Notes in the Rough: sharing a few scribbles

Haute Savoie et Bourgogne
Some Time in Eastern France

Hiking in Burgundy
Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. Burgundians gave their name to the region. Later in time, the region was divided between the duchy of Burgundy (west of Burgundy) and the county of Burgundy (east of Burgundy). The duchy of Burgundy is the most famous of the two; the one which reached historical fame. Later, the duchy of Burgundy became the French province of Burgundy, while the county of Burgundy became the French province of Franche-Comté (literally meaning "free county").

little piggies in the burgundy countryside

The modern-day administrative région of Bourgogne comprises most of the former Duchy of Burgundy.

The Burgundians were one of the Germanic peoples who filled the power vacuum left by the collapse of the western half of the Roman empire. In 411, they crossed the Rhine and established a kingdom at Worms. Amidst repeated clashes between the Romans and Huns, the Burgundian kingdom eventually occupied what is today the borderlands between Switzerland, France, and Italy. In 534, the Franks defeated Godomar, the last Burgundian king, and absorbed the territory into their growing empire.
Its modern existence is rooted in the dissolution of the Frankish empire. When the dynastic dust had settled in 880s, there were three Burgundies: the kingdom of Upper Burgundy around Lake Geneva, the kingdom of Lower Burgundy in Provence, and the duchy of Burgundy in France. The two kingdoms of Burgundy were reunited in 937 and absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire under Conrad II in 1032, while the duchy of Burgundy was annexed by the French throne in 1004.
During the Middle Ages, Burgundy was the seat of some of the most important Western churches and monasteries, among them Cluny, Citeaux, and Vézelay.
During the Hundred Years' War, King Jean II of France gave the duchy to his younger son, rather than leaving it to his successor on the throne. The duchy soon became a major rival to the French throne, because the Dukes of Burgundy succeeded in assembling an empire stretching from Switzerland to the North Sea, mostly by marriage. The Burgundian Empire consisted of a number of fiefdoms on both sides of the (then largely symbolic) border between the French kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire. Its economic heartland was in the Low Countries, particularly Flanders and Brabant. The court in Dijon outshone the French court by far, both economically and culturally. In Belgium and The Netherlands, a 'Burgundian lifestyle' still means 'enjoyment of life, good food, and extravagant spectacle'.
In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Burgundy provided a power base for the rise of the Habsburgs, after Maximilian of Austria had married into the ducal family. In 1477 the last duke Charles the Bold was killed in battle and Burgundy itself taken back by France. His daughter Mary and her husband Maximillian moved the court to the palace at Coudenberg, Brussels and ruled the remnants of the empire (the Low Countries (Burgundian Netherlands) and Franche-Comté, then still a German fief) from there.
Burgundy produces wines of the same name. Although "Burgundy" means red, the Burgundy region produces both white wines and red wines. According to the AOC's regulations, they must only be made of either Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay or Pinot Blanc to be considered true Burgundy wines. The best-known wines are made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals, and come from the Côte d'Or, although also viticulturally part of Burgundy are Beaujolais, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâcon.
Burgundy wines can be described as varied, complex, human, and sophisticatedly homely. They are highly regarded because of historical tradition, and arguably because they transmit well the flavour of the land, what the French call terroir.The reputation, quality, and small numbers of production of the top wines means high prices and high demand. This leads to the wines of this region to be some of the most expensive wines in the World. Some consumers buy the high-end wines of this region purely for speculative purposes, as they are often regarded as Veblen goods.
There have been issues with the quality for the asking price, and reputed fraud practices of enhancing the lesser wines with powerful, alcoholic and deeply coloured southern wine.
The highest point in Burgundy is Haut-Folin in the Morvan.
The Canal of Burgundy joins the Rivers Yonne and Saône, allowing barges to navigate from the north to south of France. Construction began in 1765 and was completed in 1832. At the summit there is a tunnel 3.333 kilometers long in a straight line. The canal is 242 kilometers long having a total 209 locks and crosses two counties of Burgundy, the Yonne and Cote d'Or. The canal is now mostly used for riverboat tourism; Dijon, the most important city along the canal, has a harbor for leisure boats.
And of course, famous Burgundian dishes include coq au vin and beef bourguignon.
Some Burgundian trivia....
In 1430 the Burgundians captured Joan of Arc. The constructor of the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel was born in Dijon. There is a mustard museum called Le Musee De Moutarde in Dijon. Dijon mustard and Grey Poupon were both invented in Dijon। Dijon mustard was first made with juice from grapes instead of vinegar there.

And then there was Lac Benit....
In Haute-Savoie (English: "Upper Savoy") is a French department, named for its location in the Alps mountain range.

In case you were wondering...
Departments (French: départements IPA /de.paʁ.tǝ.mɑ̃/) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. The 100 French departments are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas regions. They are subdivided into 342 arrondissements.

In the middle of High Savoy, Mont Saxonnex profits from a preserved framework, services of proximity, varied lodgings. You will practise various activities of full nature in any season (Alpine skiing/bottom, rackets, randos, horsemanship, climbing…) and will appreciate calms it this small station.
Altitude 1000 to 1550 meters. It has 1500 inhabitants. It is not far from Paris, only 573 km. It is 189 km to Lyon. The closest Airport is Annecy, with Geneva 40 km away.

Haute-Savoie (ōt-sävwä') department (1990 pop. 577,600), Eastern France, in the northern part of the old duchy of Savoy. Annecy is the capital. A historical region and former duchy of southeast France, western Switzerland, and northwest Italy. The region changed hands many times after its conquest by Julius Caesar and became a duchy in the early 15th century. In 1720 the duke of Savoy gained the title king of Sardinia, and in 1861 the Savoyard Victor Emmanuel II ascended the throne of the newly formed kingdom of Italy. Much of the original territory was ceded to France at the same time.

Haute Savoie is also famous for the following reasons:
Mont Blanc and Lake Annecy are located in Haute-Savoie. To the North, Haute-Savoie borders on Switzerland, with Geneva as the closest major town, and Lake Geneva. The town of Évian-les-Bains is the most famous town on the French shore of Lake Geneva, well-known around the world for its mineral water Evian. To the east, Haute-Savoie borders Italy and to the west the department of Ain. Some of the world's most well-known ski resorts are located there. For Instance Chamonix is a city where ski and Mountaineering are at the heart of the economic activity, thanks to the Mont-Blanc (Europe's highest mountain, 480 The area is famous for the entrance to the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Italy and is also home to Chamonix and other notable ski resorts.
The first Winter Olympic Games was held in Chamonix from January 25 to February 5, 1924. 8 meters).

Annecy is a city of southern France in the Alps on Lake Annecy east-northeast of Lyon. It is a popular resort and tourist center. Population: 50,800.
Annecy (änsē'), town (1990 pop. 51,143), capital of Haute-Savoie department. SE France, in Savoy in the North Alps, on beautiful Lake Annecy. A popular tourist resort, it also has printing plants and factories making jewelry, precision instruments, and wood, leather, and textile products. The center of the city, traversed by narrow canals, is picturesquely medieval. St. Francis de Sales, who was born in Annecy, was bishop from 1602 to 1622. The city has many fine churches, monasteries, and seminaries. The castle of the counts of Geneva (12th–14th century) dominates Annecy from a hill.

Other Lakes in Haute Savioe include:
Lac d'Annecy, 27.6 km
Lac d'Arvour, south of the Cornettes de Bise
Lac Bénit at the Mont-Saxonnex, under the chaîne du Bargy
Marais de la Braille between Saint-Félix and Bloye
Lac du Brévent at Chamonix
Lacs de la Cavettaz called Lacs de Passy at Passy
Lac de Charamillon north of the glacier du Tour
Lac de Darbon, south of the La Dent d'Oche
Lac des Dronières at Cruseilles
Lac de Fontaine at Fontaine
Lac de Génissiat at the barrage de Génissiat (for the part in Savoy)
Lac des Gorges du Fier at Montrottier
Lac de la Griaz at the Houches
Lac de Jotty at the Esserts
Lacs Jovet at the Contamines-Montjoie
Lac Léman (French part)
Lac de Lessy at the col de la Forclaz-Lessy, under the Pic de Jallouvre
Étang de Machilly at Machilly
Lac du Môle between Viuz-en-Sallaz and Saint-Jeoire
Lac de Montriond, at Montriond
Lac Noir in the massif des Aiguilles-Rouges
Lac de Pormenaz in the Passy country park
Lac de Préssy at Taninges
Lac de Vallon, at La Chèvrerie

A fabulous hiking guide to the area: Insider Travel Guides

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A Place to Grow Roots
Having been an online entity for over three years now, originating in northern California, Griffonage Studios is currently looking for a brick and mortar location in Tucson Arizona.
The search continues in earnest, as investigations of the warehouse district in Tucson (6th and 6th) uncover and unveil fascinating artists, creative events and activities and numerous options.