On the Rhône and its tributaries | From Sources to Citadels | Heritage Treasures

“So, there you see the Rhône valley. The western part is the Massif Central, and then the eastern part is the entire Alps chain. All the work that the Rhône has done, over the millennia, to dig out this valley. Look how fabulous these vineyards are!” At the helm, Laurent Combier, a winemaker with a passion for aviation. “This one is very beautiful. » Today, he invited Alain Arnaud and his son Audran for an exceptional flight. Because father and son are passionate about the castles of the Rhône valley. This trip will take them from the vineyards of Tain l’Hermitage to Montélimar. At 812 km long, the Rhône is the fastest and most powerful of French rivers. In the Middle Ages, this strategic axis was under the control of numerous fortresses, distributed throughout its course. Opposite Tain l'Hermitage, here is the stronghold of the Counts of Tournon, one of the most powerful families in Ardèche. She owes her fortune to tolls paid by those who sailed on the Rhône. “What’s always interesting is to see how winding the Rhône is. » The Rhône valley is full of treasures of medieval architecture. A few kilometers north of Montélimar, the Rochemaure castle dominates the entire valley. Built in the 12th century, this fortress belonged to another great family: the Adhémar. At the time, they reigned supreme over this part of the river. The Rhône then marked the border between the Kingdom of France and Dauphiné. The Adhémars had spectacular fortresses such as the Château de Grignan, south of Montélimar. Laurent's plane is now heading north to discover another strategic castle in the valley. “And there you have Crussol, Crussol…” “Crussol on its rocky spur” With its fantastic ruins, perched at an altitude of more than 200 meters, it is one of the jewels of the Rhône valley. “A hell of a view from here, it’s magnificent. » “Superb, fortress, 11th century…” “We can clearly see that it dominated the Rhône, and it prevented any invasion” Crussol castle defended one of the most frequented passages since Antiquity. “Everyone has been there, eh: Hannibal, the Romans, everyone has been there…” This spectacular architectural ensemble extends over more than 3 hectares. Behind 8 meter high ramparts, the castle housed around a hundred houses. They formed a village placed under the protection of the Lord of the castle. These fortresses have become essential emblems of the region. But the banks of the Rhône still have other surprises in store... The flight ends 7 km from Crussol... “We're going to try to dive a little bit to find ourselves on the Château de Chateaubourg and the commune of Chateaubourg. » “We see it there…” “On the banks of the Old Rhône by the way. » For 6 years, Alain has been the new owner of this 11th century fortress… “This is Chateaubourg. » He fell in love with this castle bathed by the waters of the river. “So here we see the Rhône a little in flood which overflows a little on the banks of…” “Yes, it even comes to the foot of the castle when it is in flood. » “The castle is on its rock, it was not…” “It is not floodable. No, besides, the whole old village around was fortified. » Like the other Lords of the Rhône, the masters of Chateaubourg made their fortune by exercising a right of passage on the river. Today, Alain is restoring this exceptional heritage. “ The first time we saw the castle, it was this entrance that fell in love with this extremely old style and in fact, the idea that this castle was family sized and that we would be able to restore it. » This morning, craftsmen are bringing in the new windows for the castle. "Mr. Thomas, are they going to the left?" » Because Alain decided to restore this building to its original appearance. “Hop, for now we’re going to put them there…” So he had custom windows made by a master glassmaker in the region. “We can say that the method of manufacturing has not evolved much compared to the Middle Ages. We always use antique glass, which is mouth blown, so as we did at the time..." The art of stained glass reached its peak in the 11th century. The glass tiles are then assembled using lead rods then soldered with tin. Over the centuries, the interior architecture of fortified castles evolved. “Close…” We create openings to let in light. “It’s okay here. » “What's great about this window is that we know when they made it: in 1785. The lord of the time called Guillenot asked that openings be made. " " That's wonderful. It's going to be beautiful. » “We still need a little bit of cleaning and then it will be finished. » To rediscover the memory of the place, Alain wants to pay homage to the Lords who reigned over Chateaubourg. This is why he displays their weapons on the new windows. “All the families who have passed there for 1,000 years have left a trace. And this trace can be found more easily by taking their coats of arms. We are actually bringing the soul of the castle back to life. » On the floor below, we find Audran, Alain’s son. The living room is the big project of the moment. With his friend Fabien, Audran strives to find the stone walls, hidden under the plaster for years. “It’s quite a family adventure. Well yes, it’s great! We discover things. Me, in addition, I am rather passionate about history, especially medieval, so it’s just huge, it’s really great.” In the same room, his big brother, Guillaume, improvised as site manager... "Come on guys, faster..." 6 years ago, Guillaume left a career in tourism to devote himself to the restoration of the castle. “Okay, this is simple catering. There is a hole, it needs to be plugged. You can see the stone lines clearly. There, the aim of the game is that the stones that I am going to add, they remain in the same alignment. This castle allowed me to learn lots of things, especially in renovation, and then, it brought me closer to the family, so uh, it’s wonderful. » Since living in the castle, the family has gone from discovery to discovery. The most surprising is at the top of this tower. And it’s Marie-France who takes us there. “Okay, here’s the dovecote. We discovered the dovecote door there while making this room and then there, we can still see the little pigeon boxes. It was full, full, full of pigeons. And then we also discovered that this door leads to the walkway... » The walkway is the old lookout post. Behind the battlements, the latter could monitor the passage of the Rhône. “It’s true that this view is a real pleasure . It’s magnificent, we can see the Vercors. You can see Mont Blanc on a very clear day. So there, the Rhône is unleashed. Two days ago, you might have believed that it was a mirror. It was wonderful. » The history of Chateaubourg Castle is closely linked to the Rhône. This rock, which falls steeply, offered natural protection against floods and enemy attacks. In the 16th century, the village was built around the fortress to escape the wars of religion. Four months later, the family completed the restoration of the large living room. This is an opportunity to receive artisans and people from the village. For most, they are discovering the interior for the first time. “Here, it’s the same, we found the old arch because in fact the vault continued up to here. » “We live in the shadow of the castle. * How does it feel to see him like that? * It makes me very happy first of all because I see it from the outside and I have known it since I was born. So I am very sensitive to Mr Arnaud's invitation and I find that he is doing a fantastic job, a work of passion. I prefer to be in my place than in his, I'm very comfortable in the shadow of the castle but no, it's very interesting. » “And then it’s part of the landscape when we go up to Lyon, we inevitably pass through here. When we go back down, we pass in front of Chateaubourg. So the castle has always been there…” So already, the Arnaud family has many plans to open their castle to the public. She wishes to organize events linked to the region, and thus revive this medieval fortress on the banks of the Rhône. We now go up the river towards Lake Geneva. Lake Geneva is a true inland sea on the Rhône route: 72 km long, 13 km wide, it receives the waters of numerous rivers. The Rhône crosses the lake from east to west before resuming its route towards the Mediterranean. 70 km from Lake Geneva, an exceptional citadel monitors the entrance of the river into French territory. Fort l'Ecluse is a military structure built just above the Rhône in the 13th century. Abandoned by the Army in the 1950s, it today belongs to the surrounding communities. This morning, like every week, Jean-Dominique Belanger, the Fort guide, and Nicolas Renard, its Director, ensure the security and maintenance of the building because the fort receives nearly 70,000 visitors each year. “I change the bulbs at least once every 2 weeks. They grill because of the humidity. Up to the top, you have to check but sometimes the tourists are nice, they tell us, there's a burnt out bulb. So here we take the bag, the bulbs and we go upstairs. » And going up to Fort l’Ecluse is a real challenge. In total, you have to climb 1,165 steps. These kilometers of underground galleries were hewn with pickaxes by the French military in the 19th century. A monumental staircase dug into the bowels of this mountain. It served to connect the lower fort to the upper fort, built to protect against an attack from above. In the 13th century, Fort l'Ecluse was the guardian of a strategic route between France, Switzerland and Savoy. “The fort here is called Fort l’écluse for a very simple reason, it is because it is on the Rhône lock. It is for this location that the military chose to build it here. A cluse is a space between two mountains and which already naturally complicates the passage. We already have a strategic view of the whole of Haute-Savoie, which was our enemies, but also a view of Switzerland and which really made it possible to control the passage here, almost 360°, and which really makes any clandestine passage impossible. » The lock parade is a real corridor that the Rhône has cut between the ranges of the Jura and the plateaus of Haute-Savoie. At the crossroads of several borders, the Fort has witnessed numerous armed conflicts. During the Second World War, it was occupied by the German Army. But in 1944, French resistance fighters ended up retaking this stronghold and blocking the road to Geneva from enemy soldiers. Today, the lower part can be visited, but the upper Fort is still closed to the public. Nicolas, the Site Director, must test a new adventure course designed to attract the most intrepid visitors. “Okay, I’ll squeeze my legs…” “Yes. There you go, you can go. » “Okay, so I’m walking on the ridge, huh? And we’re supposed to make the audience do that…” “Look towards the end here. Come on. Don't worry, you risk nothing. Perfect… There you go and now you need to go down a little bit. » It’s best not to be afraid of heights. “You can hold on to the cable, don’t worry, it’s strong.” Come on, there's the catch... it's a good one there. » Because the Rhône is 200 meters lower. : “I imagine the audience who will hallucinate. » “That’s the easiest route. " " The easiest. Ok” “You can stick to the loopholes. » “Great, you’re super comfortable. » “And on the other side, there is still a little more gas on the red route. » “I'd rather not even know. » “Second stop: the Nepalese bridge. » “Now this is the end of the first stage. » “whistles” “There, I am testing the novelty of the year, the Fort l’Ecluse adventure course which will allow the public to discover the fort in a slightly different way. The fort has always been closed to the public even though everyone wanted to visit it. This course is an original way to discover it and since you need a guinea pig and the amenities have just been installed, well, I'm sticking with it. » After climbing the surrounding walls, a Nepalese bridge crosses the moat of the Fort. “I heard a crack. » “No, no, it’s in your head…” “Yes, that’s it… It’s my head that cracked! » But the highlight of this adventure course is the zipline. “It’s a barge thing. Arriving full steam ahead, facing the Rhône... Brilliant! Extraordinary ! Here, there were soldiers who lived, who had a family, who spent years there, who also defended us and today, what we are trying to do is to revive it because it is an important part of our heritage. And it is also an element that has lived, which is full of memories and it is these memories that we want to put back in the public's memory. » At the foot of Fort l'Ecluse, the Rhône has shaped a remarkable natural site... A playground popular with all kayaking enthusiasts. Today, Pierre Descotes invited a small group of friends. On the program: a hike to discover the wild Rhône. “Come on, let’s speed up. Look at the fort there, magnificent... “It’s beautiful. It's nice. We really had luck because it was rising just as we passed under it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have even seen it. » It’s the beginning of autumn. It is 8am. “There, it’s happiness, it’s the joy of sliding. And then, with this type of boat, it slides by itself so you don't get tired. That's the pleasure, when you see the tip sliding in the water like that. You have reflections from the boat. It’s cool, huh? » “The SNCF bridge which allows the train to go between Lyon and Geneva. We are a little upstream from Bellegarde. This is a super important path. Super beautiful, impressive viaduct. It's the same, no need to lower your head to get under it. We have thousands of residents behind us a few kilometers from Geneva. Switzerland is just behind and you wouldn't think so with such vegetation. Such calm. Such untouched nature. No road. No car noise. Into the wild. Alone in the world. » A little further on, Pierrot and his friends are preparing to travel along the plateaus of Savoie and the immense nature reserve of Haut Jura. These limestone cliffs, which dominate the river, are inaccessible from the road. However, they offer nice surprises. “Come and see how beautiful it is there! » Pierrot knows every corner of these banks like the back of his hand. “That’s still a fabulous place…” He wants to show his friends a spectacular natural curiosity : the Tines de Parnant gorges. : “ It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Nice ? » “They look like the creeks… And it’s our home! » Here, the cliff has been cut over a few hundred meters by a small tributary of the Rhône. “And it’s magnificent!” *Yesssss. Great, great. Wow. » This tributary is called the Parnant. By digging the rock, he caused a very common geological phenomenon in the region. “It’s actually called a pot of giants. Like the rock, it is really soft, the current is like a millstone. Sometimes, you even still have stones at the bottom that are spinning and eroding. And it grinds very slowly, very slowly. And, there are huge movements of water when it is in flood. It’s a bit like a siphon in there.” Right next to the Parnant gorges, Pierrot now takes them to a natural site which has made the region rich. “ Go under the rock. Head down ! Be careful, it’s very slippery. » It is a secret place and, above all, difficult to access... On the banks of the Rhône, our kayakers will discover a historical activity linked to the river. “And here is the entrance to the first quarry, gigantic there. You will be able to prepare your headlamps…” An almost forgotten activity today. “Look there, there’s green. It’s mild huh…Impressive. » Here is Sainte Foy, one of the oldest quarries in the Rhône. An immense limestone cathedral which extends over more than one hectare. “The lights and all these backlights are magnificent. " " It's awesome. We have this 10 minutes from the house and it’s the first time I’ve come. And it’s… You wouldn’t believe that there’s all that around. It’s really a beautiful and great discovery. It's really awesome. » The visit continues inside these underground quarries... ...Towards the bed of the Rhône. “Be careful, it’s a bit of a balance. Lower your head..." "Wow, wow, it's impressive huh..." From the first century AD, the quarries of Ste Foy provided a highly sought-after material: the white stone of Seyssel. “No pollution. It looks like limestone almost…” This stone was used to build a large part of the monuments of Lyon and its region. “Look at the size of the blocks that the guys were carrying around. We can already see the beginnings of pre-cut blocks. This one was almost ready. » These blocks were transported by boat on the Rhône. “Look a little bit. There, we really arrive at one of the oldest places on the site. » On the banks, we can still see the traces of the loading dock seals. “It’s breathtaking. All this work, and then all this wild side. When you arrive here by kayak, you always have this feeling of discovery, of being the first to discover a corner and it's... it's majestic, formidable..." The quarries of Ste Foy were abandoned in the 19th century, but some had the idea of ​​giving them a new life. “Wow, that’s a strange change there. We move from an aquatic environment to an underground environment. And what’s more, with the scent of cheese, it smells