Definition: bercy

Bercy, the world's wine cellar: the commune of Bercy has an exceptional history, evolving from châteaux to warehouses to become the most important wine trading centre in Europe. A history linked to wine. It is difficult to date the origin of the first warehouses in Bercy exactly, but one anecdote seems to mark these beginnings: it is said that Louis XIV, who had come to hear mass in Bercy, was indignant to see a member of the congregation remaining standing during the service. He sent a guard to investigate, who found that the man was in fact kneeling. His unusual height had caused the misunderstanding! Intrigued, the king summoned this giant. His name was Martin and he was a Burgundian winegrower. Seizing the opportunity presented by this unexpected encounter, Sir Martin asked the king for permission to sell his products on this bank of the Seine. Amused, the king agreed. Thus was born the very first wine warehouse in Bercy.