Montpelier Days 97 – 101 August 4th to 7th 2019
Ask me at this minute what I think of Montpellier and the answer will glow a little. Ask me 3 days ago, soon after we arrived and I would answer “Not feeling the love” – this was a slower starter than most.
What changed today? Firstly – embarrassed to say food made a difference. What we have experienced thus far was a bit ho-hum. Today found a cute little café with tables out on the footpath, chalkboard decoration along the walls, a small dark cosy bar inside. Café Broc – one of those accidental finds you stumble across that turn into gems.
Burrata salad at Cafe Broc-A Burrata salad that had us both swooning. A burrata with a squishy soft oozy centre with a creamy taste, atop a salad that included a range of heritage tomatoes, fresh fruit, pine nuts. It worked – tastes, textures colours galore.
Yesterday afternoon another feast for the senses – this time at the Musee Fabre and Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran Hotel. The collection was extensive, a delicious experience wandering the many rooms of the museum founded in 1825 by François-Xavier Fabre, himself an artist from Montpellier. Art spanning centuries – early works of the 15th century – I thought I remembered earlier works but my excitement may have over-ridden my memory.
I spent quite a time with these two exquisite statues by Jean-Antoine Houdon – The Seasons – Summer and Winter each portrayed the warmth of summer and cold austerity of winter.
This enjoyment of this museum visit was aided further by a superstar audio guide. The guide – along with a description of the works and restoration gave both art history and historical context to the works.
Next door was a further treat. The Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran Hotel, now the Decorative Arts Museum. A lushly decorated interior from the 19th century, with modern works placed throughout. The modern works were an extension of a current exhibition in the Musee Fabre of the work of Vincent Bioulès.
The more I write, the more the lovely moments come forward – and the less lovely memories recede. Just to get the less lovely out of the way:
We had met friends here for a week – a week planned many months ago, back in Australia. The three – minus me – were going to do French language and cooking classes. This conjured up romantic ideas of lovely settings, cooking traditional French cuisine, and dabbling in the French language. All the while staying in a quaint little French apartment.
The reality was less exciting – our rooms were very basic and smelled of many years of habitation. Dreary decoration and overlooking the tram stop which began announcements about 6 am each morning, The French lessons were part of a longer course so not specific and the French cooking was on two evenings and not so French.
Chris persisted, our friends decided to explore Montpellier instead. We quickly developed a routine of meeting for lunch then spend the afternoon wandering Montpellier.
The oldest Medical school in the Western World, with an extensive Anatomy museum, was high on my list. Unfortunately, I did not read the instructions!!! It was only by guided tour and the next date available was after we were to leave.
The museum and medical school are in a complex with the unusual St Pierre Cathedral with its massive towers joined by a high vaulted ceiling at the entrance. Looking more fortress than cathedral as one of the oldest buildings in Montpellier it has a long history. The expansive vaulted interior must have been daunting for early attendees unused to large towering buildings. My favourite piece inside – apart from the stained glass windows was a magnificent organ dominating one wall. Unusually decorated with intricate ribbons and sculpture covered in gold leaf, the pipes resembled a crown along the cathedral wall.
Our luck with good food continued when we stumbled across a busy little restaurant with tables in the shadow of St Annes – a cool colourful place to sit. We all opted for salads and what salads they were. La Pre Vert salads were not only a taste sensation but works of art. Mine a smoked salmon extravaganza.
On our last day as the heat continued we somehow found ourselves on a long walk along freeways and shopping centres to reach Domine de Flaugergues. As we walked it seemed impossible there could be the sculpted gardens and mansion that had caught our eye in photos. Eventually walking out of the mayhem and onto a quiet country road before finding the entrance to the 17th-century Chateau and winery.
It seemed an opportunity to move out of the sun and try the wines. A tasting with a little history thrown in-. the Chateau and winemaking have continued in the same family since 1696. Relics discovered on-site suggest Roman cultivation of grapes here from around 2000 years ago.
Back in town for our last dinner in Montpellier, we chose a traditional French cuisine restaurant Thym & Romarin. Sitting outside the tiny café in a street lined with light coloured stone buildings we were served a perfect meal to end our stay. Kerri declared her salad of melon, ancient tomatoes, and salmon roe salad the best salad she had ever eaten. Food cooked according to what is seasonally available I had perfectly cooked white-fleshed fish on a courgette puree.
