Curiosities of Meaux ,part V !!!

Posted in Food and Wine, France
I give you or giving me another sentimental look at Meaux. In these days of need and hopes, I can only come back to my roots in France and a lovely lady name Martine ,I met in Meaux back in September 1990. We then went on long visiting my Central and South Florida USA and then visiting my belle France over the years until finally settled down in France as French in 2003. First by Versailles, and then we went into the Morbihan Breton dept 56 at Brec’h ,then Pluvigner enjoying fully this beautiful country, the no 1 most visited country in the world by UN WTO and for good reasons. The trail ended when she passed away April 30 2018 from the dreaful pancreatic cancer ,but hopes continue with my boys in France, by now our adopted country and the only one we will live until the end. Let me share bits and pieces of previous posts and some pics, on the town that made it all happened, Meaux, Seine et Marne dept 77 of the Île de France region in my Belle France! Therefore, this is my humble rendition on curiosities of Meaux ,part V !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I. The town is divided into quartiers or neighborhood some newer away from the river and the old ones from times afar such as the city center or centre ville, and ,the Marché , just across from the bridge over the Marne river, the Faubourg Saint-Nicolas (where my dear late wife Martine was from), the Châage-Saint Faron or area of the hospital (where she was born), and the ave de la Republique/La Croix de Varenne, from where the escapee Louis XVI was brought back to Paris spending a night here. The Faubourg Saint-Nicolas extends to the east of the city, along the great eponymous artery, formerly known as the route d’Allemagne (road of Germany). It is circumscribed by the avenues of  Maréchal Foch, du Maréchal Joffre, de la République, du président Salvador Allende,and the streets of rue des Béguines and rue des Cordeliers , and of course rue Noëfort (where my dear late Martine lived and first met her). You have the marché or market in city center around the blvd Rose,and the Marne river or around the cinema Majestic every wednesday mornings, Saturday all day, and Sunday morning. Under the covered market in just over the river Marne you will find merchant selling the real brie cheese with unpasteurised milk.  For the brie cheese and many other do come to La Fromagerie de Meaux,40 rue du Général Leclerc , city center. Another favorite boulangerie is the Boulangerie Maison Aucuit 154, rue du Faubourg St Nicolas, the bakery of my family in Meaux for years,Along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Nicolas wonderful street off my dear late wife Martine street, we found our bakery of old; and of course we purchase the baguettes, apple pie  ,chocolate flan, to take to the family as sharing is a French passion especially when food is concerned. The bakery is Le Fournil du Faubourg at 52 rue du faubourg st nicolas. Still there, There is the mustard of Meaux, well renown, the story goes well there is no telling when it was created !!! all we know is that in 1760 someone gave to a Mr. M.J.B Pommery , the secret recipe for the mustard, that has by priviledge be presented on the tables of the kings of France since 1632 , the house of  Pommery came to be located at 69 rue du Faubourg St Nicolas until 1927 refusing to give the secret away, at that time the last descendant of the house sold the business with recipe and all . Still commercialise all over under the same name,and you can buy it too in many stores in Meaux. meaux marche covered mkt over marne c2010 And the real Brie de Meaux, the king of cheeses, the cheese of kings , Vienna congress 1815. Indeed, and there are lots of imitations and even those claiming to be using the same method but in far away lands ,even in France. Remember the real Brie de Meaux is made from milk cows in the Brie country around Meaux and prepare and done in traditional manners in and around Meaux, today only two do it here and one more in Jouarre. When not in the market over the Marne river at 59 Rue du Commandant Berge,we come here to buy our Brie de Meaux and only in person. The one in Meaux has been doing for years from generation to generation and the one our family buys from. This is the Fromagerie de Meaux Saint Faron at Rue Jehan de Brie ZI Nord, here it is produce as well as the smaller cousin of Melun. You can have tours,tastings, and purchase as well.  You can, also, buy here in town center at La Maison du Brie de Meaux at 5 Place Charles de Gaulle, is a boutique that is right in the Episcopal palace next to the Bossuet Museum that also acts as the Tourist office of Pays de Meaux. You can buy it direct too.  There is a Confrerie du Brie de Meaux or fraternity that guard over the authenticity of this cheese and keeps the real traditions. I had the great pleasure to eat at the same pizzeria that I ate when came to live in France permanently in 2003, and still with same owners!! Somedays did not want to eat with the In-laws for no particular reason and stop in city center to eat and this was the place very friendly, great ambiance and right prices. When visited the town afterward with the family I brought them here too. This was at the Pizzeria Villa Roma at 29 Avenue Salvador Allende, For entertainement with the family head over to the Majestic theater or cinema,at Place Henri IV, my first movie and have come back for more! Now part of the UGC cinema group, Totally renovated looking great, see post, The area just outside Meaux along the A140 is full of stores of all kinds, a great shopper’s paradise with prices better than Paris. In City center around rue Saint Remy a pedestrian only street is just about only shops, restos bars etc, My first car in France , a Ford, of course, was purchase at the old dealer now close at Cours Raoult just between pl Henri IV and the Marne river. Meaux cours Raoult to pl Henri IV dec17 The city can claim many wonderful sights all written on in my blog, The main is the beautiful Gothic St Stephens Cathedral (Saint Etienne) , and its episcopal palace now Bossuet museum , the garden done by André Le Nôtre!!! the remains of the medieval ramparts, and its historical festival recreating the middle ages!  In 1681 Bossuet was appointed  Bishop of Meaux and remained so until his death in 1704. In the meantime , been the confessor of king Louis XIV!; and known as the Eagle of Meaux. The Royal family (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) , during the dramatic return from the Varennes flight, spent a night in Meaux. In the 19C, the Marquis de Lafayette (he who helped US independence)  was a deputy for the district of Meaux, especially in 1827.  During WWI or the Great War (1914-1918), Meaux was the scene of the First Battle of the Marne, which shook the Seine-et-Marne region. Many memorials abound. The Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Nicolas is none other than the Decumanus Maximus which crossed the ancient city from east to west. In the 5C, there was St. Céline, a friend of Saint Geneviève; On her tomb, placed extra muros in the ancient tradition, arose a church that had to endure until the French revolution. There you go folks, a town, a place on earth very sentimental and nice for me to remember always. Other than my sentimental rant, the city is a very important tourist destination for the French due to its Cathedral, Brie cheese ,and middle ages festival done live on public stages all over town. It is also, a great place to be while visiting Disneyland Paris bus take you there and at Meaux life is cheaper.. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Meaux ,part V !!! as I. And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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