wonderful. How many millstones are there there Philippe? » “There, you have 2,500.” In the 1950s, a family converted these quarries in Haute Savoie into maturing cellars for the county. “I’m the 3rd generation. It was my grandfather who settled here because we have a constant temperature and hydrometry. So it’s perfect for slow maturing of Comté. » “Andréa: How many kilos? * Philippe Gojon: 35 kilos. * Andrea: 35 kg. It does its weight” In these cellars, the Comté matures for a minimum of 8 months. “The oldest ones must be those over there…? » * Philippe: Go away. * Pierre: For some clients it takes up to 30/36 months. But these are really special requests...for high-end counties. » Comté is an AOC cheese. It cannot be produced anywhere in France. To age in these exceptional cellars, it was necessary to obtain an exemption. “We are the only refiner that is not in Doubs, Jura and Ain. We are a little bit apart. We entered the appellation in 1999. We created an enclave solely for the cellars. » For our kayakers, these caves are an unexpected gourmet break… “We did well to stop, children! * It gives you the strength to go again! * We'll take 10 wheels! * You won’t see it in the kayak…” Downstream from the quarries, the small town of Seyssel was one of the region’s large river ports. It occupies a strategic position on the river. Until 1860, the Rhône marked the border between France, right bank, and Savoie, left bank. “You see that very old bridge there? We're going to go underneath. It has always been a nerve center, this bridge. This has always been a concern for joining these two shores. Before, it was made of wood back in the day. And since the beginning of 1800, it has had this appearance. » After Seyssel, the Rhône changes its appearance. Pierrot and his friends are now sailing towards the Malourdie Islands, a Natura 2000 area, made up of marshes and floodplains. “There we are, we arrive at the Motz dam. So inevitably, as there are no facilities for kayakers, we are forced to go down and carry our boats a few hundred meters. » The Motz dam is one of the many hydraulic developments that block the river. In France, a quarter of electricity is produced thanks to the Rhône. And it all started near here, in Génissiat. “On the Rhône, not far from the Swiss border, between Bellegarde and Seyssel, Génissiat. » Spring 1939. The first French hydroelectric dam is built on the Rhône, at Génissiat. It is the largest construction site in all of Western Europe and a real technological challenge. To build the largest electrical factory of all time, engineers diverted the course of the Rhône. The dam requires 700,000 tonnes of concrete to resist the force of the river. Interrupted during the war, this spectacular project ended in 1948. More than 50 workers died there. Today, the Génissiat dam is classified as a 20th century industrial heritage site. From Génissiat, the Rhône divides in two. On one side, a canal to bring water from the river to the power stations. On the other, the historic bed of the Rhône which has been preserved. “Come on, let’s go for an adventure. The wild Rhône. » An alternative route that in this place, only kayakers can take… “Very old oaks they say. They would have been submerged for centuries. They don't rot, do they? » “Look at this one here. » “You’ll look there, it’s all eaten away by beavers. In fact all this vegetation sometimes is all covered in water. Floods invade all these islands. Sometimes they disappear for a few hours, a few days. So, we are far from imagining that there can be 3 or 4 meters of water above us sometimes. » Over the centuries, the floods of the Rhône have shaped its landscape. Next to the historic bed of the river, they dug secondary arms called lônes. Essential to the ecological balance of the river, these lônes empty and fill with floods. Thus, they absorb the overflow of the Rhône and naturally limit flooding. “Well, here we are in one of the many lônes of the Rhône. These arms, a little bit dead, a little bit drifting, which are old meanders. And for us, in a kayak, that’s where we come to seek solitude, tranquility, peace. Look for the animals a little. The wild side of our descent is the reward, you see. » However, these lônes, which were in the process of drying out, almost disappeared. Ten years ago, they were redeveloped thanks to a scientific program. 40 km away… Jean-Michel Olivier and his team work for the CNRS. All year round, these scientists are responsible for checking the good health of the river and, in particular, the state of these lônes. “Here, you have to imagine that in 2005, there was sediment up to the height of the trees in front of us. So it was re-excavated by civil engineering works. And the restoration program , precisely, focused on recreating these sets of habitats which are characteristic of the alluvial plain. » With the dams installed on the Rhône, the lônes were, little by little, deprived of water. For 10 years, we have been digging these dry arms to reconnect them to the river. It is the largest project ever undertaken in Europe in the river sector. If scientists want to save this unique heritage, it is because these environments offer remarkable ecological wealth. With this equipment, the fish are slightly asleep to be inventoried. “It’s okay, I got them, studs. So barbel fluciatil 8, 4. You have bouvière. 2, 51. » In their nets, only small fish. “This lone has the function, as it is stagnant, of a nursery, mainly for the young of the year and therefore we do not have the same fish as in the channel. For example, we have a bouvière here, which is a fish which reproduces mainly in lônes and it is a species which is also protected at European level. So this one measures 5.1. » “There is a very very important need to recreate such areas which constitute refuge areas or growth areas for young fish. It is a set which constitutes a real heritage on the scale of the Rhône, so, indeed, it is very interesting to note that today, in a context of river development and hydroelectric production etc., we is capable of thinking about large-scale river restoration projects with the aim of improving the ecological functioning of rivers. » But scientists are not only interested in the small fish living in the lônes. They also study the adults who frequent the historic river bed. (the running river). “There is some there, there is some there!” Back up, back up Jean-Mich…! » * This is a threshold in general there are large fish at the foot of the thresholds because it is also a place where the water brings food. * “That’s it, that’s good. We'll see what you took. OK ! Well, it’s a fluvial barbel. » The river barbel is a fish characteristic of large rivers. “The fluviatil barbels live mainly in the channel. So common areas and deep areas. So, here we have an individual who is an adult, so he measures 62.6 cm and then we will be able to release him. » The information collected today is valuable indicators of the evolution of the river. “There, eel, eel!” She is there, she is fighting, she is fighting. It's there, below. They allow the monitoring of each species. " OK ! So this one so it measures…93 cm point 4. There you go.” “A certain number of species have seen their populations decline significantly or even disappear. Today we are in a phase where we are trying to implement restoration and rehabilitation measures for environments which aim to provide these species with the habitats they need and therefore, ultimately, to see an increase in the size populations in these environments. » Since the start of the restoration program, some species have seen their numbers increase by 25%. Thanks to the work of scientists, the river is now getting a new lease of life. Further on, the Rhône meets its largest tributary: the Saône. It joins it in Lyon, thus delimiting the Presqu’île.  It’s Sunday morning, and it’s market day on the quays of the Saône! The St Antoine market is a historic market. For more than a century, small producers have come from all over the Rhône valley to sell their fruit. And fruit is precisely Alain Milliat’s passion. " Oh my God. Hmm. It's super fragrant. It's really very delicate. Very delicate. » Alain is not a customer like the others. His job is to transform fruit into natural juice. “And there, what are we on, on uh… * That’s still Bergeval. » * “Are we still in Bergeval? *Ah yes, that’s all I have at the moment. » * “You’ve seen some of the juice. Flesh. The core comes off easily. Without moving, the juice rises into the cavity on its own, you see ? It is enormous. It has to create a surprise – in fact, that’s really what it is. Because fruit is always expected and when you eat it, it has to have a wow effect. Wow. It's apricot. That's it, that's gotta be it. " " Hello sir. Mirabelles. Here you go, Madame. There are the expected fruits and those that we had completely forgotten. Alain has just spotted the stall of Bernard, a small producer from Ardèche... : “I would like you to talk to me about that actually. * Oh. Wild fishing! * So there…it’s actually extra ripe? * It’s the grandparents’ catch. The peach trees that grew wild at the bottom of the gardens. * It has a super bitterness. It's very very good. *These are all lost tastes. There it is a white wild peach and there a wild peach more on the yellow side. It's a perfume bag. * Alain: This is extremely rare. * This is the basis of fishing that has been modified. So now we’re doing fishing which is like that. Which is super beautiful but has no taste. There, it's very small, it's not beautiful, but it's fragrant. » Alain immediately sees the benefit he could get from these wild fisheries. “Making it a nectar or making a juice out of it could make something exceptional... We could have a very, very beautiful result, both in color and in grain size, in texture and... In my opinion it would make something very velvety , and above all very fragrant with a very nice finish because there is a nice bitterness. Honestly, it’s truly exceptional! » * Let's say that it's a product that we no longer find for the simple reason... because it's the yield. On the same area of ​​land, a cultivated peach will yield you several tonnes whereas here, we will be dealing with 50, 100 kg. And today, we are in an era of performance so no one bothers about that anymore. Except, uh, people who like good things. * “Are you keeping all this for me? » * “No problem, it’s aside! » Alain Milliat's objective: to find exceptional fruits... And the Rhône valley constitutes a perfect terrain for exploration. Considered the first French orchard, it has a remarkable heritage of fruit varieties. Renowned for the fertility of its banks, the river ensures the irrigation of a large mosaic of fruit-producing lands. Enough to seduce our fruit juice producer. “My job is actually very simple: it’s to find the best fruit, at the best time, from the best producer. And there, in the Rhône Valley in fact I really find my happiness, and all summer in fact I travel this valley north of Lyon to the Crau plain to find peaches, apricots, pears, strawberries…” Between Lyon and Valence, Tain l'Hermitage benefits from a privileged location on the Rhône. It is a mecca of wine tradition with a world-renowned vineyard... But grapes are not its only exceptional product. Around Tain l'Hermitage, Alain hopes to find his next best seller... Because the region is the cradle of the Bergeron apricot. “Leave the greens. Pick up when ripe! ". Today, not a minute to lose for Jean-Marc Monge. He must harvest his 10 hectares of apricots as quickly as possible. The harvest is always the time that Alain chooses to visit the orchards. Because picking an apricot at the right time requires real know-how. “Yes, that’s pretty. That, it can wait 2 days but that's what... * Yes, we can say that we are at maturity all the same... On a variety like this, what gives me the start, I'm going to do it to you, too bad , we are going to waste… * This is as soon as you have the stall point. * So. You did see ? I did n't give it a big blow. So, that’s the starting point of the picking. We have to, we have to...There's no secret, we have to go otherwise we'll say, in 3 days...If we move forward a little and we find a tree that's a little more mature, it will already be covered . Already, when the little birds eat them, they are good to eat. » Originally, the apricot is a fruit that comes to us from China. But this variety was developed by Monsieur Bergeron in 1921, very close to Tain l'Hermitage. Today, the Bergeron apricot is, in France, one of the most consumed fruits of the summer. “The Bergeron is unique. I use it and it’s true that I make an apricot nectar which is special. When there is a good level of acidity, it allows for a good expression of aromas, in fact. It is the acidity which will condition the expression of the aromas. It’s also a somewhat particular color and texture. It’s still quite orange, huh. Still with a bit of a red face. And what's more, we're in the cradle. We are really in the terroir that is actually specific to Bergeron. » 2 days later, 20 tonnes of Bergeron apricots are delivered to be transformed into natural nectar. Here, the fruits are crushed without adding any coloring or flavoring. This morning, Alain tastes the first apricot juice of the season. “Our goal is really to provide a product that is extremely close in fact to the variety of the producer we have chosen. We ask our producers, our producer in fact, to take a lot of precautions and delicacy when harvesting. We, for our part in fact, try to have the same delicacy as well to, in the end, have a product which is very close to the variety, to the producer in fact, to all the particularities of what we have. chosen as raw material. » Bottled fruit that is sold today in the biggest hotels and restaurants in the world. This success story was born in the family orchards, on the hillsides of Lyonnais. In this region located at an altitude of 400 meters, we find true fruit goldsmiths. Among them, Philippe Marcon. At home, we work the peach trees by hand. It is one of Alain’s first suppliers. “We realize that a tree like that, well the sun can enter it and the fruits which were in the shade earlier today will be able to get the sun tomorrow. So, there you have it, these are interventions where we remove shoots which grew that year, and which consume sap. So the sap that will go further in there will go into the fruit. The more sun, the better the fruit. » If these trees need so much sun, it’s because Philippe produces a very special peach. “ It’s still pretty, huh. * Philippe Marcon: It will become more pronounced over time. » These peaches have blood-red flesh and skin. “20 km further, we will not have the same terroir, we will not have the same coloring, we will not have the same aromas. That’s for sure, that’s what makes this fruit so unique on our hillsides. » This fishing is called Ferlay. It is only in the hills of Lyon that she blushes. Elsewhere, it remains white. Different fruits, prepared in an artisanal way and picked with great care. “We are reaching the end of the circuit, we have been working for a year. The fruit is ripe, and it must not be damaged. » “There already, we can easily see it. We can already see it there, it’s already a little bit colorful there. My job is to say that there are still people who work very well, with a desire, a desire to make a beautiful fruit, picked, picked at full maturity; and I take it, and I simply transform it into juice or nectar.” And this know-how seduces the greatest chefs... On the heights of Lyon, Christian Têtedoie, 2 stars in the Michelin guide, finds, in Alain's fruit juices, a source of inspiration... For the langoustine, the Chef dares to yellow tomato juice… “The advantage of the tomato, what I like, is that it has a little acidity but not too much. Here, this one is very sweet and so, I think that we will have a very interesting contrast with the very iodized side of the langoustine... Perfect. More and more fruit has its place in the kitchen because we are trying to make more and more fresh cuisine, and people are very attached today to the natural side of things. » And for the lobster, Christian Têtedoie imagined a carrot juice. “For me, it’s just a human adventure actually. We started with 6 references, 6 perfumes that we tested, and so the adventure continued and today, we are here. With a lot of happiness and a lot of pleasure to share, to share moments like that in fact and to be a little bit, even if there is three times nothing there, and three times nothing there. But I still participate in this very pretty dish. So I'm happy about it, yes. » South of Lyon, we leave the Rhône to discover another of its large tributaries: the Isère. This river was the heyday of the leather industry. Attracted by the abundance of water, tanners settled in Romans sur Isère at the end of the 14th century. Tannerie Roux is one of the oldest in France. It has just obtained the ‘Living Heritage Company’ label. Since 1803, skins have traditionally been prepared there which are intended for the big names in luxury. They are treated with the greatest care because the aim is to transform them into precious shoes or handbags. The specialist in skin processing is him. Frédéric Plaindoux. 