October 25, 2010
Exploring Montauban: day off bikes
WEATHER: SUNNY AND WINDY
Breakfast was served in Pierrete's beautifully furnished vintage dining room on fine china with cloth napkins. She painstakingly described the many homemade jams and carried on a rapid conversation with us all in French. We did our best en français and enjoyed the finely appointed table in the interesting surroundings.
We set out to explore Montauban in the cold windy sunshine and crossed the newer bridge from which we could see the old Pont Vieux, then walked right along the river, somewhat sheltered from the wind, and looked at the old buildings along the riverside. We walked back across the Pont Vieux (built in the 1700s), and then through the pedestrianized area where we had first come into town in the rain, and eventually on to the historic brick arcades.
We found the Restaurant Nantes and had an excellent lunch. We started with a creamy pumpkin soup, then rabbit in mustard sauce. For dessert Al had apple-rhubarb crumble and Eva had the best tarte au chocolat yet. Since we weren't cycling we indulged in a 50 cl pichet of red wine.
After lunch we went down to the small botanical garden and discovered that we were walking on a bit of American Indian land. Apparently some Osage Indians had been brought to Europe as curiosities in 1820, and later abandoned. They were welcomed and comforted in Montauban. They were returned to North America through the generosity of the Montalbanis. In memory of this history, in 1992 Montauban gave this parcel of land to the Osage and Cherokee tribes.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
We walked all around the centre of Montauban before returning to the B&B for a welcome cup of tea. Dinner that night was at Cave aux Delices, recommended by Pierrete and very good, especially the unusual entree--nougat des topinambours (jerusalem artichokes.) For the plat we had chicken fricassee in a tomato sauce with polenta laced with parmesan, and for dessert pears with chocolate panna cotta, along with a ½ bottle of Cahors wine.
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 1 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |