Rolling on the river (BusinessWorld)

Published in the October 12-13, 2007 issue of BusinessWorld

Focus

TEXT and PHOTOS By JENNEE GRACE U. RUBRICO, Sub-Editor

Rolling on the river

The sun was setting behind the Eiffel Tower as we entered the boat. A receptionist met us by the door, asked for our boarding passes and brought us to our table near the window. When we were seated, a waiter asked for our drinks while a violinist played classical music on a platform a few feet away from us.

Around us, formally dressed people complete with coats and expensive jewelry, chatted with their companions, ready to have a good time.

We were on board L’Onyx, the first of the glass-covered boats of the Bateaux Parisiens, one of the companies in Paris that offer cruises on the River Seine.

I was with eight other Filipinos and we were taking a two-and-a-half hour dinner cruise that would allow us to see the renowned monuments of Paris in the comfort of a well-ventilated, fiberglass-covered, classy boat.

That day was actually the second time we were there — four days earlier, we were turned away, despite having had a reservation because we were "inappropriately dressed."

The receptionist told us, as we were catching our breath after racing to catch the boat, that "there eez a dress code" and that sportswear, including jeans and sneakers — which were what most of us wore — was not allowed.

When we asked if our outfits could be overlooked, the receptionist sniffed and told us, "no," but added that we could reschedule our trip.

As I looked around now, I understood why I couldn’t have joined the cruise that first time — the ambiance in the ferry was absolutely formal — the table setting, the lighting, the music, even the waiters in their black tuxedos, gave the boat a ceremonious air. Had we been allowed to join the cruise the first time, I would have looked like untended kuhol on a plate of prettily prepared escargots.

The ticket said we had to be there by seven, but the cruise did not start immediately. We whiled away our time by taking pictures of each other, the river, and the buildings that we could see from where we were seated. Waiters, meanwhile, took our orders for the main course and dessert.

But the wait was not long, and soon the canvas that covered the fiberglass windows of the boat were rolled up and the announcement — first in French, then in English — that the tour was about to start came.

The starting point of the tour was the Port Bourdonnais at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and the nearby Les Invalides, the military hospital built during the time of Louis XIV and final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte.

On the opposite bank was the Grand Palais, beside it the Place de la Concorde, where a gigantic ferris wheel and the obelisk made famous by The Da Vinci Code stand.

One after another, we passed the the old, famous buildings of Paris — the Musee D’Orsay, known for its impressionist paintings, and across it the Louvre; l’Institut de France, the home of the guardians of the French language; La Conciergerie, the grand prison where France’s most infamous queen, Marie Antoinette, was incarcerated during the French Revolution; the Bibliotheque Nationale or the National Library, composed of buildings that are shaped like open books; and the replica of the Statue of Liberty, given to France by the American community in Paris to thank the French for having given the famous New York Harbour landmark to the US.

The boat also passed under the old bridges of Paris, the most lavish of which is Pont Alexandre III, with its sculptures of cherubs and nymphs, statues, and gold trimmings. And when the ferry passed under Pont Marie — said to be the bridge of lovers — we were told to close our eyes and make a wish.

At the river’s junction, marked by the Cathedrale Notre Dame, a soprano aboard the ferry started singing "Ave Maria," and it made the church, already awe-inspiring in itself, more resplendent as we passed.
While the cruise offers passengers a glimpse of the beautiful facades of Paris, this was not the best
part of my boat ride. The buildings were often partly obscured by trees or by the concrete structures erected at the banks of the river. It was also next to impossible to take good photos of the structures as the fiberglass that covered L’Onyx reflected the lights from inside the boat. I believe the Paris buildings would be better appreciated when they are seen on land and when one can enter them, because their interiors are as magnificent — if not more so — as their exteriors.

The river and the food

The river cruise, however, made me appreciate the Seine.
While looking down at it earlier from the road, I didn’t see anything special about the bluish-black water or its gentle ripples. But from the boat, the river glistened in the darkness reminding me, for many reasons, of Les Miserables.

There was also one part of the cruise that we passed what looked like a ferry station, and the trees on top of it had flickering lights. We wondered whether the lights came from technology or from thousands of fireflies.

