Meaux is probably the nearest large town to our resort. It’s about 20 minutes drive. Meaux is the centre of the Brie region and also famous for mustard – a number of amazing seeded and unseeded mustards are made there in the famous clay jars, sealed with red wax. It’s a very attractive town on the banks of the great river Marne, with a very ancient old town dating back to Roman times and prior.
We have been there several times over the years, see https://travelswithallie.blog/2020/08/29/visit-to-meaux-market-mustard-and-brie/ and https://travelswithallie.blog/2020/09/08/meaux-cathedral-cheese-and-mustard/ and lastly Meaux in the Rain and Sunny Golf! but they were during or very soon after covid so rather different times. The Meaux we found today was definitely busier, although not crowded and the shops and restaurants were livelier.
We parked down beside the Marne in a pay carpark. I think we got the last place. Walked back two streets to the market and began a systematic wander around the stalls. It’s a good sized market stretching from the covered marketplaces (there are two) into the streets and across the bridge leading the old town. We bought quite a lot of vegetables and fruit, some chicken, chicken livers and sausages and some cheese and some deli things for evening aperos. I got two amazing lettuces. Huge heads of frilly leaves. There were also some interesting deep purple heads of broccoli.
After exhausting the stalls we walked up through the cobbled streets towards the cathedral. Stopped in a lovely coffee shop on the main street and had coffees and watched the world go by. We sat outside but inside there was a very atmospheric room.
We walked up to the Cathedral which is being cleaned in a massive undertaking. About 50% is done I would estimate. We’ve been inside before (see above). We went into the little museum in the close and saw an exhibition about a woman artist in the 20th century who became one of the founders of the French historic building restoration movement. Very interesting and a nice little museum.
By the time we came out we were ready for lunch and we had spotted an interesting looking place on the corner between the museum and the cathedral. It was called https://www.facebook.com/people/Maison-Lefebvre/100091921877377/ Maison Lefebvre. There were tables outside but we opted to sit inside at one of two high tables. The inside is very much a tiny deli with the open kitchen to the rear. It was very atmospheric, the walls lined with jars and spices and interesting things. We had a fantastic lunch. I had salmon in a lemon veloute with seaweed and white and black rice. Bob and John had steak tartare with salad and new little roasted potatoes. Sue had confit duck with mashed potato. All the dishes were absolutely delicious and we washed them down with some house red wine and a local cider. Afterwards Bob, John and I couldn’t resist a slab of local brie and Sue had an afogato which was gorgeous flavoured not only with vanilla ice cream but also amaretto and topped with chantilly cream. In fact we packed up one slab of brie and brought it away as it was all too much. Really good at about £25 per head.
Wandered back down to the car and got back to the resort around 3ish. The sun was out and there were people in the pool. At 22C not quite warm enough for me though it was nice to sit out in it. John and Sue went for an explore and then we decided to have g&ts and aperos. But….. Quelle Horreur!!!! The Gordon’s had frozen solid! John had to run out and buy another. I suppose it won’t go to waste ..