Taking a break

Montbard is the largest town we have been in since leaving Dijon. It still is small but is a nice mixture of old buildings, winding alleys and nice little shops as well as its more modern side. It has a good feel and is alive. Some of the towns we have stopped at are virtually empty, being just groups of houses where people come home in the evening and go to bed. All the little shops are closed as the supermarkets in the larger towns attract all the business.– Same the world over.

We arrived on the 9^th of June and decided to take a break and spend some time here taking in some local history and sights. We also needed to do some shopping and even though we have not been terribly rushed about anything, we decided we could sit still for a week or so. Besides friends were coming to visit and as Montbard was a stop on the Paris to Dijon rail line it was the ideal spot to meet them. Unfortunately their trip developed a few logistic problems and they were not able to join us.

The Abbey of Fontenay is a well known local historic site. Started up by the Cistercian monks in 1118 on swampy ground about 4 km south of  Montbard, and developed through the 12^th to 14^th centuries. The church, started in 1139 was typical of the architecture of the Cistercians, simple, massive and very functional. We spent a number of hours admiring the site which has been beautifully restored by the family who have owned the grounds for over 100 years. The abbey lost its religious standing in 1790, was taken over by the government and sold. The buildings were used as a paper mill for nearly 100 years. This saved them from the fate of a lot of the old French castles and abbeys – becoming stone supply quarries for local buildings.

One interesting activity of the monks was to set up an iron foundry. With a local supply of iron ore they produced a spongy lump iron which they forged into usable iron using water wheel powered hammers and other machines. They used this iron for their spades, forks, ploughs and other farm implements. They also sold iron products as a source of income.

The original of this hammer mill, driven by a water wheel in a stream running outside the building was leading technology for its day and the abbey was well known at the time for its high degree of technical achievement. They even pioneered fish farming, breeding and selling trout.

Enough for one day, Marg and I made our way back to Matilda for a late lunch and a relaxing afternoon. Tomorrow there will be more to explore.

So keep in touch.