The cruise also offered good food, and choices were extensive. For hors d’oeuvres, there was a choice of foie gras with rhubarb in orange syrup and toasted gingerbread; Caucasian-style smoked salmon with lemon and carrot cream; pastry of pan-fried snails with basil and garlic, creamy pumpkin soup served with Comte cheese and roast smoked duck strips, or garden vegetable and truffle filo bonbons.

For the main dish, we chose from the griddled Arctic char with saffron butter, risotto and nori leaves; pan-fried scallops in walnut breadcrumbs, vanilla sauce and braised fennel; chicken and mushroom supreme, truffle-scented potato puree; knuckle of roast lamb, artichoke and prune flan; pan-fried fillet of beef in red wine sauce; veal steak in herb sauce; and medley of vegetables in parmesan tuile. I don’t know how the others tasted, but my scallops were good.

Dessert was a choice of the following: warm half-baked chocolate and Get 27 sorbet; ice cream Cannele with brown sugar wafer pencil; creamy praline and hazelnut dessert; soft almond biscuit with violet cream and apricot; warm baked apple, served with chocolate ice cream lightly spiced with espelette pepper.

For wine, our table had three bottles of Chardonnay (one bottle for every three people). We were also allowed to order non-alcoholic drinks during the early part of the trip and coffee shortly before the end of it.

It was a nice surprise to find out that after everything we ordered, we didn’t have to pay for anything as these were apparently all covered by the entrance fee.

Bateaux Parisiens’ Web site shows the following rates for the dinner cruise: €95 per person for tables that are not particularly close to the window, €120 per person for those seated near the window, and €150 for those seated in front of the boat with a hostess available throughout the cruise.

During dinner, a photographer took photos of the passengers. Before the tour ended, a lady went to our table to sell us our photos. Most of us ended up not buying. I wonder what they did with them.
As we neared the end of the tour, the music became livelier, and a song about Champs-Elysee, the most famous street in Paris, was sung. It was getting so lively in the boat that I almost missed the Statue of Liberty, which, unlike the other monuments, was not well-lit.

When we alighted from the ferry, most of Paris was already in bed. But the City of Lights continued to sparkle.

While it is considered a tourist trap, I think taking a river cruise on the Seine is something that all first timers in Paris ought to do. Not only does the cruise allow one to see Paris from the river, it also gives tourists a taste of French culture — in the décor of the ferry, in the food that is served, in the live entertainment.

Just a word of caution, though. Beware the wine. It might look and taste innocuous, but it’s the work of the devil. While on the boat, it does not have much influence. But set foot on land and it feels like you’ve been hit on the head by a ton of bricks. Bateaux Parisiens’ menu issues this warning: "consume with moderation. The abuse of alcohol is dangerous for health." It would do well to heed it.

Aside from dinner cruise, Bateaux Parisiens also offers a sightseeing cruise, a school cruise, a lunch cruise and private charters. More information on the company website,  http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/. Other companies, such as the Bateau-mouches, also offer river cruises.

The Loire’s chateaux (BusinessWorld)

Published in the January 11-12, 2007 issue of BusinessWorld

Focus

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JENNEE GRACE U. RUBRICO, Sub-Editor

The Loire’s chateaux

It was a weekend of wine, flowers and castles — three days spent vis iting chateaux, tasting locally produced vin rouge, and basking in the idyllic, laidback lifestyle that is pervasive in the French countryside.

An old stone house on the way to the woods of Chateau d’ Artigny;

We wined and dined in salons of mansions as well as in old, vine-covered stone houses that served croissants, goat’s cheese, and foie gras.
During the day, we drove on smooth and winding roads to visit ancient houses and well-designed gardens, and at night, we slept in richly decorated chambers that used to be occupied by noblemen and their guests.
It was like being in a fairy tale, and Tourraine in the Loire Valley, a region in Western France, was where I was living childhood images of an era filled with knights, princesses and enchantment.
The Loire Valley is a UNESCO heritage site composed of provinces that are connected by France’s longest river, the Loire. The valley, which has between 300 and 1,000 castles, owes its architectural heritage to royalty who built their homes in the region during the 10th century.
It is said that even when the center of power shifted back to the ancient capital of Paris, many of the members of French royalty preferred to spend their time in the valley.
It was not easy to get there from Paris — what should have been a two-hour drive took us seven hours in a rented car, three highways, several missed turns, a couple of stops to ask for directions — in French — and a refueling break at one of the gasoline stations by the autoroute.