30 years in the business. “I say all the time, it’s a job that we do with our eyes and our hands. Leather is how we manage to bring it to life.” When wet, the fibers of the skin are ready to absorb tannin. A substance naturally present in certain plants… “It’s powder from the bark of the chestnut tree. We are going to put this in the drum during re-tanning to bring roundness to the leather. It’s crushed chestnut bark. This will give a color, a little bit beige, natural. » In this drum, chestnut for roundness. And pigments for color. In the past, skins were given baths which could last for several months. They were then directly immersed in the river which passed through the Tannery. “We still have water from the Savasse which passed through the river workshops, the dyeing workshops. And it’s true that all the tanneries were installed next to a river. » Today, in 5 weeks, the skins undergo around a hundred different operations before being ready for cutting. “We see there that the dye is well fixed because the water, inside the leather, is really very clear.” A final bath and this leather will continue its journey to the greatest leather goods workshops... Because these skins are the delight of creators all over the world. “An off-white… Was it too beige? » “Ah yes, yes…It turned out too beige. Whiter” Vincent Bottessi is a young designer from the region. Each year, these leathers inspire a new collection of shoes. : “Vincent, is a reptile inspiration, in this spirit, could it be…” Today, Sébastien Croidieu, Sales Manager at the tannery, is offering him new samples to make his next prototypes. : “Would a bruise in this spirit work for you or not? * Vincent Bottessi: Too dark… “What’s great about this material is that there’s a little bit of blue… Pleasant to look at…” This store has more than two centuries of know-how in the field of tannery. “It’s Ali Baba’s cave. We often find leathers with quite formidable qualities, we will say. That's what's interesting... Yeah, you see, that's something that speaks to me..." "There are often young designers who come to our store. It’s a bit of their source of inspiration, they come to dig around to bring out materials that we created sometimes a very long time ago. * Are you happy to play the game...? * We play the game with pleasure. We have a lot of fun working with these young creators because they are full of ideas, full of passion and it’s a real treat. » “Here is Vincent, the holy grail… * Vincent Bottessi: The holy grail of shoes. * Sébastien: And then you show me that as soon as it’s ready! » From 1850, Romans sur Isère became the capital of luxury shoes. After the Second World War, nearly 200 clothing workshops made the city prosperous. For more than a century, these thousands of workers maintained know-how renowned throughout the world. This past has left its mark on all the inhabitants of Romans sur Isère. “Growing up in a town like Romans, it certainly already arouses in us a passion: shoes. We already live with the shoe every day while walking around the city. When I was very young, when my mother took me to town, we could see that, whether it was the stores, the shoe repair shops and then the famous designers there were at the time. And it was a dream..." But, in the 1980s, foreign competition caused the decline of this activity. Testimony to this history which is just waiting to be relived, the Shoe Museum... This former 17th century convent houses a unique collection in the world. In these windows, the works of the greatest bootmakers in the history of fashion. And, in the reserves, the most precious shoes are kept. “Perhaps I can show you a shoe called a ‘bridge shoe’ which would have been worn by Catherine de Medici. And we have a copy here. You will see that these are very very fragile shoes. But here it is, to ensure the strength of the shoe, a plate connects the heel to the front of the shoe, this is what we call a bridge shoe. So here is another much more exotic model. Since it is a Mongolian boot from the 19th century. So it’s shark skin applied to velvet. So still a very beautiful piece. The sharkskin is really lacy with a scroll and finishes which give all the originality to this boot. This kind of shoes. This is another shoe from the 17th century. In skin too. With a heel you can see very far forward. All shoemakers have always known how to recreate fashion. So very early on, from antiquity, we found the 3 types of shoes which are the sandal, the shoe and the boot. So, the sandal in hot countries. The shoe, in colder countries and the boot for nomadic peoples. So, from these 3 models, we have only declined in time and space. So, the shoe is infinite and inexhaustible. » A precious heritage that continues to inspire today’s creators like Vincent. “So there you have it, that’s all the shapes we have. » To make his pump, Vincent called on one of the last workshops in the region. Round model, that's what's going to be tricky..." 10 ½ * Julie: We're going more with these... So yes, you're going to have especially these, these..." With Julie Cornu, they have to First, choose the right shape. “The liner must be impeccable and above all the height of the heel must correspond to the arch height. * Vincent: In that genre? * Julie: So here we're going to see if it matches... So we don't look too bad if we add the right toe and the sole, we're not bad. * Vincent: It’s okay. * Julie: Ok.” At 25 years old Julie is able to completely assemble a shoe by hand. From Vincent's drawing , she will create a pattern. All parts of the shoe are laser cut and then assembled by hand. To make a shoe, it takes nearly 150 different operations. “You can recognize a beautiful shoe precisely by its details. What I love, for example, is seeing ultra-fine stitches, tiny dots like we don't do anymore, that's precisely it. I believe that a truly beautiful shoe, with all the soul it has, is a shoe that we have worked on for hours. » After stitching, you now need to increase the volume of the shoe. In the workshop, it is Abdel who is responsible for this last step. It took a day of work to make this prototype. “So Abdel? * Abdel: Well, listen, it’s good. *Julie: Impeccable. Perfect, great job. “That’s the job done. I'll let you look at it yourself. * Vincent: No, but for the lines it’s not bad anyway for a first draft. We are young and shoes are something that for us must be a passion. And I really wanted to develop this Made in France here. For me there was no logic in going elsewhere or having it manufactured elsewhere. This is really what is close to my heart, it is in quotes: my city, Dauphiné, Romans sur Isère. * Julie: The know-how that we have here is incredible know-how. And to let all that go is a shame. » In the heart of the Hautes Alpes, the Serre Ponçon lake. It is the largest water reservoir in Europe. This immense lake has transformed the course of the Rhône’s most fiery tributary: the Durance. More than 300 km long, this alpine river crosses the Boscodon forest, classified as an exceptional forest. A remarkable fir forest of 850 hectares. It hides a real treasure. :a wild orchid. “It’s a Venus slipper. » “Cypripedion calceolus. » The Venus shoe evokes the shape of a shoe, which gave it its name. “Just look at the beauty of this flower. Well it’s true that it’s an orchid in the wild which is magnificent. It looks like a little hoof. And so it is used for fertilization. So there is an insect which enters, which becomes more or less trapped and which pollinates the hoof. » This wild orchid grows up to 1,600 meters above sea level, between light and shadow. A very rare plant which belongs to the Alpine heritage. “The Venus slipper here on the Boscodon forest is one of the emblematic species of the site. It is a very remarkable species. It can be abundant in places which makes people say there are a lot of them and I will pick them up. But you absolutely should n’t! On the one hand because it is prohibited, it is a nationally protected plant, and on the other hand because it is a plant which is very fragile. Fragile when trampled, fragile when picked up with a reproduction that is fragile. » “1, 2, 3...19” The Venus slipper is a species whose evolution is essential to follow. Every year, ONF agents identify the plots where it flowers and carry out an inventory. “Number of feet 35…” This year, more than 10,000 feet of Venus’s Slipper were counted. A constantly increasing figure. “She comes back every year and she must have been there for hundreds of years , so she must be good…” Today, the Boscodon forest is home to one of the most beautiful populations in France. This morning, a strange event is brewing on the banks of the Durance. “Step back a little more. There stop » Denis Furestier is a former high mountain guide. Like every year, he wants to go down the Durance on these huge rafts. In 4 days, our enthusiasts will set off to attack the river, as the merchants who delivered wood from the region to the big cities of the Mediterranean did in the past. “The wood was here, it had to be taken down 200 km further down. And there they were, they were simply using the river to bring down their goods . There was no land route. So the land route was the river. So ultimately, it quite naturally became this kind of road that works, as they say. » This road is the Durance. Until the 19th century, it was the only way to transport the precious species of the Boscodon forest... Firs, spruces, pines, and above all, the most sought-after of all, larch... A material of choice for construction sites naval vessels and frameworks of Arles, Marseille or Avignon. To go to the Mediterranean, the timber merchants used the power of the Durance. Their technique was ingenious: building rafts with the tree trunks they had to sell. These men were called rafters. At the risk of their lives, they carried out this mission of primary importance before sinking into oblivion. Today, Denis and his friends are bringing their story to life. “Did you find any nice ones there Denis? » * “There, magnificent for saving time on the uprights of the oars. » Like the rafters of old, they use the natural resources of the forest to assemble their rafts. In these thickets, they came to look for an essential element to make ultra-resistant ropes. “The hazelnut ties here, in the Southern Alps, are the basis of the assembly, they are the most important. If the links are strong, the raft will be strong. If the ties are badly cut at the bad moon, well the raft is necessarily solid, if the ties are not solid because if there is a shock, the raft will break, they will break. So the choice of links may seem very stupid but it’s important.” To build their rafts, no modern materials are used. No nails, no glue, no rope, etc. The tools are those of yesteryear. The opportunity to rediscover the ingenuity of the ancients “It’s good. » They knew how to transform these hazel branches into strong bonds. “We separate all the wood fibers. We see that... there it is, it moves away, it moves apart and the fact of separating them softens them. If we take the branch without separating them, we break it in two like this. If we separate the fibers, it will create flexibility. See, hop, it comes out, it comes out and there you go. » This operation consists of breaking the nerve of a plant link to soften it. “You see, it’s a rope. Everything is good, we put it in the fleet and off we go. It's exciting because, suddenly, we are motivated by the fact of building our own raft with natural materials, and then, then, we are going to sail on it on the Durance, on the rapids and there, it starts to work. make your heart beat a little.” The rafters disappeared at the end of the 19th century, with the advent of the railway. There is no written testimony about the construction methods they used. Denis and his friends experimented for 25 years before developing their own techniques. “Hop. There, the line, you will do it there. » “It’s especially to repeat the gesture of my ancestors. As my great great grandfather came down from the Durance, he is for his work, we are for feasting and having fun. So we can understand the difficulty of these people and hats off and respect to the whole family. » The next day is the big day. In a few minutes, 21 volunteers will set off to attack the largest torrent in the Alps. " Gently. Get all of you there, ho. » “Quickly into the water there!” » 4 men at the front, 2 at the back, a leader in the middle and oars which serve as rudders. You still have to know how to use the force of the current... Denis is worried. The smaller crew struggles to control their raft. “Claude. Row well in the current. Yes, that's it. Raise your oar, like this, there you go. Yeah like that. They absolutely have to be able to get into the flow otherwise they can't get out. The water that rises is very powerful. Come on Claude, a little more! Francis! Help him Claude!” Under the encouragement of Denis and that of the public, the rafts finally leave the shore. For two hours, our enthusiasts will sail in the footsteps of the rafters of the Durance. In the past, these timber merchants continued their journey for several days to the city of Arles. A perilous journey of nearly 300 km… A real feat for Denis and his friends whose descent will end at Lac de Serre Ponçon. Miles away, daybreak over the countryside. We are in Dombes, 20 km north east of Lyon. “We can throw things in a… * Pilot: “Throw throw (…)” Today, Maurice Benmergui will have a new experience. " Here we go ? » Maurice works for the National Hunting Office. We are between Burgundy and the Alps. “In principle we almost have to see Mont Blanc which must be hidden? * Pilot: So Mont-Blanc… Ah if we can see it there! * Maurice: He’s there. » Here, for a millennium, each pond has had the same name. “So the Etang de Chassagne there we are going to pass over it. * Maurice: The large pond of Chassagne yes. * Pilot: So the Baucherot pond. * Maurice: Baucherot, yeah. And we 're going to pass the Culate. New Pond. » It is called the region of a thousand ponds. A paradise for birds that have fascinated Maurice for 35 years “I flew over it so much simply by looking at maps, learning almost all the names of these Dombes ponds, that today I can see them in real life, in 3D , by taking the time to see them, yes for me it’s a great discovery. There, from where we are, we have the whole of Dombes at our feet. And with the backlight. There, we really have this mirror feeling. » From the Rhône, you have to go up the Ain to discover this secret and little-known region. This unique territory is one of the largest biological reserves in Europe for the reproduction of migratory birds. Every spring, more than 250 species come to take refuge there. A period impatiently awaited by Maurice and his team. “Wow amazing. » This morning, they are organizing a counting day on one of the richest ponds in Dombes. “Do you have anything other than pochard? Did you tell me a red brood? There’s something else, right? Mainly ponies? » Maurice, Romain and Stéphanie identify a species accustomed to the place. “There I have a nest with a young and two eggs... * Stéphanie: That’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 broods. * Romain: So here we count the terns, the nests and the young that are in the nest to see a little bit how many colonies there are left in Dombes, how many pairs there are, and a little bit to see if the success reproduction is good or not what. There you see I come across 92 nests. Do you rate Stephanie? * Stephanie: Yes. * Romain: I come across 92 nests and 119 adults. » The tern is a rare and protected migratory bird . Every spring, it comes from south of the Sahara to nest in these ponds. “It is truly an emblematic species of Dombes. Because it is a total indicator of the quality of the environments. It is a bird that will nest on floating plant beds in the center of the pond, and will thus demonstrate the good health of pond water as a general rule. » These ponds constitute ecological niches of prime importance. For Mauritius, they are the great wealth of the region. “Here is a potamo, so one of the narrow-leaved species. These are aquatic grass beds that remain totally submerged, you see. These plants will feed the fish that will be raised in these ponds, the ducks, the ducks, most of the birds that live on these ponds will at some point find something to do with these plants, including eating them or eating the larvae. , the invertebrates they contain. So yes, it is a pond that is excellent for life, for wildlife, in general. » An aquatic herbarium is a bit like an underwater meadow. There is an astonishing flora there: water chestnuts, lentils, aquatic carrots... They benefit both birds and fish. Another regular here, the white stork. 