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square. Especially at nightfall, I marvel how it comes alive as the vibrant heartbeat of town. Fronted by a beautiful twin-spired cathedral and ringed by colorful old-timber framed houses, Chalon-sur-Saône is a movie set. We take to the shops and squares of Beaune, medieval wine capital of Burgundy, after Walsh has toured us through the fascinating 15th century hospice that is the town's architectural centerpiece. Every inviting wine bar makes me wish there wasn't a schedule to keep. An actual French count favors us with a bienvenue to his Château de Rully, wrapped in vineyards not far from the Saône. Raoul de Ternay leads a wine tasting in the château's medieval kitchen. You can hear quiet sighs of relief as Count Raoul promises not to name each of his ancestors hanging in oil paintings, in room after room. His hillside castle dates 26 generations. Aboard Adrienne, Walsh presents and pours spectacular reds and whites before each lunch and dinner. Many are premier cru with a prized grand cru or two — Burgundy's highest classification — among the two dozen he will uncork along our way. Dijon, the teeming town of medieval buildings, delicious food, and fine wines, is of course most famous for its moutarde. In the shadows of the Cathedral of Saint Benignus of Dijon (13th century) is a shop lined with a dizzying array of mustards. At our final mooring in Chassagne-Montrachet, somewhere after the foie gras et poire caramelise, glasses clink as Walsh offers a toast. It is a brief but perfect summation of a week aboard Adrienne experiencing the timeless beauty of Burgundy. "To all," he says, "happy days." LEFT Views from the Cloister of the Cathedral of Saint Vincent to the twin- spired cathedral anchoring the town square in picturesque Chalon-sur- Saône, a crossroads of art and history. Winding shopping lanes leading from the half-timbered square are made for strolling BOTTOM RIGHT Fontaines-sur-Saône. Hotel barges navigate — narrowly! — through dozens of locks in Burgundy BELOW A cheesemonger in the Central Indoor Market Hall in Dijon. With myriad shops and food stalls, roaming this mammoth marketplace and passing sellers of local produce and other foodstuffs is absolute fun PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK SYLVAIN << 76 FEBRUARY 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE