More wine and another river

Coming down from the hills in the late afternoon there are vines, vines and more vines. We come smack through the middle of the main Beaujolais area, shown in yellow in the bottom half of this map, reaching the river Saone at Anse.

Here's an early view, emerging from the woods. It all seems achingly beautiful. 

Most grapes are destined for red Beaujolais. But as one grower comments to us - not necessarily approvingly - rosé is much à la mode now.. 

Here is another vigneron pruning the growth off his vines to let the sun get at the fruit, a job I had naively assumed was still done by hand. 

After a long day we reached the nicely named village of Oingt. Restaurants, a pottery shop, an art gallery - in the next door village there is a coach load of American students - but no boulangerie for the locals. The buildings use a beautiful golden coloured stone - pierre dorée. 

Pierre dorée has attracted international attention, which will help the restaurants and galleries. It seems a very long way from the villages of the poor Auvergne a week ago. 

And so to Anse and a first sight across yet more vines of the mighty Saone. The Saone joins the Rhône just south of here at Lyon and in the past was a critical part of the large north-south river trade.