WALKABOUT THE RAMPARTS

We had breakfast with Christian. He cycled down from his apartment outside the walls to join us. He told us the story of how an Idaho farm boy ended up in France. His family had a wine importing and distribution business in Boise but he really wasn’t interested in it while he was growing up. Then he got involved in politics, working for the Lt. Gov. of Massachusetts. He spent a little time in Puerto Rico where he broke his kneecap in a freak accident. He had no health insurance so he was forced to go home and work in the family wine business while he paid off the medical bills. He found that he had a knack for selling wine and eventually came to France to learn more about how the wines he was selling were made. He met his wife in France and has been here ever since.


Up on the walls looking across the rooftops.

After breakfast we parted ways with Christian. We wanted to walk around the walls of the city (he was going on a 100 km bike ride). Beaune has most of its original walls intact. You can walk around the old city on the walls looking down on the centuries of history. Beaune is very similar to Derry, except bigger and no one wants to kill you because you are
Catholic.


All along the watchtower.


Mini themed garden inside the Jardin Municipal.

As we walked around the city we passed through the municipal garden. There was an exhibit of mini gardens that were created by students at various art colleges around France in conjunction with Pablo Picasso High School. Each of the gardens were developed around a theme that highlighted recycling, diversity and sustainability. It was a great project that I would like to extend to the Longwood school garden.


Dr. E.J. Marey, pioneer of chronophotography and cinematography – we wouldn’t have the movies without his research and inventions.