall Painting in Marcy
(Click photo to enlarge)
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After a few passes, the unexpected yet superb panoramas will surprise you. Then, you can finish
the journey by taking those small winding roads to reach the charming little villages dotted by
vineyards with such evocative names. They are: Brouilly, and Chenas, whose name dates back to the
time of the druids when oak trees covered the area where the village now stands, long before the
vineyards were planted. You can find the vineyards of Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, and Fleurie,
the most feminine of all the
Beaujolais; Juliénas that supposedly was named for Julius Caesar and in the 50's was stored in the
vault of a church that was decorated with bawdy frescoes, which caused a scandal at a time when
everyone was looking for a prestigious location and an original way to promote their wines in their
own villages. Other vineyards include Morgon, and Moulin à Vent, named after the magnificent mill that stands guard right
in the middle of the vineyard; Regnie and Saint Amour, named for Amor, a Roman centurion who was
sentenced to death for having refused to persecute Christians and took refuge there. All in all,
ten famous great Beaujolais wines from ten villages well worth a visit.
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The Wines of Beaujolais |
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In the 14th century, the monks of the neighboring abbey of Cluny were growing pinot noir and
supplying the kingdom’s tables with great wines from Bourgogne. No longer able to withstand
the competition from the Gamay grape, they ordered all the young vines pulled out, claiming
that this particular grape variety was harmful to man and caused serious illnesses. However,
the Beaujolais wine-growers ignored the injunctions and stayed true to this red grape with
the white juice, despite the risk of being severely fined for it. Unfortunately, for several
centuries, the wine produced was of mediocre quality. Hastily made, it was poorly rested,
hard to transport, and had the sharp taste of a cheap wine. In the Belle Epoque, it became
known as a proletarian wine which was scornfully referred to as “a coachman’s wine”. So large
was the volume of Beaujolais consumed in the capital of the Gauls that it was nicknamed
"the third river of Lyon", the Rhone and Saone being the other two rivers which meet in Lyon.
Finally, between the two World Wars,
wine-growers started to value quality over quantity. Although today its quality still doesn’t
seem to win unanimous recognition, Beaujolais remains top-rated among its devoted admirers.
It is a fruity and refreshing wine, meant to be shared with good friends, just as it was around
the typical breakfast table where the silk workers of Lyons enjoyed a little glass of Beaujolais
along with their traditional meal of cheese and cooked pork meats. It is above all a festive wine!
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The New Beaujolais Has Arrived!
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On the third Thursday in November, at midnight sharp, trucks leave the cellars with their trailers
full of this new wine that must be delivered as soon as possible, all over France and all over the
world.
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Press Wine in Chânes
(Click photo to enlarge)
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The wine-growers are just continuing a custom that dates back to Antiquity. For ages,
people marketed and drank young wines that matured in the barrels while being transported.
A 1951 decree eventually lifted the restrictions regarding the sale of these wines including
the previously required adherence to a detailed and strict calendar. In the early 1960s, this
fruity and easy to drink wine won over more and more enthusiasts…until this fashion phenomenon
took over France, then Europe, and eventually the whole world. In 1985, another decree set the
third Thursday in November as the official release day for the new Beaujolais. That tradition
has been followed ever since, and that is when the party starts. In Beaujeu, the celebration
kicks off with "la fête des Sarmentelles" (The Vine Shoots Party), which includes a torchlight
procession, the Compagnons du Beaujolais (Beaujolais Fellows) parade, and the booming music band.
Then the dead wooden vine shoots from the previous crop are burned, a symbolic clearing of the way
for the next one. Finally, on the strike of midnight, the barrels are pierced amid much emotion.
The wine tasting can begin, in moderation of course, and a good time is had by all!
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An Invitation to Travel... |
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If you have chosen the south of France as your travel destination, may we suggest you slightly modify
your itinerary for a few days? You won't regret it. Right before arriving in Lyon, why not treat yourself
to a little diversion: go due west and make a point of taking those little secondary roads so full of
charm. Set off to discover a piece of France so often unfairly neglected and you will be in for a
surprise, far from the atmosphere of the popular areas that see millions of tourists sweep through
them each year. Beaujolais is a wine of a different kind. You have to be a bit curious since the local
inhabitants shy away from blatantly promoting it, for fear it might lose its authenticity. On the other
hand, once they feel your appreciation, they will welcome you warmly, inviting you to sample their
delicious local products and taste their wine. The regional tourist information offices are very dynamic
and will gladly be of assistance to you. And then, and then... well you'll have to come back because
before you take off for the south, there are many other places of interest in this region that we will
have you discover!
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