15 years ago, it was also under the surveillance of the Hunting Office. This home-loving animal builds a large nest of branches that it uses for several years. In Dombes, agriculture and storks go well together. Because this bird likes to nest near farms. This morning, Maurice and Romain met with Michel Damians for a very original rescue. “So there you have it, all they had…” On this platform, they are going to make a nest to encourage the storks to settle in. “It’s a bird that has a big side of sympathy and that helps promote the bond between the general public we will say, and the birds. So that’s why we encouraged their establishment in Dombes. » In the 90s, there were only 3 pairs of storks left in Dombes. To encourage their return, the Hunting Office had installed 16 metal platforms like this one. . “We will bring back a few hundred grams of material, they will bring back 200 kg in a few years. Over a few years, it can reach between 150 and 300kg. » Over time, Maurice and Romain have become experts. “In the spring you will see them again. I assure you that they will land at your home and that they will test the nest. I can guarantee that to you! Whether they stay there...I don't know yet... But... they will come to your home. » “So here, we put paint to simulate droppings to attract the storks a little more, to show them that the nest has already been used. We are putting one more chance on our side to hope that they will use the new platform. » “I feel like I’m participating in the conservation of Dombiste heritage, absolutely. Because I think that storks are part of our heritage today. It’s something… it’s magnificent ! The tourists have a great time, we are there every day and we have a great time too, so great! It really makes me happy that we were able to bring this up today. » But Dombes is not only a refuge for migratory birds. It is also the first freshwater fish farming region in France. Since the Middle Ages, monks have helped the population to dig these ponds. As evidenced by the abbey of Notre-Dame des Dombes... The monks also imagined an ingenious hydraulic system so that the 1,400 ponds of the Dombes could fill and empty into each other. Marc de Clavière is fighting to ensure that this age-old activity continues. “ So, here is the typical mechanism of the Dombes called the Thou. So this is what gives us the possibility of regulating, closing, opening and actually preparing the emptying of the pond. So this one you see it is from 1907 : so it is a quite old Thou, and which gives us the possibility of closing, opening and regulating all water levels. Let's go ! We are going to let the Thou descend slowly to close it definitively until fishing. Finished ! » For 3 weeks, the Grand Birieux pond will gradually empty. Autumn has arrived and, with it, an age-old tradition of freshwater fishing. This morning, the fish farmers spread their immense nets. The fish are there but no one knows if there will be many. “Laurent, we cut in front of the aerator. » For these professional fishermen, fish is the primary source of income. “For me, it’s a pretty important day because we’ve been waiting for this moment for exactly a year. So we hope we will have good fishing. We have some clues if you want; I know that the bottom of the pond is not green. You see that lots of small bowls of turds have been formed by the fish so we still have some hope of having quality fishing today. Robert you tell us? Yours ! We continue…” During this fishing, Robert plays an essential role. He is the one responsible for sorting. He is able to select fish species by species, blindly. “Okay, Robert, will you tell me what’s going on as we go along? As in all environments, there are fish which are dominant, which will take the place which will be on top, and the fish will position themselves in layers above the net. So my fisherman who is very used to it will start, you will see, to catch mainly predators which are on the surface, and little by little he will go down to the bottom of the net to find other breeds of fish. » “We continue what the elders certainly did. But it has been modernized all the same. There is just one thing that has not modernized: you still have to sort the fish. There is no machine that can replace human beings. » Sorted by species, the fish are immediately weighed. You have to act quickly because the fish must stay alive. He must never suffer from lack of water. The Dombes supplies the French and foreign markets with pike, tench and roach. But the queen of the ponds here is the carp that we eat as far away as Israel. “There you have a fish which is a carp. In fact it is a Koi carp. See the beauty. So originally it's the fish that we put a little in the aquariums. And there you have a specimen which is hanging around a little bit in a few ponds here. » That morning, more than 4 tons of fish were caught. Thanks to Robert's know-how , in the end only the smallest ones remain. These are released… “That’s for next year. » We leave Dombes to find the Rhône. Head to Orange where an enthusiast of another kind will share with us a completely new vision of the river. “ The trap, the hook, it’s good. » Olivier Pallier is a fighter pilot in the Air Force. For more than 20 years, he has been part of the very restricted corps of elite pilots. “I was 3 years old, I was already drawing planes. And at the age of 8 I saved money, and at 18 I paid for my certificate, and then I made it my job. Afterwards the road was long, hard, a lot of work. And now it's been more than 20 years, more than 20 years that I've been in the Air Force and I'm very proud to pilot this machine. » Like every day, Olivier starts his training session. He carries out missions and hours of flight on a legendary aircraft: the Mirage 2000. And for these pilots capable of flying at nearly 2,500 km/h, the Rhône provides valuable information. “Just after a few seconds of climbing, well, we can see the extent of the Rhône valley... The flight times are very, very short so we see a lot of landscapes in a very short time. The Rhône is a landmark for pilots. We see it in different ways. We see it at low altitude when we take off from the Orange runway, so we see it quite big. You can see the different meanders of the river. We can see the state of the water, the color, whether there are floods, if there are no floods... The colors change. When it's windy, we also see different things on the water... Cotton 1, 401... We're going to roll... And when we go very, very high, even higher than the airliners, you can see the whole of the Rhône from Lyon practically to its mouth. And there it seems small, but it seems at the same time big since we see it for miles and miles. Here, seen from above, is the Rhône. We are above everyone and we see this whole landscape passing before our eyes. 45° downhill. » Whether in the air or on the ground, the Rhône is completely part of Olivier’s life. Direction Beaucaire, near Orange. It is in the river port that Olivier has taken up residence. When he returns from his flight, he finds his wife Natacha and their son Mathis on their barge. 6 years ago, Olivier and Natacha fell in love with the Vixit: the oldest iron hull boat still sailing in France. Built in 1862, this barge has lived through three wars and experienced many of the innovations that changed the world. “It’s a boat that has a fantastic history since it sank 3 times, including once scuttled in the First World War: it remained for 5 years at the bottom of the water, in Fosse-sur-Mer, not very far away from here. It had been scuttled to prevent enemies from passing through this cana at the time. It was refloated in the 1945s. And the last time it sank, it was renamed Vixit: which means in Latin, it lived, because already at that time it was very old. » After the Vixit, Natacha and Olivier invested in another historic barge. Hélios is on the platform opposite. It is here that Natacha created a bed and breakfast business. In 1924, this barge transported concrete blocks in the Amsterdam region. It has recently been transformed into a home. “So, this is the captain’s cabin. It’s a little bit…It’s really the most unusual place on the boat because it’s the boatman’s former accommodation. So it's a room that's a little bit hidden, the access to which is hidden, it's located at the back of the boat and you can access it through this little place. So which seems closed, the entrance seems closed like a small box. So if we open it we discover behind these three wooden walls a small staircase, therefore quite steep, not very wide which in fact allows access to the cabin. So its particularity is that you have to go down backwards without raising your head too early because the descent is a little narrow and low. » Thanks to this bed and breakfast activity, Natacha and Olivier have forged very strong links in the port. Because Beaucaire has two river routes. On one side, the Rhône. On the other, a