PORTRAITS
MARKETS OF BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE
When you visit a region and take a close interest in its culture and history, it is also interesting to go to its markets, often located in radiant and authentic little towns of
character,to discover their gastronomic heritage enhanced by the ancestral traditions of local producers as I observed in the BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE region.
Located in the south-eastern part of France and covering 7 departments divided between Yonne, Nièvre, Cote d'Or, Saône et Loire, Jura, Doubs and Haute Saône, the
BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE
region is a radiant land which
enchants with the beauty of its natural spaces and the diversity of its heritage which can also be found in the
gastronomic field, whether wine-growing or agricultural, and nothing beats exploring its markets, which are the
expression of our art of living alongside often ancestral traditions that combine local produce and gourmet delicacies that local producers present with harmony and a love of a job well done. Head to the Cote D'Or, very close to Nantoux
located a few kilometers from BEAUNE in the farm of Jean François SOLLIEZ beekeeper who welcomes me to close to
his hives while putting on his protective suit.
»The honey manufacturing process responds to very precise criteria that
bees produce from flower nectar, insect honeydew or sugary secretions of plants and then, after the foracing phase,
transform it into a hive with a distribution of tasks carried out by the different categories of bees and in particular by
the Bee Apis Melifera better known among beekeepers under the name Abeille Noire and our products which we present and sell more particularly on the markets from Beaune,Santenay,Chagny or Meursault are a great success with
customers who appreciate our know-how alongside the quality of our products”
Shop at the markets and enjoy the
pleasures of the table is a very well-established tradition and has always been in BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE
whose gastronomic heritage and culinary offerings ranging from gingerbread, beef bourguignon, crème de cassis and
even prestigious Burgundy wines are world-renowned and are also a pleasure to be found in the department of the
Yonne, made up of shimmering farms that sell locally on the farm and in shops of producers as in the delightful markets
like that of Toucy designated as the most beautiful market of Bourgogne or even the covered market os Sens which is
majestic with, in addition to its regional products harmoniously presented, its 19th century Baltard-style market hall, a listed historic monument, then go to the Burgundian market of Chablis, which brings this radiant wine-growing city to
tlife with dignity before to join the Avallon market where every Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday morning, more than 50
traders and locals producers on this welcoming sub-prefecture of Yonne with their products and stalls before going
further down to the south in Saone Et Loire to discover, in parallel with other good local products which are also very
famous, such as notably Charolles beef and Maconnais goat's cheese, another highly renowned Bourgogne culinary
treasure which is the famous and highly appreciated Bresse Poultry.
A Jewel of Bourgogne Culinary Treasures
After playful outings to the markets of Saint-Ambreuil, Sennecey Le Grand and Nanton which offer complement to the
quality and diversity of their local products, all the hospitality, smiles and welcome that also characterize the Bourgogne
markets, I accompany Francis LECOINTRE producer of Volailles De Bresse to the farmer's and organic market of
Chapaize, a charming town located not far from Mont Saint Romain, halfway between Cluny and Tournus."
Bresse
Poultry is a reference because it was the first poultry in the world to benefit of an AOC in 1957 ( Appellation d'Origine
Contrôlée) in addition to its recent AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) and as available on 4 main products which are
Bresse Chicken, Bresse Poularde, Bresse Capon and Bresse turkey and the recognition of this true Bourgogne culinary
ambassador is reflected with its blue legs, its white plumage, its red crest in addition to its ring on its left thigh and its
taste alongside its cooking and presentation options make it an almost royal dish that we enjoy can be enjoyed all year
round and is very popular with local customers and tourists, whether French or Foreigners who also appreciate its
certified environmentally friendly breeding criteria" The particularity of the geographical feature of the BOURGOGNE
FRANCHE COMTE region is that it also has mountain ranges that we found in particular in the Jura department
located along the border with Switzerland and which offers a variety of gastronomic products different from other
departments taking into account its geological data and geographical areas that are pleasant ro consume, such as
Saucisse De Morteau, and its popular cheese products
like Comté cheese, just like the beers and wines of the Jura that
we enjoy tasting and buying on the markets of Poligny, Arbois, Dole or Champagnole which also represent this French
art of living that the whole world envies us and the BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE region, rich in its diversity,includes
sumptuous territories where history, culture and art of living are constantly combined with this particularity of
maintaining often ancestral traditions that are always fascinating to discover and which are the living expression of its cultural, historical and gastronomic richness.
Report: Gabriel PAGE
Photos Credit: Gabriel PAGE / Getty Images