A view of the gardens of Chateau d’ Artigny as seen from the woods

But the effort was well-rewarded when, as we drove up a dirt road on a Saturday afternoon, we saw the ivory faáade of the castle we would be calling home for the weekend.
One of the castles in the valley that have been converted into hotels, Chateau d’Artigny, located in Montbazon, has its own special history.
Built during the Hundred Years War, the castle was part of the defense system constructed along the Indre River around Montbazon keep.
In 1912, the castle was bought by perfume maker Joseph Spoturno, also known as Francois Coty, who demolished the original structure and replaced it with the present 18th century-style chateau. When he died in 1934, the chateau was sequestered and in 1940 became the headquarters of the Navy. It later became a hospital before Mr. Coty’s daughter got it back in 1947 and sold it to Rene Traversac, who turned it into a 65-room luxury hotel, in 1959.
As we drove up the entrance of the 60-acre property, we saw remnants of a wedding on the manicured lawn at the side of the hotel and guests in medieval costumes walking around. We later learned that an Asian couple had gotten married that afternoon.
My room, which was on the third floor of the hotel, had a high ceiling, walls covered by beige flowered wallpaper and a French window that opened to a view of the formal gardens up front. A chandelier hung over the beds, paintings hung on walls, and a big mirror hung opposite the window. The rest rooms were elevated, and to go to the toilet, one had to navigate a flight of stairs.

Chateau d’Usse which is also known as Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

If I had doubts that I was in a French home, these were erased by the fact that the toilet was separate from the salle de baigne — bathroom — which was a big area dominated by the biggest and deepest bathtub I’ve ever seen. Also in the bathroom was a big sink, a makeup stand, a hair dryer, and a bidet.
This was the most lavish hotel room I’ve ever been in, though its age gave it an eerie atmosphere and I was never as grateful as I was that day that I was sharing the room with someone.
D’Artigny’s two dining salons were just as rich, with chandeliers and paintings on the walls and heavy curtains draping floor to ceiling windows which had a view of the Indre River and the woods. The formal dining room made me want to don a dress instead of the jeans and sneakers that I had on, though the staff were nice enough to allow us to have our dinner there, despite our, uhm, rugged appearance.
The bar, with its blue and white motif and an extravagant display of wines, was cozy enough to relax in, but formal enough to keep guests sober.
Other amenities in the hotel include a heated outdoor swimming pool, a golf course, a spa, and a gym. But what I really liked about the hotel was its woods.
When I had the chance, I rambled through the woods with one of the people I arrived with and discovered an old, abandoned house, a way down the river, and a trail that led back to the hotel’s lawn. We passed a lady walking her frisky, huge and unleashed dog.

The interior of Chateau d’Artigny

The woods were thick but not intimidating, and while it was easy to get lost in them, it was just as easy to find the clearing.
On our second day, we decided to visit other chateaux. After a short stop at the weekend market in the next town, where silverware was being sold for _2 a spoon and fork set and other treasures were waiting to be picked up, we proceeded to our first stop, the Chateau Azay-Le-Riddeau.
The castle, which rises from the Indre River, is considered a Rennaissance chateau. Elegant and well-preserved, the castle built by wealthy Frenchman Gilles Berthelot is said to follow Italian architecture more than French style.
When I saw the castle from outside, I was struck by its white stone, blue steeples, and grand, albeit intimidating, facade. Unfortunately, we were unable to go in due to time constraints.
Instead, we tarried in the village that surrounded the castle and ate in Le Salamandre, a family restaurant.
The village was quaint — grapes hung from vines that covered the walls of unpainted houses and old red windows brightened the somber little shops.

Chateau d’Artigny

Our next stop was the Chateau d’Usse, which looked familiar because it was the model for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
It is said that the writer Perault was so inspired by the castle that it became the setting for his now-famous fairy tale.
Standing at the edge of the Chinon forest, the Usse Castle was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. Unlike most of the castles in the Loire which have either been converted into hotels or have reverted to the government and converted into museums, The Usse Castle is privately owned, and some parts are closed to the public.
Among the areas that were open to the paying public, I found the salle des gardes — the guard room — the gallery, and the "small room" most interesting.
The trompe l’oeil ceiling of the guard room dates back to renovations done in the castle in the 17th century. As eye-catching as the colorful walls and ceilings of the room are the weapons that are on display in this room — Indian arms that hang above the fireplace, daggers inlaid with ivory, jade and silver in glass cases, and others. Could this room have been a secret meeting place, have these walls been silent witnesses to trysts?

The guard’s room at Chateau d’Usse

Meanwhile, the small room, the oldest one in the castle, was stark, containing, among others, a 15th century chest, 17th century Flemish tapestries and a passageway that led to what looked like a dungeon. No one else dared go down the staircase leading to the underground cave, and with all the bravado i could muster, I planted one foot on the stairs, then another.
As I walked down the passageway by myself, my path lit only by the weak glow of my mobile phone, I felt a chill run through my spine. It was cold when I finally got to the last step, and I thought I saw small caverns covered with grills. I had also begun to imagine scenes that could have happened here, in this secret part of the castle. I didn’t stay long — my courage had run out, fast.
But a brochure from the chateau said that the place was used "as a refuge in times of war," and added that the passageway was an escape route that led to the middle of the forest of Chinon.
A lot cheerier than the small room was the central gallery, with black and white tiled floors, beautiful Flemish tapestries on one side and windows that opened to the courtyard on the other.
Woven in the 18th century, the tapestries were copied from a drawing by 17th century painter David Teniers depicting life in Flanders, the Usse brochure said.
The walls were also punctuated by porcelain faces of princesses hanging from the walls, and though I found a likeness of Snow White, I never found one of Sleeping Beauty, at least as depicted in the Disney cartoon.
Other highlights in Usse are its old furniture; the gardens, designed by Le Notre, who also designed the
gardens of Versailles; the king’s bedroom, which was built to ensure that the king would have a place to stay in should he happen to visit the castle; and a room in one of the towers which depicts a scene from Sleeping Beauty.
It was late when we got out of Usse — around 5 p.m., and the other chateaux were closing. But we made one last stop, at Villandry.
Known more for the gardens that surround the castle than the castle itself, Villandry is among the most famous chateaux in the Loire.
Inspired by the gardens of the 16th and 18th centuries, Villandry’s gardens were designed by Joachim Carvalio and his wife Ann Coleman, the Loire Web site said.
The Web site also said it takes eight gardeners to tend to the gardens and plant 60,000 vegetables and 45,000 plants a year on the three levels.
The lowest level is where the ornamental kitchen garden is located. The garden, which grows vegetables, is divided into squares extending over 12,500 square meters and is completely replanted twice a year.
Grotto-like sheds that cover benches dot the gardens at this level, inviting guests to take in the cacophony of colors while resting under the shade.
The second level houses the ornamental garden, which is composed of three sections: the garden of love, the garden of music, and the herb garden, which grows herbs for cooking as well as medicinal plants. As in the first level, gardens are symmetrically arranged and are kept at specific shapes and lengths to give a manicured appearance.
A ramp from the second level which is covered with a canopy of grapes brings guests to the highest level, which has the water garden.
Exclusively green, the garden evokes serenity, with its trimmed shrubs, labyrinth and a placid lake that collects the water used to irrigate the gardens and feed the fountains.
The 30 minutes that I spent in the gardens of Villandry did not do justice to their beauty. I also wasn’t able to go inside the chateau, since it was already closed when I got there.
But the sunset I saw from the gardens somehow eased my disappointment at not being able to appreciate the place in the way it deserved.
As night fell and we prepared to go back to our chateau-hotel, the surrealism prevailed and I continued to live in the fairy tale that is the Loire Valley.