canal which goes to Sète. Dug at the beginning of the 19th century, it connects the Rhône to the Canal du Midi. Today, the port of Beaucaire welcomes boaters from all over the world. It is with these port users that Olivier created an association to preserve this authentic place of life. This morning, major cleaning operation. On foot along the quays or by boat, everyone responded. “So there you have it, the kind of things you can find in water. Unfortunately, it's blocked, we can't remove it. So, sometimes they are TVs, there it is a sander a priori. And then, look to the side, there you go. These are the kinds of things that people come to throw at the feet of our boats. » “You shouldn’t throw things in the water…” “I suggest you go a little further! » Director: “Why are you taking part in an operation like that? * Didier: Because we are defenders of nature, we live on the water and we want our living space to be clean and then it is also out of conviction, we respect both places and nature. There are a lot of them there! And we do this on a daily basis in all cases, on our boat, we pick up rubbish every morning. With a landing net and the landing net is always ready to... On the quay and in the canal. There is plenty to do ! » This marina was once dedicated to commerce. For centuries, Beaucaire hosted, every year, the Madeleine Fair, an internationally renowned event. Every summer, merchants from all over Europe set up shop at the foot of the castle. For 8 days, hundreds of thousands of people traded on the banks of the Rhône. In the 18th century, during the golden age of the fair, rich merchants built magnificent residences in the historic center. It is one of them that Véronique Martin is interested in today; she is a heritage specialist for the town of Beaucaire. With Patrick Gantz, photographer, she is preparing a brochure on these private hotels. Built in 1675, the Hôtel des Margalliers has a rich sculpted facade… “These sculpted heads are mascarons. We started from the youngest and the further west we go , the sun will set and it will herald death. And people age slowly. And this is reflected through the sculpture. We have the same thing upstairs. But there, they're just ladies. The ladies take care of the noble floor, maintaining it, preparing meals, etc. so it’s their level and, the same, we will go from the youngest to the slightly older ladies. » On the occasion of the Madeleine fair, the owners of these private mansions offer accommodation and meals to visitors from all over Europe. Behind the facade, another surprise awaits Véronique… A monumental grand staircase. “We are taking a whole series of photos to inventory all the heritage linked to the Beaucaire Fair because this civic architecture is due to all the money we earned during the July trade . And we need, for our visitors, to show all these aspects which are not necessarily visible every day but which are relatively remarkable. So we build up a photo library which is then used to distribute it to the public. » But of this rich heritage, there remains little trace today. Because most of these prestigious residences have been modified or transformed into apartments. Some, fortunately, have been preserved but cannot be visited. “When you're lucky enough to have keys and be able to enter buildings, it's ideal. This time, I was able to get the keys to this house, but hey it’s a discovery! We never came back, we had contact with the owner but I don't know what we'll see inside. » The Roy St Michel hotel was built in place of a former dye house. “This is where you want me to take photos…” It belongs to a Parisian family who has never modified or redeveloped it since the 18th century. “It’s still surprising. Rare today are the buildings which have retained all their volume, all their height and even the period furniture. So, it's very interesting for us because we'll be able to take a little inventory of these interiors, the fireplaces, all the decor and the architecture... It's the first time in Beaucaire that I've discovered one. like that so it must certainly be the only one that remained intact. » It is especially this fireplace that interests Véronique because it illustrates the rich hours of the Madeleine Fair. " What do you think about it… ? » “Yes honestly there are all the details you need. It's perfect. You should know that these houses were entirely rented at the time of the Fair. We welcome up to 100,000 people per day at the time of the big market and there is a demand for rental which is enormous and all these fireplaces will be used for cooking since we will perhaps be able to accommodate in these rooms like these, 15, 20 people who sometimes sleep on the floor and prepare their soup in these fireplaces. » The first guide to the private mansions of the Madeleine fair will soon be published. The Roy St Michel hotel will certainly feature prominently. “Are you okay, do you have a nice light? * Patrick: Yes, she is magnificent. » “ It’s okay, go ahead and give it some slack… N “It’s okay” Three days later. We find Natacha and Olivier aboard their historic barge. “So there, the boat is almost 40 meters with the rudder. There we go. I love machines. It's a huge pleasure to be able to move a boat that weighs 180 tonnes like this or a plane (...) I've tried a little bit all the means of locomotion and with humor I'm used to saying that I never have my feet on the ground in fact. Because at the same time I am on the water, in the air. This is my life. » Natacha and Olivier decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vixit. To celebrate this exceptional anniversary, they imagined a party bringing together several associations in Avignon. A one- day trip that starts with crossing the wild Rhône, which we call here Le Petit Rhône. " I adore. It's a bit Amazonian. It's just us, we're alone in the world. » * Natacha: “Yes, the landscape is very different from the vivid Rhône. There, we really have nature and only nature. It's really, wild, it's more difficult to navigate because, as you can see, there are pitfalls a little bit on each side. But it's still very pleasant. » After about twenty kilometers on the wild Rhône, the Vixit now sails on a canalized river. The Beaucaire lock is the first dam installed on the river when going up from the Mediterranean. “It’s always very impressive and it’s a lot of stress. You have to be very concentrated, the maneuver is easy when the boat arrives slowly but sometimes you have to react quickly and it can get complicated very quickly. Especially in locks like these which are quite colossal. » “ Every time the door opens, a new world appears. The landscape changes very often even if the place is the same: the light, the season, the current, the wind, it's always different. » After 7 hours of navigation, the end of the journey is approaching. Avignon is in sight, a city classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “Arriving in a city like this, with the Avignon Bridge, the city of the Popes, is simply magical. » A major witness to the history of the Rhône, the Pont Saint-Bénezet, commonly called Pont d'Avignon, was built in the 12th century. Border post between the Kingdom of France and the city of the Popes. Several times washed away by the floods of the Rhône, and each time rebuilt, the Pont d'Avignon was finally abandoned in 1668. Today, only four arches remain. A little later, a very nice surprise awaits Natacha and Olivier. A magnificent parade came to escort them. “Le petit Julot” Hundred-year-old boats gathered on the Rhône. They came to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vixit. “Ah the Mériot, yes, it’s the Mériot too. And look, there’s the Ravir coming there, look! Do you see the Ravir? » On the banks, volunteers from the associations wait for the procession. Everyone dressed in 19th century costume, to pay homage to the birth of Vixit. There are even pilot friends who have come to party with their aerobatic planes. “It’s Benoît. Excellent. Those are nice surprises. That ’s all my friends getting involved.” Look, say hello, there he sees you! You see it. You see, Benoît, he’s making smoke… * Mathis: He’s making loops. * Olivier: Yes.” The journey is now over. “It’s a lot of pride and a lot of emotion. It's sharing, making people happy, making people discover and being able to also associate tradition, it's something superb. » Through their passion, Natacha and Olivier bring to life the traditions of the Rhône sailors. In a few months, they will welcome new travelers aboard their historic barge to help them discover this mythical river.