Learning

To slightly paraphrase Saki (?): “travel is broadening”.   I think the original intent referred to the mind, but in our case both mind and the waistline would apply.   After taking care of the latter the previous evening, we did the former the next morning when we visited

 

Turns out there was this guy, er, excuse me, person named George-Louis Leclerc who was born in 1707 in the little town of Montbard (where the barge spent the night) who was sort of a latter day renaissance man.  He apparently was a brilliant man with wide ranging interests, especially natural history.  In Paris, he was a bud of Jefferson and Franklin, no intellectual slouches themselves.  Over his lifetime he generated a 36 volume set of Histoire Naturelle, the definitive set of books that earned him the reputation of “…. the father of all thought in natural history in the second half of the 18th century”.  He gained favor with the King (one of the Louis clan), became his naturalist, and tended the royal gardens for a number of years.  At the request of the King, he undertook studying smelting and treating iron ore.  He eventually (1768 – 1772) designed and built the Grande Forge de Buffon (he became Comté de Buffon), where iron was made all in one place, a revolutionary concept at the time.  Most of it has survived to today, and that is what we toured and learned about that morning.  He made extensive use of water wheels and had many sluice ways

Built a huge underground furnace to smelt the ore

There were huge foundries which eventually created iron that was used for to make beautiful wrought iron pieces like this sample

 

As part of the tour, we were allowed into private areas of the complex which are occupied by the current owners, and got a peek at the lovely gatehouse and orangery

As a special treat we were invited into the manor house for a glass of wine (Chablis, naturally) and a chat with the owner (whose name I regretfully didn’t write down) in the sitting room

Shown here with Matthew (and an unidentified leg)

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He was a charming French gentleman and host.  Quite an enjoyable and informative visit..

We returned to the barge for another lunch and cruised in the afternoon.  That evening we dined on board having

Soufflé du Gruyère

Servit avec des Escargot de Bourgogne

 

 

And

Poitrine du porc rôti avec son jus de Cidre

Sur un lit d’epinards en buerre noissette

Pomme de Terre Duchesse

 

 

 

Vin Blanc: Sancerre ‘La Bourgeoise’ 2007

Vin Rouge: Vosne Romanee 1^er Cru 2009

 

Of course there were cheeses, a salad and dessert… How we suffer… and we were all

DFD